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This paper provides a broad overview of historical and current developments of holographic lenses (HLs) in concentrating solar power. The review focuses on the recording material typically employed for HLs in concentrating solar photovoltaic and/or concentrating solar thermal collectors. This review shows that the use of HLs for energy transformation, achieves high performance efficiency in the designed physical systems, furthermore, some important elements to consider for future designs are presented, especially those related to the etching material of the HLs. Finally, the article outlines future recommendations, emphasizing potential research opportunities and challenges for researchers entering the field of photovoltaic and/or concentrating solar thermal collectors based on HLs.

Cocoa pod husk (70–75 wt.% of the fruit) is a waste that can be used containing cellulose (c.a. 35.4 wt.%). The present work evaluates the valorization of cocoa pod husk as a potential source of cellulose to obtain carboxymethylcellulose. A yield of 21.9% of extracted cellulose was obtained with respect to the cocoa husk flour used. Different procedures were applied to obtain carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), followed by a purification process, achieving a yield of 64.3%. The physical characterization of the CMC obtained was carried out using FTIR spectroscopy, and its molecular weight (183628.89 g/mol) was determined by its intrinsic viscosity. The CMC dispersions were tested using small amplitude oscillatory shear (SAOS) for concentrations 3–7%, finding an evolution in the rheological behavior of the systems studied.

Seaweeds, rich in high-value polysaccharides with thickening/gelling properties (e.g., agar, carrageenan, and alginate), are extensively used in the food industry for texture customization and enhancement. However, conventional extraction methods for these hydrocolloids often involve potentially hazardous chemicals and long extraction times. In this study, three red seaweed species (Chondrus crispus, Gelidium Corneum, and Gracilaria gracilis) commercialized as food ingredients by local companies were chosen for their native gelling biopolymers, which were extracted using water-based methodologies (i.e., (1) hydration at room temperature; (2) stirring at 90 °C; and (3) centrifugation at 40 °C) for production of sustainable food gels. The potential use of these extracts as bioinks was assessed employing an extrusion-based 3D printer. The present work aimed to study the gelation process, taken place during printing, and assess the effectiveness of the selected green extraction method in producing gels. To improve the definition of the printed gel, two critical printing parameters were investigated: the addition of locust bean gum (LBG) at different concentrations (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5%) and printing temperature (30, 40, 60, and 80 °C). Rheological results from a controlled-stress rheometer indicated that gels derived from G. corneum and G. gracilis exhibited a lower gel strength (lower G′ and G″) and excessive material spreading during deposition (lower viscosity) than C. crispus. Thus, G′ was around 5 and 70 times higher for C. crispus gels than for G. corneum and G. gracilis, respectively. When increasing LBG concentration (0.5 to 2.5% w/w) and lowering the printing temperature (80 to 30 °C), an enhanced gel matrix definition for G. corneum and G. gracilis gels was found. In contrast, gels from C. crispus demonstrated greater stability and were less influenced by these parameters, showcasing the potential of the seaweed to develop sustainable clean label food g

Inks based on soybean protein isolate (SPI) were developed and their formulations were optimized as a function of the ink heat treatment and the content of other biopolymers to assess the effects of protein–polysaccharides and protein–protein interactions. First, the rheological behavior of the inks was analyzed in relation to the polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) concentration employed (20, 25, and 30 wt%) and, as a result of the analysis, the ink with 25 wt% PVA was selected. Additionally, sodium alginate (SA) and gelatin (GEL) were added to the formulations to improve the viscoelastic properties of the inks and the effect of the SA or GEL concentrations (1, 2, and 3 wt%) was studied. All inks showed shear thinning behavior and self-supporting abilities. Among all the 3D printed scaffolds, those with higher SA (3 wt%) or GEL (2 and 3 wt%) content showed higher shape fidelity and were selected for further characterization. Texture profile analysis demonstrated that the scaffolds prepared with previously heat-treated inks containing 3 wt% GEL showed the highest strength. Additionally, these scaffolds showed a higher water-uptake capacity profile.

Corona treatment (CT), a surface treatment widely used in the plastic industry, can be used to alter the properties of cassava starch. In the present work, CT was performed on dry granular starch (DS), water-suspended humid granular starch (HS), and gelatinized starch (GS). Different properties and structural characteristics of treated starches were studied. A lowering in pH was generally observed after CT and the rheological properties depended on the starch presentation. A reinforcement of DS and HS samples after CT was deduced from higher viscosity values in flow assays and viscoelastic moduli, but weak gels were obtained when CT was applied to GS. Changes in the A-type polymorphic structure, as well as a drop in relative crystallinity, were produced by CT for DS and HS. Additionally, changes in O-H and C-O-C FTIR bands were observed. Therefore, CT can be applied for starch modification, producing predominantly cross-linking in the DS and depolymerization in the HS. Casting films made from the modified DS showed higher tensile strength and lower hydrophilicity, solubility, water absorption capacity, and water vapor permeability. Thus, the DS cross-linking induced by CT improved mechanical characteristics and hydrophobicity in edible films, which can be better used as packaging materials.

The present study explored the utilization of Rugulopteryx okamurae (RO), an invasive brown seaweed, as a renewable raw material for plastic materials based on biopolymer blends. The goal of this study was to improve the previously observed poor mechanical properties of materials based on single biopolymer RO. To enhance these properties, two polymers with distinct hydrophobicities were incorporated into the formulation of different blends: hydrophobic polycaprolactone (PCL) and hydrophilic acylated soy protein isolate (SPIa). SPIa was derived from soy protein through a chemical modification process, introducing hydrophilic carboxyl groups. The addition of PCL significantly strengthened the blend, increasing the storage modulus (E′1 Hz) from ~ 110 to ~ 250 MPa. Conversely, SPIa incorporation resulted in softening, with E′ values around 40 MPa. Both additives enhanced deformability proportionally to their concentrations, with SPIa exhibiting notably higher deformability, reaching a maximum deformation of ~ 23% for a RO/SPIa ratio of 25/75. In summary, the study demonstrates the feasibility of producing environmentally friendly blend materials based on RO, tailored for specific applications by incorporating suitable additives into the formulation. Therefore, PCL is recommended for applications susceptible to moisture effects, such as packaging, while SPIa is suggested for highly absorbent applications such as personal care or horticulture.

Corona treatment (CT), a surface treatment widely used in the plastic industry, can be used to alter the properties of cassava starch. In the present work, CT was performed on dry granular starch (DS), water-suspended humid granular starch (HS), and gelatinized starch (GS). Different properties and structural characteristics of treated starches were studied. A lowering in pH was generally observed after CT and the rheological properties depended on the starch presentation. A reinforcement of DS and HS samples after CT was deduced from higher viscosity values in flow assays and viscoelastic moduli, but weak gels were obtained when CT was applied to GS. Changes in the A-type polymorphic structure, as well as a drop in relative crystallinity, were produced by CT for DS and HS. Additionally, changes in O-H and C-O-C FTIR bands were observed. Therefore, CT can be applied for starch modification, producing predominantly cross-linking in the DS and de-polymerization in the HS. Casting films made from the modified DS showed higher tensile strength and lower hydrophilicity, solubility, water absorption capacity, and water vapor permeability. Thus, the DS cross-linking induced by CT improved mechanical characteristics and hydrophobicity in edible films, which can be better used as packaging materials.

Ninguno, Background: The MPOWER strategy encourages suitable monitoring of the tobacco epidemic among health professionals in all countries. Objective: To analyse the prevalence of and attitudes towards tobacco use among Spanish health professionals. Methods: A study was conducted based on an online survey. The study population consisted of health professionals (primary care physicians, specialist physicians and nurses). The questionnaire used included questions about tobacco consumption, knowledge of and attitudes towards smoking. The sample size was calculated according to a database with 9,500 e-mail addresses and listings of health centres and hospitals all over Spain. Statistical analysis was done using the SPSS software programme. Results: The study group comprised a total of 612 health professionals: 322 were women (52.6%), 196 were nurses and 416 were physicians. 11.7% of health professionals were smokers (9.6% regular smokers and 2.1% occasional smokers) and 41.3% were ex-smokers. Within the group of daily smokers, differences were observed between the nurses and the physicians: 11.2 versus 8.9% (p = 0.009). Smoking was recognized as a chronic disorder by 58.2% of health professionals, and 54.6% knew that the most effective intervention to help quit is a combination of psychological and pharmacological treatment. 56% of health professionals always asked their patients about their tobacco consumption. Conclusions: 11.7% of Spanish health professionals are smokers. We found that they have low knowledge about strategies to quit smoking and that there is a low level of therapeutic intervention on smokers., Depto. de Medicina, Fac. de Medicina, TRUE, pub

The thermal analysis of stratospheric balloon payloads is still a complex task due to the variable thermal environment during the flight phases as well as due to the convective effects during the ascent. An experiment named HERCCULES has been successfully launched from Esrange Space Centre (Kiruna, Sweden) in September 2023 as part of the REXUS/BEXUS programme. This experiment aimed of serving as a heat transfer and thermal environment characterization platform that allow to validate previously developed methodologies for the worst-case thermal environmental conditions’ selection and the thermal analysis of these platforms. The experiment has been developed in an academic environment and the design, manufacturing, integration and test activities were mainly performed by Bachelor, Master and Ph.D. students with the mentorship of the European Space Agency. A low-cost design was achieved by using Commercial Off-the-Shelf (COTS) without compromising its performance capabilities. The obtained measurements show a colder behavior of the external elements with regard to the worst-case analysis during the first part of the ascent phase. In addition, radiative fluxes measured during the flight show a deviation in the infrared downward flux of about -50 W m−2 at 5 km of altitude and a maximum fluctuation of about the 20% in the solar fluxes measurements. Significant advancements have been made for similar missions in terms of mechanical standardization, the use of COTS sensors and electronic components, the improvement of the reliability of the thermal analysis and the development of a software design adhered to standards and recommendations for critical systems.

Entre el 15 y el 27% de los pacientes que ingresan en los hospitales españoles son consumidores de tabaco. La hospitalización es un momento idóneo para que el fumador se plantee el abandono del tabaco. Se ha realizado una búsqueda bibliográfica en MEDLINE entre el 1 de enero de 2002 y el 30 de septiembre de 2015, de estudios, controlados y aleatorizados u observacionales, relacionados con la ayuda para dejar de fumar a pacientes ingresados en el hospital. Basándose en los resultados de dichos estudios se han emitido unas recomendaciones para el tratamiento del tabaquismo en pacientes hospitalizados. Las recomendaciones han sido formuladas de acuerdo con el sistema GRADE. Ofrecer al fumador asesoramiento psicológico más tratamiento farmacológico mientras está ingresado en el hospital y prolongar el seguimiento durante al menos 4 semanas después del alta es la recomendación más efectiva para ayudar a dejar de fumar a los pacientes ingresados., Depto. de Medicina, Fac. de Medicina, TRUE, pub

Accurate 3D object detection is crucial to autonomous driving. Though LiDAR-based detectors have achieved impressive performance, the high cost of LiDAR sensors precludes their widespread adoption in affordable vehicles. Camera-based detectors are cheaper alternatives but often suffer inferior performance compared to their LiDAR-based counterparts due to inherent depth ambiguities in images. In this work, we seek to improve monocular 3D detectors by leveraging unlabeled historical LiDAR data. Specifically, at inference time, we assume that the camera-based detectors have access to multiple unlabeled LiDAR scans from past traversals at locations of interest (potentially from other high-end vehicles equipped with LiDAR sensors). Under this setup, we proposed a novel, simple, and end-to-end trainable framework, termed AsyncDepth, to effectively extract relevant features from asynchronous LiDAR traversals of the same location for monocular 3D detectors. We show consistent and significant performance gain (up to 9 AP) across multiple state-of-the-art models and datasets with a negligible additional latency of 9.66 ms and a small storage cost., Comment: Accepted by ICRA 2024. The code can be found at https://github.com/YurongYou/AsyncDepth

This work proposes a new interior point method to solve linear programming problems. Known interior point methods are difficult to understand since the tools used in them are too technical, the method proposed here is easy to understand and didactic when presented. Within the feasible region, an orthonormal basis of vectors can be found, which will serve as directions to move an arbitrary initial interior point, giving way to the generation of a search path (sequence) of points within the feasible region that converges to the optimal solution to the problem. If the path converges to a vertex of the feasible region, the solution to the problem has been found, while if the path leads to one side of the feasible region, it means that one of the variables is found to be zero and the algorithm is restarted with a decrease in the number of variables. The tools used here for the construction of the new method are basic concepts of linear algebra, this allows a pedagogical facility when it comes to understanding the algorithm., Este trabajo propone un nuevo método de punto interior para resolver problemas de programación lineal. Los métodos conocidos de punto interior son de difícil compresión dado que las herramientas usadas en ellos son demasiado técnicas, el método aquí propuesto es de fácil compresión y didáctico a la hora de ser presentado. Al interior de la región factible se puede hallar una base ortonormal de vectores los cuales servirán como direcciones para trasladar un punto interior inicial arbitrario dando paso a la generación de una senda de búsqueda (sucesión) de puntos al interior de la región factible que converge a la solución óptima del problema. Si la senda converge a un vértice de la región factible se encontró la solución del problema, mientras que si la senda nos conduce a un lado de la región factible quiere decir que se encuentra que una de las variables es cero y se reinicia el algoritmo con una disminución en el número de variables. Las herramientas aquí utilizadas para la construcción del nuevo método son conceptos básicos de álgebra lineal, esto permite una facilidad pedagógica a la hora de entender el algoritmo

Este documento examina la influencia del desarrollo financiero en la desigualdad de ingresos en diez países de América del Sur entre los años 2000 y 2020. Este trabajo incluye una descripción general de la literatura relevante, así como la construcción de un conjunto de datos y el uso de un modelo empírico utilizando datos de panel. método con un enfoque de largo plazo. Al evaluar el impacto de las diferentes dimensiones del desarrollo financiero: profundidad, acceso y eficiencia de las instituciones financieras y los mercados financieros en el nivel de desigualdad de ingresos, este documento intenta desentrañar los puntos de vista opuestos sobre la relación entre las finanzas y la distribución del ingreso. Los principales resultados del análisis indican que, en primer lugar, el desarrollo financiero reduce la desigualdad de ingresos. En segundo lugar, el efecto negativo sobre la desigualdad de ingresos se debe principalmente al desarrollo financiero de las instituciones más que a los mercados financieros y, en tercer lugar, cuando se profundiza en un análisis multidimensional, dos de las tres medidas de desarrollo financiero: acceso y eficiencia de las instituciones financieras, tienden a reducir los ingresos. desigualdad. También realizamos algunas pruebas de robustez utilizando otra medida de desigualdad de ingresos, la relación 90-10 en lugar del coeficiente de Gini, en la que llegamos a resultados similares. Con la relación 90-10, el desarrollo financiero disminuye la desigualdad de ingresos y ahora no solo dos sino tres medidas de desarrollo financiero en las instituciones: profundidad, acceso y eficiencia y la eficiencia del desarrollo financiero en los mercados tienen una relación negativa con la desigualdad de ingresos. Finalmente, el análisis se hizo por país en el que dos de los cinco países elegidos (Argentina y Brasil) tienen una relación negativa entre el desarrollo financiero y la desigualdad de ingresos. El análisis de robustez también se realizó por, This paper examines the influence of financial development on income inequality on ten South American countries between the years 2000 and 2020. This work includes the overview of relevant literature as well as the construction of a dataset, and the use of an empirical model using panel data method with a long-run approach. By evaluating the impact of different dimensions of financial development: depth, access and efficiency of financial institutions and financial markets on the level of income inequality, this paper tries to disentangle the opposing views on the relationship between finance and income distribution. The main results of the analysis indicate that first, financial development decreases income inequality. Second, the negative effect on income inequality is mainly through the financial development of institutions rather than financial markets and third, when going into deeper multidimensional analysis, two out of the three measurements of financial development: access and efficiency of financial institutions, tend lower income inequality. We also performed some robustness tests by using other measurement of income inequality, the 90-10 ratio instead of the Gini coefficient, in which we arrived at similar results. With the 90-10 ratio, financial development decreases income inequality and now not only two but the three measurements of financial development in institutions: depth, access and efficiency and the efficiency of financial development in markets have a negative relationship with income inequality. Finally, the analysis was done by country in which two out of five countries chosen (Argentina and Brazil) have a negative relationship between financial development and income inequality. The robustness analysis was also done by income level where we categorized different countries by their income level, and we looked at the effect on the depth, access, and efficiency level. We found that on the country level, the three measurement of financial deve

In this study we address environmental perceptions among 177 students from Manzanares and Marquetalia (Caldas, Colombia) with an average age of 16 years. In order to assess their knowledge, attitudes and pro-environmental behavior, we conducted a questionnaire based on the International Survey about European Student’s Attitudes and Actions regarding Environmental Topics. The results showed the environmental awareness of students and the recognition of the human-nature relationship, in which humans are one the many species on earth. They also highlight the need for economic growth and development of science and technology without environmental damage, transcending the anthropocentric and utilitarian conception of the environment. On the other hand, although it was clear that students are aware of pollution, poor waste management and deforestation as the main environmental problems in their municipalities, they show a lack of knowledge on other environmental topics. We propose the design of environmental education strategies that take into account the territorial and community specificities, active public participation as well as environmental complexity., En el presente estudio se aborda la percepción ambiental de 177 jóvenes con una edad promedio de 16 años de los municipios de Manzanares y Marquetalia (Caldas, Colombia), donde se identificaron sus conocimientos, actitudes y comportamientos proambientales. Como metodología se empleó una adaptación de la Encuesta internacional sobre las actitudes y acciones de los estudiantes europeos con relación a temas ambientales. El análisis de las respuestas pone en evidencia la importancia que le otorgan los jóvenes al ambiente al reconocer la relación hombre-naturaleza, donde el ser humano es una especie más del planeta e identificar la necesidad de un crecimiento económico, desarrollo de la ciencia y tecnología sin estar en detrimento del ambiente; desestimando así la concepción antropocéntrica y utilitarista que se tiene del ambiente. Por otra parte, aunque es claro para los encuestados que la contaminación, las basuras y la deforestación son los principales problemas del entorno en el que viven, éstos presentan algunos vacíos conceptuales al momento de definir ciertos temas ambientales. El estudio propone el desarrollo de estrategias de EA surgidas desde las realidades del territorio, donde sea valorada la participación ciudadana, así como la complejidad del ambiente.

In this study we address environmental perceptions among 177 students from Manzanares and Marquetalia (Caldas, Colombia) with an average age of 16 years. In order to assess their knowledge, attitudes and pro-environmental behavior, we conducted a questionnaire based on the International Survey about European Student’s Attitudes and Actions regarding Environmental Topics. The results showed the environmental awareness of students and the recognition of the human-nature relationship, in which humans are one the many species on earth. They also highlight the need for economic growth and development of science and technology without environmental damage, transcending the anthropocentric and utilitarian conception of the environment. On the other hand, although it was clear that students are aware of pollution, poor waste management and deforestation as the main environmental problems in their municipalities, they show a lack of knowledge on other environmental topics. We propose the design of environmental education strategies that take into account the territorial and community specificities, active public participation as well as environmental complexity., En el presente estudio se aborda la percepción ambiental de 177 jóvenes con una edad promedio de 16 años de los municipios de Manzanares y Marquetalia (Caldas, Colombia), donde se identificaron sus conocimientos, actitudes y comportamientos proambientales. Como metodología se empleó una adaptación de la Encuesta internacional sobre las actitudes y acciones de los estudiantes europeos con relación a temas ambientales. El análisis de las respuestas pone en evidencia la importancia que le otorgan los jóvenes al ambiente al reconocer la relación hombre-naturaleza, donde el ser humano es una especie más del planeta e identificar la necesidad de un crecimiento económico, desarrollo de la ciencia y tecnología sin estar en detrimento del ambiente; desestimando así la concepción antropocéntrica y utilitarista que se tiene del ambiente. Por otra parte, aunque es claro para los encuestados que la contaminación, las basuras y la deforestación son los principales problemas del entorno en el que viven, éstos presentan algunos vacíos conceptuales al momento de definir ciertos temas ambientales. El estudio propone el desarrollo de estrategias de EA surgidas desde las realidades del territorio, donde sea valorada la participación ciudadana, así como la complejidad del ambiente.

A critical translation of two quodlibetal questions by Henry of Ghent on the causal origin of impossibility, preceded by a preliminary study that analyses both questions within the general framework of his relational ontology. In the first one (VI.3), Henry concludes that the impossibility of something comes from the thing itself (ex parte rei); while in the second one (VIII.3), he holds that the impossibility of something comes from God (ex parte dei). The textual and philosophical analysis shows, on the one hand, the continuity and dependence of the second question on the first one, and, on the other hand, the weakness of the distinction between the formal constitution of the res and its objective possibility, as well as the originality and value of the notion of nothingness (purum nihil) proposed by Henry in both questions., Traducción crítica de las dos cuestiones quodlibetales dedicadas por Enrique de Gante al origen causal de la imposibilidad, precedida de un estudio introductorio que analiza ambas cuestiones en el marco general de su ontología relacional. En la primera (VI.3), Enrique concluye que la imposibilidad de algo proviene ex parte rei; mientras que en la segunda (VIII.3), concluye que la imposibilidad de algo proviene ex parte dei. El estudio de ambas cuestiones muestra, por una parte, la continuidad y la dependencia de la segunda cuestión respecto de la primera y, por otra, la debilidad de la distinción propuesta por Enrique entre la constitución formal de la res y su posibilidad objetiva, así como la originalidad y el valor de la noción de nada (purum nihil) que logra precisar en ellas.

Keratin is a largely available protein that can be obtained from the ca. 3 million tons of feathers that the European poultry industry produces as a side-stream. Here, the functionalization of keratin from poultry feathers was evaluated using a one- versus two-stage process using two functionalization agents (succinic anhydride-SA and ethylene dianhydride-EDTAD). The functionalization resulted in the keratin having improved liquid swelling capacities, reaching up to 400%, 300%, and 85% increase in water, saline, and blood, respectively, compared to non-functionalized keratin. The highest swelling was obtained for samples functionalized with EDTAD (one-stage process), while the highest saline uptake was noted for samples processed with 25 wt% SA (two-stage process). Swelling kinetics modeling indicated that the water uptake by the functionalized samples takes place in two steps, and the EDTAD samples showed the highest diffusivity. It is demonstrated that the one-stage functionalization of keratin utilizing EDTAD results in better performance than two-stages, which allows for resource-saving and, thereby, protecting the environment. The results show some potential for the keratin to be utilized as liquid absorbent materials in water, saline, and blood uptake applications. Using keratin from side-streams is an advantage from a sustainability perspective over biomacromolecules that need to be extracted from virgin biomass.

Biorefinery was used to transform two organic wastes, i.e. urban park & garden green waste and porcine plasma (PPP), into raw materials for biocomposite production. The effect of the nature, size and content of the filler on the final performance of biocomposites was assessed. Two fractions stemming from an urban park and garden green waste, i.e. a representative fraction of the total waste (RF) and a branches-rich fraction (B), were considered as fillers of a PPP bioplastic. PPP-RF/B biocomposites were obtained by compression-moulding and then characterised by tensile tests, dynamic mechanical analysis, water uptake, and water vapour permeability. Using a filler size around 28 µm at 30 wt%, the Young’s Modulus of samples including B fraction was double the value of that including RF, due to the presence of grass in the overall urban waste. Moreover, a greater strengthening was perceived when using larger particle sizes (around 140 µm) of the B fraction, highlighting the importance of the grinding stage. The loss tangent evolution with temperature from dynamic mechanical tests denoted an antiplasticizing effect of the urban biowastes, which should be considered in future applications as a certain exudation degree would be expected. Regarding barrier properties, water permeability increased at higher filler contents (i.e., 30 wt%), while oxygen permeability decreased. Generally, composites from plasma and urban biowaste could be considered in future applications (e.g., packaging), as they showed great reinforcement and stability during water immersion, apart from a darker tonality and decreased oxygen permeability.

The polymer industry was boosted in the middle of the twentieth century when industrial production was made feasible. Nowadays, it is really difficult to find many everyday objects that are not made of plastic or contain plastic parts. Thus, polymer science and technology is an essential area in the materials engineering curriculum, where traditional (e.g., extrusion) and novel (e.g., 3D-printing) processing techniques can be discussed. Two pedagogical strategies were used in the present study. In the theoretical classes, a simple model based on an everyday object (i.e., shoelaces) was used as a demonstration of the structure of polymers, while a questionnaire carried out twice was performed in seminars oriented to the resolution of case studies. ICTs were used in both sessions (i.e., Instagram and Office Excel) to assess the learning process. The students determined that this approach resulted interesting for them, which in the end increased their motivation. Both strategies were successful, as denoted by the results of this academic year compared to the previous ones. This indicates that this innovative activity is a model validated by most students, increasing the development of their competencies and their motivation., La industria de los polímeros se impulsó a mediados del siglo XX cuando se viabilizó la producción industrial. Hoy en día, es realmente difícil encontrar muchos objetos cotidianos que no estén hechos de plástico o contengan piezas de plástico. Por lo tanto, la ciencia y tecnología de polímeros es un área esencial en el plan de estudios de ingeniería de materiales, donde se pueden discutir técnicas de procesamiento tradicionales (p. ej., extrusión) y novedosas (p. ej., impresión 3D). En el presente estudio se utilizaron dos estrategias pedagógicas. En las clases teóricas se utilizó un modelo simple basado en un objeto cotidiano (i.e., cordones de zapatos) como demostración de la estructura de los polímeros, mientras que en los seminarios orientados a la resolución de casos prácticos se realizó un cuestionario realizado en dos ocasiones. En ambas sesiones se utilizaron las TIC (es decir, Instagram y Office Excel) para evaluar el proceso de aprendizaje. Los estudiantes determinaron que este enfoque les resultó interesante, lo que al final aumentó su motivación. Ambas estrategias fueron exitosas, como lo denotan los resultados de este año académico en comparación con los anteriores. Esto indica que esta actividad innovadora es un modelo validado por la mayoría de los estudiantes, aumentando el desarrollo de sus competencias y su motivación., La indústria del polímer es va impulsar a mitjans del segle XX quan es va fer factible la producció industrial. Avui en dia és molt difícil trobar molts objectes quotidians que no siguin de plàstic o que contenen peces de plàstic. Així, la ciència i la tecnologia dels polímers són una àrea essencial en el currículum d'enginyeria de materials, on es poden discutir tècniques de processament tradicionals (per exemple, extrusió) i noves (per exemple, impressió 3D). En el present estudi s'han utilitzat dues estratègies pedagògiques. A les classes teòriques es va utilitzar un model senzill basat en un objecte quotidià (és a dir, cordons de les sabates) com a demostració de l'estructura dels polímers, mentre que es va realitzar un qüestionari realitzat dues vegades en seminaris orientats a la resolució de casos pràctics. Les TIC es van utilitzar en ambdues sessions (és a dir, Instagram i Office Excel) per avaluar el procés d'aprenentatge. Els alumnes van determinar que aquest plantejament els resultava interessant, fet que al final va augmentar la seva motivació. Ambdues estratègies van tenir èxit, tal com demostren els resultats d'aquest curs acadèmic en comparació amb els anteriors. Això indica que aquesta activitat innovadora és un model validat per la majoria dels alumnes, augmentant el desenvolupament de les seves competències i la seva motivació.

The expansion of food production has a large environmental impact in many ways. More specifically, 30–40% of total food production is lost as wastes and/or by-products before it reaches the market. In this sense, blood is an inevitable by-product in the meat industry that typically consists of 3–5% of the total weight of the animal. The dry organic matter present in blood is mostly protein, which can be employed more efficiently as raw material in the development of biodegradable materials. In the present manuscript, the blood collected after slaughtering of Iberian pigs was centrifuged and the upper (i.e., plasma) and bottom (i.e., red cells) layers were separated. Three freeze-dried fractions were characterized and evaluated on terms of their potential in the field of bioplastics: whole blood, plasma and bottom layer. Albumin was detected clearly in the plasma fraction, while globulins in red cells. After their characterization samples were mixed thoroughly with glycerol and injection molded at 120 °C. Special applications may be proposed for every fraction (i.e., whole blood, plasma or red cells), as the materials displayed different properties depending on the raw material employed. Thus, plasma resulted in materials with a greater deformability and swelling capacity during immersion, resulting in superabsorbent materials when processed at milder conditions (80 °C).

1. Pollinators play a crucial role in ecosystems globally, ensuring the seed production of most flowering plants. They are threatened by global changes and knowledge of their distribution at the national and continental levels is needed to implement efficient conservation actions, but this knowledge is still fragmented and/or difficult to access. 2. As a step forward, we provide an updated list of around 3000 European bee and hoverfly species, reflecting their current distributional status at the national level (in the form of present, absent, regionally extinct, possibly extinct or non-native). This work was attainable by incorporating both published and unpublished data, as well as knowledge from a large set of taxonomists and ecologists in both groups. 3. After providing the first National species lists for bees and hoverflies for many countries, we examine the current distributional patterns of these species and designate the countries with highest levels of species richness. We also show that many species are recorded in a single European country, highlighting the importance of articulating European and national conservation strategies. 4. Finally, we discuss how the data provided here can be combined with future trait and Red List data to implement research that will further advance pollinator conservation.

The research focuses on bibliometrically analyzing the economic impact generated by tourism activity. Through a comprehensive bibliographic review, various studies addressing this topic are collected and analyzed, allowing for the identification of key trends, methodologies, and findings related to the economic impact of tourism. The objective of the research is to provide a comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of the relationship between tourism and how this activity can contribute to the economic development of a region or tourist destination. Factors such as job creation, foreign exchange earnings, investment in tourism infrastructure, the establishment of local businesses, and the impact on other economic sectors are examined. A systematic and updated review is offered, providing a solid knowledge base for researchers, tourism professionals, policy-makers, and other stakeholders in the field of tourism and theeconomy, La investigación se centra en analizar bibliométricamente el impacto económico generado por la actividad turística. A través de una revisión bibliográfica exhaustiva, se recopilan y analizan diversos estudios que abordan esta temática, permitiendo identificar las principales tendencias, metodologías y hallazgos relacionados con el impacto económico del turismo. El objetivo de la investigación es proporcionar una visiónintegral y actualizada de la relación entre el turismo, y cómo esta actividad puede contribuir al desarrollo económico de una región o destino turístico. Se examinan factores como la generación de empleo, el ingreso de divisas, la inversión en infraestructura turística, la creación de negocios locales y el impacto en otros sectores económicos. Se ofrece una revisión sistemática y actualizada proporcionando una base sólida deconocimiento para investigadores, profesionales del turismo, formuladores de políticas y otras partes interesadas en el ámbito del turismo y la economía.

En años anteriores era posible apreciar el crecimiento y desarrollo en los flujos del sector turístico en diferentes zonas del país, pero Sincelejo no ha sido una de esas potencias turísticas, así disminuyendo su productividad ya sea por la falta de innovación, inclusión de los entes gobernantes o desarrollo de las zonas que lo conforman. Esta investigación tendrá como objetivo analizar los factores que impiden el crecimiento del sector turísticoen la ciudad de Sincelejo y porque no es un pilar competitivo para otras ciudades.Palabras clave: turismo, productividad, innovación, competitividad., In previous years it was possible to appreciate the growth and development in theflows of the tourism sector in different areas of the country, but Sincelejo has not beenone of those tourist powers, thus decreasing its productivity either by the lack ofinnovation, inclusion of the governing bodies or development of the areas that compriseit. The objective of this research is to analyze the factors that impede the growth of thetourism sector in the city of Sincelejo and why it is not a competitive pillar for othercities.

La acuciante realidad del cambio climático es cada vez más palpable en el día a día. Esto nos obliga a explorar nuevas formas de aprovechar todos los recursos que nos ofrece la naturaleza de la manera más sostenible posible, para poder seguir moviendo nuestro mundo día a día reduciendo el impacto de nuestras actividades sobre algo tan esencial y delicado como el clima. En este contexto, el desarrollo de las energías renovables abre un horizonte de posibilidades como el que nos brinda la incipiente energía fotovoltaica flotante, que permite pensar un paso más allá en las aplicaciones de la tecnología fotovoltaica. Para estudiar la energía fotovoltaica flotante, se han analizado de manera teórica sus principales características, incluyendo los componentes específicos de esta tecnología y las consideraciones y particularidades que la definen. Además, se presentan los parámetros que podrían conformar el modelo económico. Se ha llevado a la práctica este estudio proponiendo el diseño y modelado de una planta fotovoltaica flotante de alrededor de 1 kW de potencia instalada sobre el embalse de Santa Teresa (Cáceres), para lo cual se ha usado el software PVsyst. Esta simulación ha arrojado unos valores principales de en torno a 1,8 GWh de producción anual y un LCoE (coste de producción de 1 kWh) de 68 €/kWh que dejan a esta tecnología en el camino de ser rentable por sí misma, como se desgranará en los distintos apartados del trabajo.

The polymer industry was boosted in the middle of the twentieth century when industrial production was made feasible. Nowadays, it is really difficult to find many everyday objects that are not made of plastic or contain plastic parts. Thus, polymer science and technology is an essential area in the materials engineering curriculum, where traditional (e.g., extrusion) and novel (e.g., 3D-printing) processing techniques can be discussed. Two pedagogical strategies were used in the present study. In the theoretical classes, a simple model based on an everyday object (i.e., shoelaces) was used as a demonstration of the structure of polymers, while a questionnaire carried out twice was performed in seminars oriented to the resolution of case studies. ICTs were used in both sessions (i.e., Instagram and Office Excel) to assess the learning process. The students determined that this approach resulted interesting for them, which in the end increased their motivation. Both strategies were successful, as denoted by the results of this academic year compared to the previous ones. This indicates that this innovative activity is a model validated by most students, increasing the development of their competencies and their motivation., La industria de los polímeros se impulsó a mediados del siglo XX cuando se viabilizó la producción industrial. Hoy en día, es realmente difícil encontrar muchos objetos cotidianos que no estén hechos de plástico o contengan piezas de plástico. Por lo tanto, la ciencia y tecnología de polímeros es un área esencial en el plan de estudios de ingeniería de materiales, donde se pueden discutir técnicas de procesamiento tradicionales (p. ej., extrusión) y novedosas (p. ej., impresión 3D). En el presente estudio se utilizaron dos estrategias pedagógicas. En las clases teóricas se utilizó un modelo simple basado en un objeto cotidiano (i.e., cordones de zapatos) como demostración de la estructura de los polímeros, mientras que en los seminarios orientados a la resolución de casos prácticos se realizó un cuestionario realizado en dos ocasiones. En ambas sesiones se utilizaron las TIC (es decir, Instagram y Office Excel) para evaluar el proceso de aprendizaje. Los estudiantes determinaron que este enfoque les resultó interesante, lo que al final aumentó su motivación. Ambas estrategias fueron exitosas, como lo denotan los resultados de este año académico en comparación con los anteriores. Esto indica que esta actividad innovadora es un modelo validado por la mayoría de los estudiantes, aumentando el desarrollo de sus competencias y su motivación., La indústria del polímer es va impulsar a mitjans del segle XX quan es va fer factible la producció industrial. Avui en dia és molt difícil trobar molts objectes quotidians que no siguin de plàstic o que contenen peces de plàstic. Així, la ciència i la tecnologia dels polímers són una àrea essencial en el currículum d'enginyeria de materials, on es poden discutir tècniques de processament tradicionals (per exemple, extrusió) i noves (per exemple, impressió 3D). En el present estudi s'han utilitzat dues estratègies pedagògiques. A les classes teòriques es va utilitzar un model senzill basat en un objecte quotidià (és a dir, cordons de les sabates) com a demostració de l'estructura dels polímers, mentre que es va realitzar un qüestionari realitzat dues vegades en seminaris orientats a la resolució de casos pràctics. Les TIC es van utilitzar en ambdues sessions (és a dir, Instagram i Office Excel) per avaluar el procés d'aprenentatge. Els alumnes van determinar que aquest plantejament els resultava interessant, fet que al final va augmentar la seva motivació. Ambdues estratègies van tenir èxit, tal com demostren els resultats d'aquest curs acadèmic en comparació amb els anteriors. Això indica que aquesta activitat innovadora és un model validat per la majoria dels alumnes, augmentant el desenvolupament de les seves competències i la seva motivació.

The expansion of food production has a large environmental impact in many ways. More specifically, 30–40% of total food production is lost as wastes and/or by-products before it reaches the market. In this sense, blood is an inevitable by-product in the meat industry that typically consists of 3–5% of the total weight of the animal. The dry organic matter present in blood is mostly protein, which can be employed more efficiently as raw material in the development of biodegradable materials. In the present manuscript, the blood collected after slaughtering of Iberian pigs was centrifuged and the upper (i.e., plasma) and bottom (i.e., red cells) layers were separated. Three freeze-dried fractions were characterized and evaluated on terms of their potential in the field of bioplastics: whole blood, plasma and bottom layer. Albumin was detected clearly in the plasma fraction, while globulins in red cells. After their characterization samples were mixed thoroughly with glycerol and injection molded at 120 °C. Special applications may be proposed for every fraction (i.e., whole blood, plasma or red cells), as the materials displayed different properties depending on the raw material employed. Thus, plasma resulted in materials with a greater deformability and swelling capacity during immersion, resulting in superabsorbent materials when processed at milder conditions (80 °C).

Keratin is a largely available protein that can be obtained from the ca. 3 million tons of feathers that the European poultry industry produces as a side-stream. Here, the functionalization of keratin from poultry feathers was evaluated using a one- versus two-stage process using two functionalization agents (succinic anhydride-SA and ethylene dianhydride-EDTAD). The functionalization resulted in the keratin having improved liquid swelling capacities, reaching up to 400%, 300%, and 85% increase in water, saline, and blood, respectively, compared to non-functionalized keratin. The highest swelling was obtained for samples functionalized with EDTAD (one-stage process), while the highest saline uptake was noted for samples processed with 25 wt% SA (two-stage process). Swelling kinetics modeling indicated that the water uptake by the functionalized samples takes place in two steps, and the EDTAD samples showed the highest diffusivity. It is demonstrated that the one-stage functionalization of keratin utilizing EDTAD results in better performance than two-stages, which allows for resource-saving and, thereby, protecting the environment. The results show some potential for the keratin to be utilized as liquid absorbent materials in water, saline, and blood uptake applications. Using keratin from side-streams is an advantage from a sustainability perspective over biomacromolecules that need to be extracted from virgin biomass.

Biorefinery was used to transform two organic wastes, i.e. urban park & garden green waste and porcine plasma (PPP), into raw materials for biocomposite production. The effect of the nature, size and content of the filler on the final performance of biocomposites was assessed. Two fractions stemming from an urban park and garden green waste, i.e. a representative fraction of the total waste (RF) and a branches-rich fraction (B), were considered as fillers of a PPP bioplastic. PPP-RF/B biocomposites were obtained by compression-moulding and then characterised by tensile tests, dynamic mechanical analysis, water uptake, and water vapour permeability. Using a filler size around 28 µm at 30 wt%, the Young’s Modulus of samples including B fraction was double the value of that including RF, due to the presence of grass in the overall urban waste. Moreover, a greater strengthening was perceived when using larger particle sizes (around 140 µm) of the B fraction, highlighting the importance of the grinding stage. The loss tangent evolution with temperature from dynamic mechanical tests denoted an antiplasticizing effect of the urban biowastes, which should be considered in future applications as a certain exudation degree would be expected. Regarding barrier properties, water permeability increased at higher filler contents (i.e., 30 wt%), while oxygen permeability decreased. Generally, composites from plasma and urban biowaste could be considered in future applications (e.g., packaging), as they showed great reinforcement and stability during water immersion, apart from a darker tonality and decreased oxygen permeability.

Pollinators play a crucial role in ecosystems globally, ensuring the seed production of most flowering plants. They are threatened by global changes and knowledge of their distribution at the national and continental levels is needed to implement efficient conservation actions, but this knowledge is still fragmented and/or difficult to access. As a step forward, we provide an updated list of around 3000 European bee and hoverfly species, reflecting their current distributional status at the national level (in the form of present, absent, regionally extinct, possibly extinct or non-native). This work was attainable by incorporating both published and unpublished data, as well as knowledge from a large set of taxonomists and ecologists in both groups. After providing the first National species lists for bees and hoverflies for many countries, we examine the current distributional patterns of these species and designate the countries with highest levels of species richness. We also show that many species are recorded in a single European country, highlighting the importance of articulating European and national conservation strategies. Finally, we discuss how the data provided here can be combined with future trait and Red List data to implement research that will further advance pollinator conservation., Pollinators play a crucial role in ecosystems globally, ensuring the seed production of most flowering plants. They are threatened by global changes and knowledge of their distribution at the national and continental levels is needed to implement efficient conservation actions, but this knowledge is still fragmented and/or difficult to access. As a step forward, we provide an updated list of around 3000 European bee and hoverfly species, reflecting their current distributional status at the national level (in the form of present, absent, regionally extinct, possibly extinct or non-native). This work was attainable by incorporating both published and unpublished data, as well as knowledge from a large set of taxonomists and ecologists in both groups. After providing the first National species lists for bees and hoverflies for many countries, we examine the current distributional patterns of these species and designate the countries with highest levels of species richness. We also show that many species are recorded in a single European country, highlighting the importance of articulating European and national conservation strategies. Finally, we discuss how the data provided here can be combined with future trait and Red List data to implement research that will further advance pollinator conservation.

Introduction. Frailty syndrome generates a high risk of adverse outcomes and mortality, and its prevalence is elevated in patients with end-stage kidney disease. Few studies have reported the prevalence and outcomes of frailty in populations from less developed countries.Objective. To identify the clinical outcomes and factors associated with the frailty syndrome in patients with stage five chronic kidney disease who started renal replacement therapy – both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis– in a dialysis center in Bucaramanga, Colombia.Materials and methods. This was a prospective study of patients with end-stage kidney disease who initiated dialysis at a center in Colombia and had a twelve-month follow-up.Results. The overall frailty prevalence was 50.47% and two out of three patients older than 65 years had the syndrome. We found significantly higher followup mortality among patients with frailty: odds ratio of 2.95 (CI: 1.07- 8.13; p=0.036) in unadjusted analysis. Conclusions. Literature shows that compared to developed nations, Latin American adults are facing a higher prevalence of chronic diseases, and frailty syndrome is raising. In this study, according to the FRAIL scale, having a frailty syndrome predicts a higher mortality; hypoalbuminemia and low creatinine levels at the beginning of dialysis could act as predictors of its diagnosis., Introducción. El síndrome de fragilidad implica un alto riesgo de desenlaces adversos y mortalidad, y tiene una prevalencia elevada en pacientes con enfermedad renal en etapa terminal. Hay pocos estudios que investiguen la prevalencia y los desenlaces de este síndrome de fragilidad en las poblaciones de los países en desarrollo.Objetivo. Identificar los desenlaces clínicos y los factores asociados al síndrome de fragilidad en los pacientes con enfermedad renal crónica en estadio cinco que inician terapia de reemplazo renal –con hemodiálisis o diálisis peritoneal– en un centro de diálisis de Bucaramanga, Colombia.Materiales y métodos. Se trató de un estudio prospectivo de pacientes con enfermedad renal en etapa terminal que iniciaron diálisis en un centro de Colombia y a quienes se les hizo seguimiento durante doce meses.Resultados. La prevalencia global del síndrome de fragilidad fue del 50,47 % y dos de cada tres pacientes mayores de 65 años lo presentaban. Se encontró una mortalidad significativamente mayor entre los pacientes con síndrome de fragilidad: razón de probabilidad de 2,95 (IC:1,07-8,13; p=0,036) en el análisis no ajustado.Conclusiones. La literatura muestra que, en comparación con los países desarrollados, los adultos latinoamericanos presentan una mayor prevalencia de enfermedades crónicas y un aumento progresivo del síndrome de fragilidad. En este estudio, la fragilidad –según la escala FRAIL– predijo una mayor mortalidad. Además, la hipoalbuminemia y los niveles bajos de creatinina al inicio de la diálisis podrían actuar como elementos predictores de su diagnóstico.

We present the training recipe and results of scaling up PaLI-X, a multilingual vision and language model, both in terms of size of the components and the breadth of its training task mixture. Our model achieves new levels of performance on a wide-range of varied and complex tasks, including multiple image-based captioning and question-answering tasks, image-based document understanding and few-shot (in-context) learning, as well as object detection, video question answering, and video captioning. PaLI-X advances the state-of-the-art on most vision-and-language benchmarks considered (25+ of them). Finally, we observe emerging capabilities, such as complex counting and multilingual object detection, tasks that are not explicitly in the training mix.

This article investigates how disinformation circulates on social media as adversarial narratives embedded in identity-driven controversies. Empirically, the article reports on the flat Earth echo chamber on YouTube, a controversial group arguing that the earth is a plane, not a sphere. By analyzing how they weave their arguments, this study demonstrates that disinformation circulates through identity-based grievances. As grudges intensify, back-and-forth argumentation becomes a form of knowing that solidifies viewpoints. Moreover, the argument resists fact-checking because it stokes the contradictions of identity work through grievances (pathos) and group identification (ethos). The conceptual contribution proposes a two-phase framework for how disinformation circulates on social media. The first phase, “seeding,” is when malicious actors strategically insert deceptions by masquerading their legitimacy (e.g., fake news). The second phase, “echoing,” enlists participants to cocreate the contentious narratives that disseminate disinformation. A definition of disinformation is proposed: Disinformation is an adversarial campaign that weaponizes multiple rhetorical strategies and forms of knowing—including not only falsehoods but also truths, half-truths, and value-laden judgments—to exploit and amplify identity-driven controversies. Finally, the paper has implications for policy makers in handling the spread of disinformation on social media.

Background The 'western seed bug', known as Leptoglossus occidentalis, is considered a global invasive species that has experienced a recent rapid expansion worldwide, becoming an important pest species for coniferous forests. New information With the 'Canary Islands early-warning network for the detection and intervention of invasive exotic species' (RedEXOS), this species was detected for the first time in the Canarian archipelago in an urban area in the eastern part of the island of Gran Canaria. This early detection is crucial for understanding the potential damage in one of the islands with the highest surface area of natural endemic pine forest.

The Canary Islands are an archipelago of volcanic origin, located off north-west Africa comprising eight islands. Fuerteventura and Lanzarote are the oldest (20 and 15 millon years old, respectively) and the easternmost islands. The order Diptera is one of the most relevant taxa in the Canary Islands as they constitute the second highest species richness. Within this order, the family Tachinidae is especially interesting as all species are endoparasitoids of arthropods and most species play a key role as pollinators. In the Canary Islands, the family comprises 52 species, with Fuerteventura and Lanzarote harbouring up to 20 species each.

The growing concern about reducing carbon footprint has led to the progressive replacement of traditional polymeric materials by natural-based biodegradable materials. However, materials from natural sources (i.e., plants) typically possess poorer mechanical properties when compared to conventional plastics. To counterbalance this, they need to be adequately formulated and processed to eventually meet the standards for certain applications. Zein is the major storage protein from corn and can be obtained as a by-product from the corn-oil industry. It is an excellent candidate for producing green materials due to its stability, biodegradability, renewability, and suitable mechanical and technical-functional properties. In the present work, zein was blended with a plasticizer (i.e., glycerol) at three different zein/glycerol ratios (75/25, 70/30, and 65/25) and then injection moulded at three different processing temperatures (120, 150, and 190 °C). The properties of both blends and bioplastics were evaluated using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), tensile tests, and water absorption capacity (WUC). The properties–structure interrelation was assessed through a scanning electron microscope. Generally, a higher zein content and processing temperature led to a certain reinforcement of the samples. Moreover, all bioplastics displayed a thermoplastic behaviour finally melting at temperatures around 80 °C. The lack of massive crosslinking enabled this melting, which finally could be used to confirm the ability of zein based materials to be recycled, while maintaining their properties. The recyclability of thermoplastic zein materials widens the scope of their application, especially considering its biodegradability.

Desmodesmus sp. microalgae previously employed in wastewater management was reused as a raw material for producing green nanofibrous membranes through electrospinning. The reduction of biowastes as well as the replacement of common non-degradable plastics would benefit the process sustainability. In this work, different amounts of microalgae (1.25%, 2.5% and 5% wt) were dispersed in an acetic acid/water solution (80/20) and then electrospun at 0.3 mL/h, 25 kV. The presence of acetate cellulose (17%) was required to obtain nanofibres since the microalgae solutions were not sufficiently viscous for electrospinning processing. For the first time, the effect of ultrasound (50 and 125 kWh/kg), and ozone (9 mg/kg) on microalgae before the electrospinning process was evaluated. Ultrasound prompted cell rupture, which allowed both a greater release and higher exposure of the protein, which eventually enabled the formation of nanofibers from the microalgae waste. However, when the intensity of ultrasounds increased from 50 to 125 kWh/kg, a higher presence of aggregates and defects in the fibres could be observed, probably due to protein aggregation. Thus, nanofibrous mats with c.a. 50 nm fibre diameter were obtained when ultrasound pre-treatment at 50 kWh/kg was applied. Protein unfolding was also inferred from the rheological measurements, as higher viscosity values were obtained (∼ 4.1 Vs. 2.5 Pa·s for 50 and 125 kWh/kg ultrasounds, respectively). The present work highlights the potential that Desmodesmus sp. microalgae have in the production of green electrospun mats, still quite unexplored. These bio-based mats possess great potential in different applications that can range from filtering to scaffolds.

The development of plastic materials based on cassava reduces the dependence on non-biodegradable petroplastics, and enhances the sustainability of the cassava value chain. In this sense, cassava starch (CS) is used as a reinforcer of biocomposites that also contain brown seaweed Rugulopteryx okamurae (RO). RO is an invasive species whose accumulation poses a strong environmental burden in the strait of Gibraltar. Because it can be used as a biopolymer, its use in the plastics industry would promote a healthy ecosystem. Thus, RO/CS mixtures with different RO/CS ratios (from 100/0 to 30/70) were processed through injection moulding at 140 °C. The thermal properties of plastic samples have been analysed through calorimetric, thermogravimetric and rheological techniques. Moreover, the mechanical properties, hydrophilicity, and microstructure of samples have also been studied. Thus, biopolymer degradation of the composites seems to happen at 213–303 °C, as revealed by thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) of the samples, whereas an exothermic peak observed in DSC at 350–500 °C would be related to the degradation of organic compounds in anaerobic conditions. Rheological tests evidenced a softening of the RO/CS biocomposites when CS content increased in the formulation, so that elastic moduli dropped from 23.72 MPa in the 70/30 to 5.69 MPa for 30/70. However, RO/CS biocomposites became more resistant and deformable as CS content increased: maximum stress and strain at break increased from 78.2 kPa and 0.14% (70/30 system) to 580 kPa and 25.2% (30/70), respectively. Finally, no important differences were observed in their water uptake capacities or microstructures when increasing CS ratio in the mixture. As cassava starch can be extracted from agro-industrial wastes (i.e., cassava peel and bagasse), its use in biocomposites could be of great use for a more sustainable approach for plastic materials.

This manuscript focuses on the production of polymeric matrices enriched in minerals and antioxidant compounds. The biopolymers employed are obtained from different by-products of the agro-food industry (porcine plasma protein, pea protein concentrate and soy protein isolate), which helps to revalorize them. Two different manufacturing techniques are employed to produce these matrices: 3D-printing and injection molding. Bioactivity was enhanced through immersion of the samples in magnesium glutamate and iron lactate solutions. To incorporate these minerals and bioactive compounds into the matrices, two additional stages are required: (1) an immersion stage in a mineral/bioactive containing solution, which allows simultaneous removal of the glycerol employed as plasticizer and entrapment of the minerals and bioactive compounds; and (2) a subsequent freeze-drying stage. Matrices produced through these manufacturing processes were assessed through water uptake capacity, mineral analysis, bioactivity and color measurements. The studied matrices have great potential in the food industry, as the threshold for claiming a significant mineral content was reached after the immersion stage. The presence of bioactive compounds could avoid the degradation of these matrices when food processing includes stages at relatively high temperatures.

B cells are frequently found in the margins of solid tumours as organized follicles in ectopic lymphoid organs called tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS)$^{1,2}$. Although TLS have been found to correlate with improved patient survival and response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), the underlying mechanisms of this association remain elusive$^{1,2}$. Here we investigate lung-resident B cell responses in patients from the TRACERx 421 (Tracking Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Evolution Through Therapy) and other lung cancer cohorts, and in a recently established immunogenic mouse model for lung adenocarcinoma$^{3}$. We find that both human and mouse lung adenocarcinomas elicit local germinal centre responses and tumour-binding antibodies, and further identify endogenous retrovirus (ERV) envelope glycoproteins as a dominant anti-tumour antibody target. ERV-targeting B cell responses are amplified by ICB in both humans and mice, and by targeted inhibition of KRAS(G12C) in the mouse model. ERV-reactive antibodies exert anti-tumour activity that extends survival in the mouse model, and ERV expression predicts the outcome of ICB in human lung adenocarcinoma. Finally, we find that effective immunotherapy in the mouse model requires CXCL13-dependent TLS formation. Conversely, therapeutic CXCL13 treatment potentiates anti-tumour immunity and synergizes with ICB. Our findings provide a possible mechanistic basis for the association of TLS with immunotherapy response.

Cancer-associated cachexia (CAC) is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in individuals with non-small cell lung cancer. Key features of CAC include alterations in body composition and body weight. Here, we explore the association between body composition and body weight with survival and delineate potential biological processes and mediators that contribute to the development of CAC. Computed tomography-based body composition analysis of 651 individuals in the TRACERx (TRAcking non-small cell lung Cancer Evolution through therapy (Rx)) study suggested that individuals in the bottom 20th percentile of the distribution of skeletal muscle or adipose tissue area at the time of lung cancer diagnosis, had significantly shorter lung cancer-specific survival and overall survival. This finding was validated in 420 individuals in the independent Boston Lung Cancer Study. Individuals classified as having developed CAC according to one or more features at relapse encompassing loss of adipose or muscle tissue, or body mass index-adjusted weight loss were found to have distinct tumor genomic and transcriptomic profiles compared with individuals who did not develop such features. Primary non-small cell lung cancers from individuals who developed CAC were characterized by enrichment of inflammatory signaling and epithelial–mesenchymal transitional pathways, and differentially expressed genes upregulated in these tumors included cancer-testis antigen MAGEA6 and matrix metalloproteinases, such as ADAMTS3. In an exploratory proteomic analysis of circulating putative mediators of cachexia performed in a subset of 110 individuals from TRACERx, a significant association between circulating GDF15 and loss of body weight, skeletal muscle and adipose tissue was identified at relapse, supporting the potential therapeutic relevance of targeting GDF15 in the management of CAC.

Pollinators play a crucial role in ecosystems globally, ensuring the seed production of most flowering plants. They are threatened by global changes and knowledge of their distribution at the national and continental levels is needed to implement efficient conservation actions, but this knowledge is still fragmented and/or difficult to access. As a step forward, we provide an updated list of around 3000 European bee and hoverfly species, reflecting their current distributional status at the national level (in the form of present, absent, regionally extinct, possibly extinct or non-native). This work was attainable by incorporating both published and unpublished data, as well as knowledge from a large set of taxonomists and ecologists in both groups. After providing the first National species lists for bees and hoverflies for many countries, we examine the current distributional patterns of these species and designate the countries with highest levels of species richness. We also show that many species are recorded in a single European country, highlighting the importance of articulating European and national conservation strategies. Finally, we discuss how the data provided here can be combined with future trait and Red List data to implement research that will further advance pollinator conservation., Pollinators play a crucial role in ecosystems globally, ensuring the seed production of most flowering plants. They are threatened by global changes and knowledge of their distribution at the national and continental levels is needed to implement efficient conservation actions, but this knowledge is still fragmented and/or difficult to access. As a step forward, we provide an updated list of around 3000 European bee and hoverfly species, reflecting their current distributional status at the national level (in the form of present, absent, regionally extinct, possibly extinct or non-native). This work was attainable by incorporating both published and unpublished data, as well as knowledge from a large set of taxonomists and ecologists in both groups. After providing the first National species lists for bees and hoverflies for many countries, we examine the current distributional patterns of these species and designate the countries with highest levels of species richness. We also show that many species are recorded in a single European country, highlighting the importance of articulating European and national conservation strategies. Finally, we discuss how the data provided here can be combined with future trait and Red List data to implement research that will further advance pollinator conservation.

The optimal design of power converters requires accurate knowledge of the dissipation elements of its system to achieve the desired performance and security requirements. Calorimetric methods have surpassed classical electrical methods for the estimation of semiconductor power losses but have mechanical limitations and resort to analytical electrothermal equivalent circuits for this task. These electrothermal models are highly dependent on the topology and technology used on the power converter leading to either simplifications that underestimate the thermal effects or intractable sets of differential equations. To overcome these issues, we propose a novel data-driven identification method to characterize the thermal dynamics of power converters allowing the designer to obtain semiconductor total power losses only by means of temperature measurements without the need of a calorimeter. Given a set of power vs.temperature profiles, our solution identifies the linear model that best fits the data. The solution is based on an optimization problem that allows not only accurate identification but also coding of the desired modeling requirements, such as dynamics' invertibility to allow the estimation of power losses from the temperature profiles. The proposed methodology can be applied to any power converter topology. Furthermore, by obtaining a linear model, standard control theory techniques can be exploited to analyze and control the thermal dynamics. Real experiments validate the generality and accuracy of the proposal.

This paper presents and evaluates a novel method for generating power losses on transistors avoiding high currents. These could heat up the circuit tracks, affecting the accurate thermal modeling of the system. The proposed procedure is based on the transistor current regulation with low gate voltages and the linearity between power and temperature, being useful for all transistor technologies (Si, SiC and GaN). Through this method, low DC currents are enough to bring transistors to their thermal limits. Thermal stability issues and their differences between technologies are discussed and an experimental validation of the method is carried out., Comment: 7 pages, 9 figures

La etapa de educación primaria desarrolla en el alumnado capacidades cognitivas, pero también motrices. Al igual que con el resto de áreas del currículo escolar, en el área de educación física es fundamental el desarrollo de las habilidades motrices de una forma lógica. Así, la carrera de velocidad, como habilidad en sí misma, es necesario trabajarla a lo largo de la etapa teniendo en cuenta las características del alumnado y una metodología lúdica y global. Este Trabajo de Fin de Grado aborda la necesidad de establecer una progresión para el desarrollo de las habilidades que permita establecer una base para que el alumnado pueda aplicarla posteriormente a otras habilidades más complejas o a actividades lúdicas o deportivas. De forma paralela, a través del Análisis Global del Movimiento, realiza un análisis exhaustivo de la habilidad y aporta posibilidades de aprendizaje individualizadas para la diversidad del alumnado que se puede observar en las aulas., Grado en Educación Primaria

The production of green plastic materials from defatted silkworm meal (SW) through a scalable technique (e.g., injection moulding) would permit the revalorization of a by-product of the textile industry. The textile by-product contains an estimable protein content (~50%) which can justify its applicability in the field of eco-materials. Thus, SW-based materials have been processed and characterized, sometimes requiring the addition of another biodegradable polymer, such as polycaprolactone (PCL), in the formulation. Thermomechanical, tensile and water uptake properties have been assessed at different PCL contents (from 0 to 20%). The viscoelasticity of the plastic composites when heated was greatly affected by the melting point of PCL, which also led generally to an increase in their extensibility and resistance. However, this effect of PCL was diminished when composites were processed at higher moulding temperatures. As PCL possesses a hydrophobic character, a decrease in the water uptake was generally detected as PCL content increased, which could also be related to the lower plasticizer content in the formulation. Silkworm meal is an adequate ingredient to consider in the production of green plastic materials that would eventually add value to a main by-product of the sericulture industry.

The seaweed Rugulopteryx okamurae, from the Pacific Ocean, is considered an invasive species in the Mediterranean Sea. In this work, the use of this seaweed is proposed for the development of bio-based plastic materials (bioplastics) as a possible solution to the pollution produced by the plastic industry. The raw seaweed Rugulopteryx okamurae was firstly blended with glycerol (ratios: 50/50, 60/40 and 70/30), and subsequently, they were processed by injection molding at a mold temperature of 90, 120 and 150 °C. The rheological properties (frequency sweep tests and temperature ramp tests) were obtained for blends before and after processing by injection molding. The functional properties of the bioplastics were determined by the water uptake capacity (WUC) values and further scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results obtained indicated that E’ was always greater than E”, which implies a predominantly elastic behavior. The 70/30 ratio presents higher values for both the viscoelastic moduli and tensile properties than the rest of the systems (186.53 ± 22.80 MPa and 2.61 ± 0.51 MPa, respectively). The WUC decreased with the increase in seaweed in the mixture, ranging from 262% for the 50/50 ratio to 181% for the 70/30 ratio. When carrying out the study on molded bioplastic 70/30 at different temperatures, the seaweed content did not exert a remarkable influence on the final properties of the bioplastics obtained. Thus, this invasive species could be used as raw material for the manufacture of environmentally friendly materials processed by injection molding, with several applications such as food packaging, control–release, etc.

La asignatura Materiales Poliméricos se imparte dentro del Grado de Ingeniería de Materiales de la Universidad de Sevilla, siendo recibida también por alumnos de doble grado de Ingeniería de Materiales y Física o Química. La diferente formación de partida de los tres grupos que asisten a la misma aula a recibir la docencia de la asignatura debe ser considerada en el diseño del programa de la asignatura para evitar dificultades en la formación de un único grupo interdisciplinar. El modelo didáctico empleado ha sido una explicación teórica inicial argumentada con conocimientos ya adquiridos en temas anteriores, seguido de un nuevo problema (i.e., lectura o vídeo) tras el cual se aplicó una actividad de contraste en la pizarra. Se finalizó con una explicación teórica del contenido planteado en el problema propuesto. La participación del alumnado resultó de gran utilidad, interaccionando entre ellos, contrastando ideas y explicándose conceptos entre sí, basados en conocimientos previos. Los resultados del aprendizaje se consideran positivos, al despertar la motivación de los y las alumnas y subir un amplio porcentaje en la escalera de aprendizaje., Polymeric Materials is a class that is taught in the Degree in Materials Engineering at the University of Seville and is also received by students enrolled in the double degree in Materials Engineering and Physics or Chemistry. The different training of the three groups of students that attend the same classroom must be addressed in the design of the program to avoid difficulties in the training of a unique interdisciplinary group. The didactic model used has been based on an initial theoretical explanation based on knowledge already acquired in previous topics, followed by a new problem (i.e., reading or video) after which a contrast activity was applied using the blackboard. It ended with a theoretical explanation of the content raised in the proposed problem. Student participation was high and useful, as they interacted with each other, contrasting ideas and explaining concepts to each other. Learning outcomes are considered positive, by awakening the students’ motivation and climbing a large percentage of the learning ladder.

Internet-of-Things (IoT) systems have become pervasive for smart homes. In recent years, many of these IoT sensing systems are developed to enable in-home long-term monitoring applications, such as personalized services in smart homes, elderly/patient monitoring, etc. However, these systems often require complicated and expensive installation processes, which are some of the main concerns affecting users' adoption of smart home systems. In this work, we focus on floor vibration-based occupant monitoring systems, which enables non-intrusive in-home continuous occupant monitoring, such as patient step tracking and gait analysis. However, to enable these applications, the system would require known locations of vibration sensors placed in the environment. Current practice relies on manually input of location, which makes the installation labor-intensive, time consuming, and expensive. On the other hand, without known location of vibration sensors, the output of the system does not have intuitive physical meaning and is incomprehensive to users, which limits the systems' usability. We present AutoLoc, a scheme to estimate the location of the vibration sensors in a two-dimensional space in the view of a nearby camera, which has spatial physical meaning. AutoLoc utilizes occupants' walking events captured by both vibration sensors and the co-located camera to estimate the vibration sensors' location in the camera view. First, AutoLoc detects and localizes the occupant's footsteps in the vision data. Then, it associates the time and location of the event to the floor vibration data. Next, the extracted vibration data of the given event from multiple vibration sensors are used to estimate the sensors' locations in the camera view coordinates. We conducted real-world experiments and achieved up to 0.07 meters localization accuracy.

Internet-of-Things (IoT) systems have become pervasive for smart homes. In recent years, many of these IoT sensing systems are developed to enable in-home long-term monitoring applications, such as personalized services in smart homes, elderly/patient monitoring, etc. However, these systems often require complicated and expensive installation processes, which are some of the main concerns affecting users' adoption of smart home systems. In this work, we focus on floor vibration-based occupant monitoring systems, which enables non-intrusive in-home continuous occupant monitoring, such as patient step tracking and gait analysis. However, to enable these applications, the system would require known locations of vibration sensors placed in the environment. Current practice relies on manually input of location, which makes the installation labor-intensive, time consuming, and expensive. On the other hand, without known location of vibration sensors, the output of the system does not have intuitive physical meaning and is incomprehensive to users, which limits the systems' usability. We present AutoLoc, a scheme to estimate the location of the vibration sensors in a two-dimensional space in the view of a nearby camera, which has spatial physical meaning. AutoLoc utilizes occupants' walking events captured by both vibration sensors and the co-located camera to estimate the vibration sensors' location in the camera view. First, AutoLoc detects and localizes the occupant's footsteps in the vision data. Then, it associates the time and location of the event to the floor vibration data. Next, the extracted vibration data of the given event from multiple vibration sensors are used to estimate the sensors' locations in the camera view coordinates. We conducted real-world experiments and achieved up to 0.07 meters localization accuracy.