Due to their excellent properties, aerogel has attracted the attention of the scientific community to use it in the biomedical area as a drug delivery system. This work reports on the synthesis and characterization of ZrO2 aerogels and cryogels obtained by the sol-gel method. The influence of different cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and the type of drying on structural, morphological and texture properties of ZrO2 aerogels and cryogels was investigated. SEM images reveal that a porous interconnected three-dimensional network was formed into aerogels due to supercritical drying. Zirconia aerogel sample has a specific surface area (SBET) larger than zirconia cryogels. Therefore, our results indicate that zirconia aerogel is an adequate material for applications in drug delivery systems.

Collagen associated with bone samples is frequently used for radiocarbon (14C) dating of bones recovered from archaeological sites. However, submersion and exposure to moisture favors the degradation of collagen, which leads to difficulty in reliably dating bones from tropical, humid, or previously submerged archaeological sites. In this paper, we characterized the preservation state of a series of bones, through parameters such as %C, %N, C/N ratio, and collagen recovery. We performed 14C analyses of three collagen fractions obtained through the pretreatment steps (total, ultrafiltered, and insoluble collagen) in order to link the preservation state and the reproducibility of 14C values obtained from the three fractions. Collagen ultrafiltration resulted in a decrease of C/N ratio, although collagen yield was reduced. When two or three collagen fractions were obtained, ages were reproducible and consistent with expected values, according to archaeological or hydrogeological criteria. The pretreatment steps were monitored by infrared spectroscopy in order to analyze the collagen fractions at the molecular level. The presence of collagen in the total and insoluble fractions was confirmed. Since many of the Mexican samples had poor ultrafiltered collagen yield (<3%) or nonexistent yield, our results show that if additional contextual information is carefully considered, the remnant collagen in the total and insoluble fraction can be dated, especially from sites where no other datable fraction exists.

We show Lie algebra versions of some results on homological finiteness properties of subdirect products of groups. These results include a version of the 1-2-3 Theorem.

New Super-High-Density (SHD) olive orchards designed for mechanical harvesting are increasing very rapidly in Spain. Most studies have focused in effectively removing the olive fruit, however the machine needs to put significant amount of energy on the canopy that could result in structural damage or extra stress on the trees. During harvest, a series of 3-axis accelerometers were installed on the tree structure in order to register vibration patterns. A LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and a camera sensing device were also mounted on a tractor. Before and after harvest measurements showed significant differences in the LiDAR and image data. A fast estimate of the damage produced by an over-the-row harvester with contactless sensing could be useful information for adjusting the machine parameters in each olive grove automatically in the future.

Daytime restricted feeding (2 h of food access from 12.00 to 14.00 hours for 3 weeks) is an experimental protocol that modifies the relationship between metabolic networks and the circadian molecular clock. The precise anatomical locus that controls the biochemical and physiological adaptations to optimise nutrient use is unknown. We explored the changes in liver oxidative lipid handling, such as β-oxidation and its regulation, as well as adaptations in the lipoprotein profile. It was found that daytime restricted feeding promoted an elevation of circulating ketone bodies before mealtime, an altered hepatic daily rhythmicity of 14CO2 production from radioactive palmitic acid, and an up-regulation of the fatty acid oxidation activators, the α-subunit of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), the deacetylase silent mating type information regulation homolog 1, and the transcriptional factor PPARγ-1α coactivator. An increased localisation of phosphorylated α-subunit of AMPK in the periportal hepatocytes was also observed. Liver hepatic lipase C, important for lipoprotein transformation, showed a change of daily phase with a peak at the time of food access. In serum, there was an increase of LDL, which was responsible for a net elevation of circulating cholesterol. We conclude that our results indicate an enhanced fasting response in the liver during daily synchronisation to food access, which involves altered metabolic and cellular control of fatty acid oxidation as well a significant elevation of serum LDL. These adaptations could be part of the metabolic input that underlies the expression of the food-entrained oscillator.

The results of photometric and spectroscopic observations of dwarf novae are presented. The data were obtained during an international program of multiwavelength observations, held in 1986 February at several observatories, of dwarf novae during the first and subsequent days of outburst. During the campaign numerous dwarf novae were monitored in order to catch them in outburst. Preliminary results and analysis of some objects are reported elsewhere. A total of 30 dwarf novae were observed in the northern and southern hemispheres. Among them 37% were caught in outburst, including 10% on the rise to outburst and 17% in decline. Photometric observations were carried out in the UBVRI system and colour indexes were calculated.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2012 in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, July 29 – August 2, 2012.

We present the propagation properties of Dirac-electrons in multilayered Period-Doubling (MPDGS) and Silver-Mean (MSMGS) graphene structures. The multilayered graphene structures are built arranging breaking and non-breaking symmetry substrates such as SiC and SiO2 following a given quasirregular substitution rule locating on them a graphene sheet. We have implemented the Transfer Matrix technique to calculate the transmittance of these multilayered graphene structures. This technique allows us to analyze readily the main differences of the transmission properties between MPDGS and MSMGS.

This paper presents the results of the analytical study of the microstructural evolution of forged and rolled rings with a diameter greater than 2 meters, since the raw material, set-up forgings, ring rolling and heat treatments, including normalizing, quenching and tempering. Also, great care will be taken on the chemical micro-segregation. Four rings, were instrumented with 20 thermocouples each one in order to follow the thermal profile during heating and quenching. Cooling rates will be used to predict the microstructure developed under the different heat treatments and it will be compared at different positions inside the rings. It can be seen that the cooling curves obtained show no presence of soft phases, as shown in the microstructures in the figure shown below. With the results of microstructure obtained, which show martensitic structure to a greater extent, it meets the desirable mechanical properties, which are shown below.

Manufacturing of high dimension steel rings impose several technological challenges. The lack of understanding of the principles and practices of quenching can result in inadequate hardness, excessive distortion or scrapping of costly machined components. This paper presents the results of an analytical study of the parameters of the quenching operation, among them the fluid dynamics of the agitation in the quenching media. Velocity components of the fluid were measured using an anemometer inside the quenching tank. Uniformity of agitation is compared with a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation. The CFD results revealed the impact of quench tank design, configuration and operation of impellers.

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, August 7–August 11, 2011.

Fuel Cells are highly promising energy conversion systems for the new energy scenario. Particularly, Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) have been extensively studied during the last few years as a result of the increasing interest in the development of more efficient, and environmentally friendly ways of energy generation, as well as a consequence of their fuel flexibility. This work shows some strategies to improve the efficiency of SOFCs through the use of new anode materials, a novel method of microstructural optimisation by means of polymeric templates, using composites or cermets-based materials or applying a new concept in SOFC, e.g. the Symmetrical SOFC (SFC).

Polyurethanes are interesting materials that can be used in biomedical applications for regeneration of bone tissue. In this work the synthesis and characterization of porous polyurethanes to act as scaffold is performed by a thermally induced phase separation technique. The appropriate parameters are determined in order to obtain a porous well interconnected material. Characterization by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is made in order to determine the thermal stability of the material. Chemical characterization is made by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR). The morphology of the material is observed by a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and the mechanical properties are measured by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA).

The aim of this work is the characterization of some graphite-metal couples prepared by mechanical milling (MM). The morphological and microstructural changes during MM of graphite processed with metallic powders of Cu, Ni and Ag (10 and 15 at. %) are studied. Milling is performed in a high-energy ball mill under an inert atmosphere during 1, 4 and 8 hours. The process is also repeated with a pure graphite sample in order to compare the role of metal type and concentration on the morphological characteristics of milled samples. The results show that increasing the concentration of metal particles accelerates the milling process as a result of faster work hardening and particle fracture. The results of X-ray diffraction analysis show that some crystallographic characteristics of the milled couples change as a function of milling time and metal addition. Also, SEM-EDS studies show an important effect of milling time on metal particle distribution in the prepared graphite couples.

Cyclodextrin (CD) has been studied intensively due to its ability to form inclusion complexes with a variety of guest molecules in the solid state. A few studies have paid attention to the use of CD to facilitate the synthesis of inorganic nanoparticles. In this work the synthesis of magnetite (M) is made in the presence of CD. The particle size of the inorganic material is controlled by the presence of CD, in which spherical particles of few nanometers are grown. The synthesis of Fe3O4 (M) in the presence of α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) and β-cyclodextrin (βCD) is described. The formation of an M-CD complex is studied in both cases by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) in order to elucidate the chemical bonding of the complex. The morphology and size of the particles are determined by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and software. X-ray diffraction (XRD) is used to confirm the formation of magnetite.

A Ag-Au(1-D)-CeO2 catalyst was prepared by precipitation method using Ag-Au nanowires and Ce(NO3)3·6H2O as precursors. The catalytic activity of the catalysts was evaluated in a steam reforming of methanol (SRM) reaction from 250 to 475 °C. 100 % of methanol conversion was observed at 450 °C together with high H2 selectivity. This study evidenced that the use of 1-D metallic nanostructures could be used as an active phase on a CeO2 matrix for steam reforming of methanol for H2 generation to be used as fuel.