Search

The aim of this work was to study the influence of the acetylation process of kraft lignin on developing dispersions potentially applicable as new bio-based semisolid lubricants. Lignin was functionalized with acetic anhydride and pyridine as a catalyst by modifying different reaction variables (temperature, ratio of pyridine/acetic anhydride and time). Acetylated lignin was analyzed using FTIR

This study reports on a novel strategy for manufacturing thickened gel-like castor oil formulations by dispersing electrospun lignin/ethylcellulose nanostructures. These thickened formulations were rheologically and tribologically evaluated with the aim of being proposed as alternative ecofriendly lubricating greases. Low-sulfonate kraft lignin (LSL) and ethylcellulose (EC) were dissolved in a DMAc:THF mixture at different concentrations (8, 10, and 15 wt.%) and LSL:EC ratios (50:50, 70:30, and 90:10) and subjected to electrospinning. The resulting electrospun nanostructures were morphologically characterized. EC acting as the cospinning polymer improved both LSL spinnability and the oil structuring ability. Solutions with a high lignin content achieved microsized particles connected by fibrils, whereas solutions with a high EC content (50:50 ratio) and LSL/EC total concentration (10 and 15 wt.%) yielded beaded or bead-free nanofibers, due to enhanced extensional viscoelastic properties and nonNewtonian characteristics. The gel-like properties of electrospun nanostructure dispersions in castor oil were strengthened with the nanostructure concentration and the EC:LSL ratio, as a result of the formation of a more interconnected fiber network. The oleodispersions studied exhibited a satisfactory frictional response in a tribological contact, with friction coefficient values that were comparable to those achieved with traditional lithium-lubricating greases, This work was supported by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, by “ERDF—A way of making Europe” (grant number: RTI2018-096080-BC21) and by Junta de Andalucía/EPIT2020-UHU (grant numbers: PY20_00751 and UHU202029) by the FEDER European Programme

Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is a non-parametric methodology for efficiency assessment. This paper proposes a new radial, input-oriented and fully fuzzy DEA approach, based on an LU-fuzzy partial order (L for lower, U for upper), for assessing the relative efficiency of a set of Decision-Making Units (DMUs). The proposed approach involves a radial input contraction, Phase I, and an additive slacks maximization, Phase II. Each phase is first formulated as a fully fuzzy linear programming (FFLP), and then it is transformed into a multiobjective optimization problem. The latter is solved using the lexicographic weighted Tchebycheff method. The proposed fully fuzzy DEA approach provides, for each unit, a fuzzy efficiency measure and a fuzzy target operating point. A classification of the efficiency status of the units is also presented. Computational experiences and comparison with other fuzzy DEA approaches are reported., The first author was partially supported by the research project MTM2017-89577-P (MINECO, Spain). The second author was partially supported by Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through grants AYA2016-75931-C2-1-P, and from the Consejería de Educación y Ciencia (Junta de Andalucía) through TIC-101. The third author acknowledges the financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, grant PGC2018-095786-B-I00.

This paper studies the efficiency assessment of Decision Making Units (DMUs) when their inputs and outputs are fuzzy sets. An axiomatic derivation of the fuzzy production possibility set is presented and a fuzzy enhanced Russell graph measure is formulated using a fuzzy arithmetic approach. The proposed approach uses polygonal fuzzy sets and LU-fuzzy partial orders, and provides crisp efficiency measures (and associated efficiency ranking) as well as fuzzy efficient targets. The proposed approach has been compared with other fuzzy DEA approaches on different datasets from the literature, and the results show that it has more discriminant power and more flexibility in modelling the input and output data.

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited., The accuracy in determining the spatial-kinematical parameters of open clusters makes them ideal tracers of the Galactic structure. Young open clusters (YOCs) are the main representatives of the clustered star formation mode, which identifies how most of the stars in the Galaxy form. We apply the Kriging technique to a sample of Gaia YOCs within a 3.5 kpc radius around the Sun and log(age) ≤ 7.5, as the age in years, to obtain Z(X, Y) and VZ(X, Y) maps. Previous work by Alfaro et al. has shown that Kriging can provide reliable results even with small data samples (N ∼ 100). We approach the 3D spatial and vertical velocity field structure of the Galactic disk defined by YOCs and analyze the hierarchy of the stellar cluster formation, which shows a rich hierarchical structure, displaying complexes embedded within each other. We discuss the fundamental characteristics of the methodology used to perform the mapping and point out the main results obtained in phenomenological terms. Both the 3D spatial distribution and the vertical velocity field reveal a complex disk structure with a high degree of substructures. Their analysis provides clues about the main physical mechanisms that shape the phase space of the clustered star formation in this Galactic area. Warp, corrugations, and high local deviations in Z and VZ appear to be intimately connected, in a single but intricate scenario. © 2022. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society., E.J.A. and M.J. acknowledge financial support from the State Agency for Research of the Spanish MCIU through the "Center of Excellence Severo Ochoa" award to the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (SEV-2017-0709). E.J.A. and C.S.-G. have been supported by grant No. PY20-00753 from Junta de Andalucía, Spain (Autonomic Government of Andalusia). N.S. and J.M.-A. acknowledge financial support from grant Nos. PGC2018-095049-B-C21 and PGC2018-095049-B-C22 (MCIU), respectively. In this work, we have made extensive use of TopCat (Taylor 2005).

Background Brief interventions (BI) for risky drinkers in primary healthcare have been demonstrated to be cost-effective but they are still poorly implemented. Digital BI seems to be a complementary strategy to overcome some barriers to implementation but there is a scarcity of studies in clinical environments. We present the results of a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial which tests the non-inferiority of facilitated access to a digital intervention (experimental condition) for risky drinkers against a face-to-face BI (control condition) provided by primary healthcare professionals. Method In a non-inferiority randomized controlled trial, unselected primary healthcare patients (≥ 18 years old) were given a brief introduction and asked to log on to the study website to fill in the 3-item version of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Positively screened patients (4+ for women and 5+ for men) received further online assessment (AUDIT, socio-demographic characteristics and EQ-5D-5L) and were automatically randomized to either face-to-face or digital BI (1:1). The primary outcome was the proportion of patients classified as risky drinkers by the digitally administered AUDIT at month 3. A multiple imputation approach for the missing data was performed. Results Of the 4499 patients approached by 115 healthcare professionals, 1521 completed the AUDIT-C. Of the 368 positively screened patients, 320 agreed to participate and were randomized to either intervention. At month 3, there were more risky drinkers in the experimental group (59.8%) than in the control group (52%), which was similar to the distribution at baseline and less than the pre-specified margin of 10%. The difference was not significant when accounting for possible confounders. Conclusion Digital BI was not inferior to face-to-face BI, in line with previous findings and the a priori hypothesis. However, the low power of the final sample, due to the low recruitment and loss to follow-up, limits the interpretation of the findings. New approaches in this field are required to ensure the effective implementation of digital interventions in actual practice., Highlights • Early identification and Brief Intervention is a cost-effective approach to risky drinkers in primary healthcare. • In our trial, digital Brief Intervention was not inferior to face-to-face Brief Intervention. • Several barriers hinder the engagement with Digital Brief Interventions. • New approaches in this field are required to ensure the effective implementation of digital intervention in real practices.

Diabetes & Metabolism - In Press.Proof corrected by the author Available online since mardi 7 novembre 2017

This work explores the electrospinnability of low-sulfonate Kraft lignin (LSL)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) solutions in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and the ability of the different micro- and nano-architectures generated to structure castor oil. LSL/PVP solutionswere prepared at different concentrations (8–15wt%) and LSL:PVP ratios (90:10–0:100) and physico-chemically and rheologically characterized. The morphology of electrospun nanostructures mainly depends on the rheological properties of the solution. Electrosprayed nanoparticles or micro-sized particles connected by thin filamentswere obtained fromsolutionswith lowLSL/PVP concentrations and/or high LSL:PVP ratios,whereas beaded or bead-free nanofibers were produced by increasing concentration and/or decreasing LSL:PVP ratio, due to enhanced extensional viscoelastic properties and non-Newtonian characteristics. Electrospun LSL/PVP nanofibers are able to form oleogels by simply dispersing them into castor oil at concentrations between 10 and 30 wt%. The rheological properties of the oleogels may be tailored bymodifying the LSL:PVP ratio and nanofibers content. The potential application of these oleogels as bio-based lubricants was also explored in a tribological cell. Satisfactory friction and wear results are achieved when using oleogels structured by nanofibers mats with enhanced gel-like properties as lubricants. Overall, electrospinning of lignin/ PVP solutions can be proposed as a simple and effective method to produce nanofibers for oil structuring, Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Huelva / CBUAThis work is part of a research project (RTI2018-096080-B-C21) sponsored by the MICINN-FEDER I+D+i Spanish Programme

The present paper studies the efficiency assessment of Decision-Making Units (DMUs) when their inputs and outputs are de- scribed under uncertainty of the type of integer interval data. An axiomatic derivation of the production possibility set (PPS) is presented. An additive, slacks-based data envelopment analysis (DEA) model is formulated, consisting of two phases. This has required the use of adequate arithmetic and LU-partial orders for integer intervals. This novel integer interval DEA approach is the first step towards DEA models under fuzzy integer intervals, with the extension of the corresponding arithmetic and LU-partial or- ders to fuzzy integer intervals. The proposed method is applied on a dataset, taken from the literature, that involves both continuous and integer interval variables., The first and second authors are partially supported by grant PID2019-105824GB-I00. The fourth author acknowledges the financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, grant PGC2018-095786-B-I00.

This paper deals with the problem of efficiency assessment using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) when the input and output data are given as fuzzy sets. In particular, a fuzzy extension of the measure of inefficiency proportions, a well-known slacks-based additive inefficiency measure, is considered. The proposed approach also provides fuzzy input and output targets. Computational experiences and comparison with other fuzzy DEA approaches are reported., The first author was partially supported by the research project MTM2017-89577-P (MINECO, Spain). The second author was partially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, grant AYA2016-75931-C2-1-P and from the Consejería de Educación y Ciencia, Spain (Junta de Andalucía, reference TIC-101). The third author acknowledges the financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, grant PGC2018-095786-B-I00.

Objective Holder pasteurization is the technique used most frequently in milk banks to minimize the risk of transmission of infectious agents. Different pasteurization devices have been described that generally use hot water or air as heat sources. In our study, we analysed the quality of pasteurization achieved with a new automated water-free pasteurizer in a neonatal personalized nutrition unit in which donated milk from mothers of infants delivered at different gestational ages and of different postnatal ages is pasteurized. Material and methods We analysed the temperatures of different phases of pasteurization with 8 external probes distributed evenly throughout the pasteurizer. We applied the optimal range criteria established by the European Milk Bank Association (EMBA) to assess the quality of pasteurization. We also analysed the macronutrient composition of 8 samples of donor human milk of different volumes before and after automated pasteurization. Results We did not find significant differences in the following parameters under study: time from 58 °C to 62.5 °C, duration of plateau, highest temperature during plateau and length of exposure to temperatures over 58 °C. The macronutrient analysis showed significant changes in fat content but not in protein or lactose content. Conclusions Holder pasteurization of human milk with a water-free pasteurizer met the quality standards recommended by the European Milk Bank Association independently of the quantity of milk pasteurized in each bottle and with significant changes in the fat content but not in the protein or lactose content.

We present herein an unexpected selectivity in the reactions of castor oil with 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI) in the absence of catalysts, heat or N2 protection to give monofunctionalized castor oil derivatives. The reagents were stirred at room temperature for 24 h, and the resulting formulations characterized with infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and NMR. In the highly viscous neat systems, the reaction stops at the formation of NCO-terminated urethane monomers. When the mass transfer limitations due to high viscosity are minimized, the NCO-terminated urethane monomers go on to form not di- or tri- urethane monomers, but cross-linked monourethane dimers. We propose that the selectivity of the functionalization reaction of castor oil originates from a hydrogen bonding mediated steric hindrance on two out of the three fatty acid moieties. This selectivity is normally associated with conformational preferences in crystallized triglycerides, and indicates an inherent level of struct...

This work advances the development and use of sustainable polyurethane elastomers as green adhesives by providing insights into the mechanisms of humidity-induced changes on adhesive performance. Using a model adhesive prepared from equimolar ratios of castor oil and hexamethylene diisocyanate under facile reaction conditions, we show that the subtle changes in the chemical composition which occur with curing under different humidity environments significantly impact the cohesive integrity of the adhesives and, thus, their performances with different substrates. The curing chemistry was evaluated based on the isocyanate consumption, which was followed using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Differential Scanning Calorimetry. Thermal, mechanical and adhesion properties were evaluated from thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, rheology, tacking and lap shear tests. Moisture-cured adhesives were less covalently crosslinked, harder, more resistant to deformation, and recovered faster upon shear deformation compared to those cured otherwise. These mechanical properties complimented adhesive lap shear performance with substrates which formed covalent bonds during curing. For substrates with which covalent bonds could not form during curing, however, decreased internal cohesive integrity and associated increased hardness by urea formation resulted in poorer adhesive lap shear performance. This is contrary better tack performances obtained for the moisture-cured adhesives, attributed to their increased polarity and the energy dissipating ability.

On account of the heavy reliance of the adhesive industry on petrochemical derivatives, there is a particular interest in the development of bio-sourced polyurethane adhesives. In this context, a moisture-curable polyurethane adhesive has been synthesized from cellulose acetate and castor oil, using 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate as a crosslinker. In particular, this research delves into the rheological and adhesion properties achieved by bio-inspired polyurethanes cured at 20 °C and under different relative humidity conditions (11, 33, 64, and 90.4%). Green shear and peeling strengths on wood and stainless steel as well as chemical structure variations were monitored over curing time. Moreover, fully cured polyurethane-urea adhesives were thermally (thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetric analyses) and rheologically characterized within the linear viscoelastic region. The results corroborated the noteworthy impact of environmental humidity throughout the curing process of the synthesized bio-sourced adhesives, favoring the formation of urea linkages, while sharply reducing the crystalline/amorphous ratio. All the bio-based polyurethane-urea copolymers showed a predominant elastic behavior and the time-Temperature superposition principle was found to be applicable up to around 120 °C, due to the thermal rearrangement of the hard segment units. The crosslinking density of the resulting supramolecular structure depends on the humidity-driven balance between the urethane and urea linkages production. As a consequence of the balance between the establishment of bidentate hydrogen bonds and the curing rate, moisture curable polyurethane adhesive cured at 33% relative humidity exhibited the most appropriate shear adhesion performance on wood, while the debonding shear strength on stainless steel increased with the relative humidity due to the higher urea:urethane ratio and larger proportions of non-bonded urethane and urea groups, thus enhancing secondary interactions. Therefore, on the basis of the present study results, it might be concluded that the synthesis of bio-inspired moisture-curable polyurethane can be tuned according to its end-use application through the control of the environmental conditions, and thereby optimizing their adhesion performance, while meeting the Green Chemistry tenets.

La enseñanza de lenguas que tiene en cuenta música y emociones puede ser de gran utilidad. El objetivo principal de este estudio exploratorio ha sido examinar el uso del videoclip en un contexto de educación superior con alumnas eslovacas de español como lengua extranjera (ELE). Para tal fin, en primer lugar, se ha mapeado el consumo de videoclips para aprender español. En segundo lugar, se ha planteado un programa intervención en el aula basado en el trabajo con el videoclip a través de las emociones y, por último, se ha medido la respuesta emocional del alumnado. Los resultados revelan que la mayoría de las estudiantes muestra su conformidad para utilizar el vídeo musical en clase de ELE con el programa de intervención diseñado. Consiguientemente, el vídeo musical resulta una herramienta efectiva para trabajar la competencia comunicativa audiovisual y las emociones en clase de lengua extranjera a nivel universitario. Language-teaching encompassing music and emotions could prove to be extremely useful. The exploratory study’s objective was to examine the use of music videos in the university classroom with female Slovak students as a component in learning Spanish as a foreign language. To this end, the students’ consumption of music videos in learning Spanish was first mapped. Next, a classroom intervention programme was presented based on working with music videos towards emotions and, finally, the students’ emotional response was measured. The study revealed that most of the students agreed to use music videos in the Spanish as a foreign language class on the basis of the designed intervention programme. As a result, the music video represents an effective tool for bringing together audiovisual communicative competence and the emotions in the foreign language classroom at university level.

One of the fundamental goals of modern astrophysics is to estimate the physical parameters of galaxies. We present a hierarchical Bayesian model to compute age maps from images in the H ¿ line (taken with Taurus tunable filter, TTF), ultraviolet band (GALEX far UV, FUV), and infrared bands (Spitzer 24, 70, and 160 ¿m). We present the burst ages for young stellar populations in a sample of nearby and nearly face-on galaxies. The H ¿ to FUV flux ratio is a good relative indicator of the very recent star formation history (SFH). As a nascent star-forming region evolves, the H ¿ line emission declines earlier than the UV continuum, leading to a decrease in the H ¿/FUV ratio. Using star-forming galaxy models, sampled with a probabilistic formalism, and allowing for a variable fraction of ionizing photons in the clusters, we obtain the corresponding theoretical ratio H ¿/FUV to compare with our observed flux ratios, and thus to estimate the ages of the observed regions. We take into account the mean uncertainties and the interrelationships between parameters when computing H ¿/FUV. We propose a Bayesian hierarchical model where a joint probability distribution is defined to determine the parameters (age, metallicity, IMF) from the observed data (the observed flux ratios H ¿/FUV). The joint distribution of the parameters is described through independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) random variables generated through MCMC (Markov Chain Monte Carlo) techniques., We acknowledge financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through grants AYA2017-88007-C3-1-P, AYA2016-75931-C2-1-P, AYA2015-68012-C2-1, AYA2014-57490-P, AYA2014-58861-C3-1-P, AYA2016-77846-P, AYA2013-40611-P, and from the Consejeria de Educacion y Ciencia (Junta de Andalucia) through TIC-101, TIC-4075 and TIC-114.

The objectives of the paper were to study the pattern of root growth (measured by minirhizotrons) in relation to trunk, fruit and shoot growth and the effects of crop load on tree growth and yield in peach trees. Two crop load (commercial and low) treatments were applied in a mature early-maturing peach tree orchard growing in Mediterranean conditions. Root growth dynamics were measured using minirhizotrons during one growing season. Shoot, trunk and fruit growth were also measured. At harvest, all fruits were weighed, counted and sized. Roots grew throughout the year but at lower rates during the active fruit growth phase. Root growth was asynchronous with shoot growth, while root and trunk growth rates were highest after harvest, when the canopy was big enough to allocate the photo-assimilates to organs that would ensure the following season’s yield. Shoot and fruit growth was greater in the low crop load treatment and was accompanied by a non-significant increase in root growth. High level of fruit thinning decreased the current yield but the fruits were more marketable because of their greater size.

In this study, cellulose acetate and castor oil have been used to synthesize new eco-friendly alternatives to traditional polyurethane adhesives. First, cellulose acetate (CA) was modified with diphenylmethane-4,4′-diisocyanate (MDI) at different NCO:OH molar ratios, ranging from 2 to 4.53, and then the resulting biopolymers were mixed with castor oil (CO) at 1:1 wt ratio. The fully cured bio-sourced adhesives were rheologically characterized by applying dynamic oscillatory torsional tests at different temperatures (from −30 up to 200 °C). Furthermore, their adhesion performance on stainless steel and poplar wood substrates was analyzed, by conducting standardized mechanical tests, namely single-lap shear and 180° peel strengths, at room temperature and 100 °C. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy-attenuated total reflectance along with differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis were also performed. Above a critical NCO:OH ratio, a thermo-rheological simplicity was found within the whole temperature range considered, being able to apply the t-T superposition principle. However, an increase in the temperature led to a depletion in their mechanical performance, thus reducing their temperature range of application. Thermal and spectroscopic analysis corroborated the complete disappearance of free isocyanate during the first few days of curing, and a segmented structure, typical of polyurethanes. Optimum thermo-rheological behaviour and adhesion performance on wood and stainless steel of the bio-sourced polyurethanes studied were found for NCO:OH molar ratios higher than 3.5, which was related to the higher compatibility between hard and soft microdomains.

In this paper we report an enhancement of anomalous codeposition in NiFe electrodeposition when using nanoporous templates. Depending on the deposition potential it is possible to obtain homogeneous nanowires of a high Fe concentration or of a concentration similar to the one of the electrolyte used. In addition, nanowires with a decreasing Fe concentration are found for intermediate overpotentials. Voltammetric studies relate this effect with a possible higher block of the cathode surface by adsorption of intermediated species in nanopores. A study of the effect of hydrogen bubbles shows a change in the composition in the areas surrounding the bubbles, and yields an increase in the deposition rate, which results in longer nanowires.

The consequences that educational underperforming has on both individuals and the society as a whole lead policy makers and planners to focus on how to measure properly the extent of educational poverty. The main aim of this paper is to propose a multidimensional adjusted poverty index (α-MAPI) by considering explicitly not only the individual deprivations, but also the non-deprivation attributes of the poor. It permits to set a precise valuation on school poverty. We apply α-MAPI to the measurement of educational poverty in the OECD countries by using data from PISA 2012 report.

We present the burst ages for young stellar populations in a sample of six nearby (

Resumen La asociacion entre enfermedad renal y enfermedad coronaria esta bien establecida, por lo que la valoracion cardiologica previa a la inclusion en lista de espera de trasplante renal requiere especial atencion, habiendose propuesto incluso la realizacion de coronariografia. Objetivo Analizar si la valoracion clinica es suficiente para predecir la ausencia de eventos coronarios postrasplante. Pacientes y metodo Un total de 256 pacientes que entraron por primera vez en dialisis fueron estudiados en Cardiologia. A todos se realizo una valoracion clinica, electrocardiografica y ecocardiografica, sin otras exploraciones si no existia clinica sugestiva de isquemia. Se analizo la presentacion de eventos coronarios postrasplante en aquellos que recibieron un injerto renal. Resultados Noventa y cuatro pacientes (36,7%) fueron incluidos en lista de espera de trasplante renal. Edad: 50,12 ± 13,8 anos; 57 (60,6%) hombres; 13 (13,8%) diabeticos. Solo un paciente (1,06%) presentaba coronariopatia en el momento de la inclusion en lista de espera. A 3 (3,2%) se les realizo coronariografia en la primera valoracion o durante el seguimiento, evidenciandose en 2 de ellos enfermedad coronaria. Un paciente murio en lista de espera como consecuencia de un sindrome coronario agudo. Cincuenta y dos (55%) fueron trasplantados tras 29,3 ± 13,3 meses (mediana 35) en lista de espera. Tras el trasplante fueron seguidos durante 22,1 ± 16,5 meses (mediana 20), no presentando ningun evento cardiologico. Conclusiones 1. La valoracion clinica cardiologica preinclusion en lista de trasplante renal ha sido suficiente para predecir ausencia de complicaciones coronarias postrasplante. 2. La realizacion de procedimientos adicionales es innecesaria en ausencia de cuadro clinico que sugiera la presencia de isquemia coronaria.

Brown tumors (BT) are benign focal bone lesions that may appear in the context of primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT). Involvement of the spine is exceedingly rare. We present a case of brown tumor involving the cervical spine, the third reported in the literature. In the literature review (until August 2010), we found nine cases of spinal BT in primary HPT and 14 cases in secondary HPT. Fifteen patients (65%) had evidence of spinal cord compression. A 34-year-old woman on long-term hemodialysis, with secondary HPT, presented with a 9-month history of persistent neck pain. Radiographs of the cervical spine revealed an expansive osteolytic lesion in the posterior arch of the second cervical vertebra. MR imaging revealed an expansive mass on C2 affecting the vertebral body, odontoid process, right pedicle, laminas, and spinous process; there were no signs of spinal edema. A CT-guided needle biopsy of the lesion showed destruction of trabecular bone, infiltration of the fibroblastic cells, and abundant osteoclast-like multinucleated giant cells with hemorrhage and hemosiderin pigment, and the diagnosis of brown tumor was made. Cervical pain disappeared within a few days of parathyroidectomy, and rapid remineralization of C2 was evident within a few months. BT must always be considered in the context of hyperparathyroidism and osteolytic lesions. Vertebral BT can be particularly devastating due to medullar compression symptoms. Regression or complete disappearance of these lesions after parathyroidectomy is common, but prompt surgical decompression is necessary in case of medullar compression symptoms.

Resumen Introduccion En diferentes publicaciones se senala la dificultad para alcanzar los objetivos marcados por las guias de tratamiento del hiperparatiroidismo secundario (HPTH2°). El uso de cinacalcet permite reducir los niveles de parathormona (PTH) a la par que puede facilitar el cumplimiento de dichas recomendaciones. Nos planteamos analizar el grado de cumplimiento de las guias y los factores que pueden influir en su eficacia. Material y metodos Revisamos de manera retrospectiva la evolucion de 74 pacientes con HPTH2° en hemodialisis que hubiesen recibido tratamiento con cinacalcet durante al menos 6 meses. Recogimos niveles sericos de calcio, fosforo y PTH a los 3, 6, 9 meses y al final del seguimiento, asi como las dosis basal y final de captores del fosforo. Resultados El tratamiento con cinacalcet redujo los niveles sericos de parathormona intacta (PTHi) en un 36%, los de fosforo en un 13,2%, los de calcio en un 6% y los del producto calcio-fosforo (CaxP) en un 12,9% al final del seguimiento. Inicialmente, el 38,4% tenia un fosforo superior a 5,5 mg/dl, el 2,7% tenia un calcio inferior a 8,4 mg/dl y el 37,8% tenia un CaxP superior a 55 mg 2 /dl 2 . Tras cinacalcet, los pacientes con PTHi inferior a 300 pg/ml alcanzaron el 50%, con fosforo superior a 5,5 mg/dl se redujeron al 24,7%, la prevalencia de hipocalcemia ascendio al 12,2% y los pacientes con CaxP superior a 55 mg 2 /dl 2 descendieron al 14,9%. La presencia de hipocalcemia no se relaciono con el grado de hiperparatiroidismo inicial o final. La mayoria de los pacientes fueron controlados sin necesidad de anadir analogos de vitamina D (paricalcitol), siendo, ademas, suspendido en el 24,3% que lo tenia antes del cinacalcet, y solamente en un 13,5% fue anadido al tratamiento por inadecuado control de PTHi. Hemos observado un incremento tras cinacalcet de las dosis de carbonato calcico (basal 1,5±3,8 g/dia vs. final 2,4±4,9 g/dia; p=0,03) y una reduccion no significativa de las dosis de sevelamer. Al analizar el grado de respuesta al cinacalcet, encontramos que los niveles de PTHi a los 3 meses de tratamiento eran significativamente mas bajos en pacientes que alcanzaron una PTHi final inferior a 300 pg/ml, con dosis finales mas bajas de cinacalcet (el 78% de los pacientes con dosis inferiores o iguales a 30 mg/dia). Al revisar la influencia de los captores del fosforo observamos que los pacientes que tenian prescritas mayores dosis de sevelamer al principio del tratamiento mostraron peor respuesta con necesidades de dosis finales mas altas de cinacalcet y menor proporcion de pacientes que alcanzaron niveles objetivo de PTHi. Con regresion lineal multiple confirmamos que el grado de descenso de la PTH dependio de los niveles basales de PTH y de la dosis basal de sevelamer. Conclusiones Cinacalcet facilita el control del HPTH2°. El grado de descenso de PTH a los 3 meses de tratamiento tiene un significado pronostico en cuanto a la respuesta final. El grado de respuesta a cinacalcet depende de la severidad del HPTH2° inicial reflejado por los niveles basales y de la dosis de sevelamer empleada como captor del fosforo.

One of the fundamental goals of modern Astronomy is to estimate the physical parameters of galaxies from images in different spectral bands. We present a hierarchical Bayesian model for obtaining age maps from images in the \Ha\ line (taken with Taurus Tunable Filter (TTF)), ultraviolet band (far UV or FUV, from GALEX) and infrared bands (24, 70 and 160 microns ($\mu$m), from Spitzer). As shown in S\'anchez-Gil et al. (2011), we present the burst ages for young stellar populations in the nearby and nearly face on galaxy M74. As it is shown in the previous work, the \Ha\ to FUV flux ratio gives a good relative indicator of very recent star formation history (SFH). As a nascent star-forming region evolves, the \Ha\ line emission declines earlier than the UV continuum, leading to a decrease in the \Ha\/FUV ratio. Through a specific star-forming galaxy model (Starburst 99, SB99), we can obtain the corresponding theoretical ratio \Ha\ / FUV to compare with our observed flux ratios, and thus to estimate the ages of the observed regions. Due to the nature of the problem, it is necessary to propose a model of high complexity to take into account the mean uncertainties, and the interrelationship between parameters when the \Ha\ / FUV flux ratio mentioned above is obtained. To address the complexity of the model, we propose a Bayesian hierarchical model, where a joint probability distribution is defined to determine the parameters (age, metallicity, IMF), from the observed data, in this case the observed flux ratios \Ha\ / FUV. The joint distribution of the parameters is described through an i.i.d. (independent and identically distributed random variables), generated through MCMC (Markov Chain Monte Carlo) techniques., Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, conference

Development of an efficient vascular substitute by tissue engineering is strongly dependent on endothelial cell viability. The aim of this study was to evaluate cell viability of transdifferentiated endothelial-like cells (Tr-ELC) by using for the first time electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPXMA), not only to accurately analyze cell viability by quantifying the intracellular ionic concentrations, but also to establish their possible use in vascular tissue engineering protocols. Human umbilical cord Wharton's jelly stem cells (HWJSC) and endothelial cells from the human umbilical vein (HUVEC) were isolated and cultured. Transdifferentiation from HWJSC to the endothelial phenotype was induced. EPXMA was carried out to analyze HUVEC, HWJSC and Tr-ELC cells by using a scanning electron microscope equipped with an EDAX DX-4 microanalytical system and a solid-state backscattered electron detector. To determine total ion content, the peak-to-local-background (P/B) ratio method was used with reference to standards composed of dextran containing known amounts of inorganic salts. Our results revealed a high K/Na ratio in Tr-ELC (9.41), in association with the maintenance of the intracellular levels of chlorine, phosphorous and magnesium and an increase of calcium (p=0.031) and sulfur (p=0.022) as compared to HWJSC. Calcium levels were similar for HUVEC and Tr-ELC. These results ensure that transdifferentiated cells are highly viable and resemble the phenotypic and microanalytical profile of endothelial cells. Tr-ELC induced from HWJSC may fulfill the requirements for use in tissue engineering protocols applied to the vascular system at the viability and microanalytical levels.