Search results for: L. Moyano - Cuevas

Authors: J. Bartnicka, J. A. Piedrabuena, R. Portilla, L. Moyano - Cuevas, J. B. Pagador, P. Augat, J. Tokarczyk, F. M. Sánchez Margallo

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Orthopaedic surgeries are characterized by a high degree of complexity. This is reflected by four main groups of resources: 1) surgical team which is consisted of people with different competencies, educational backgrounds and positions; 2) information and knowledge about medical and technical aspects of surgery; 3) medical equipment including surgical tools and materials; 4) space infrastructure which is important from an operating room layout point of view. These all components must be integrated and build a homogeneous organism for achieving an efficient and ergonomically correct surgical workflow. Taking this as a background, there was formulated a concept of international project, called “Online Vocational Training course on ergonomics for orthopaedic Minimally Invasive” (Train4OrthoMIS), which aim is to develop an e-learning tool available in 4 languages (English, Spanish, Polish and German). In the article, there is presented the first project research outcomes focused on three aspects: 1) ergonomic needs of surgeons who work in hospitals around different European countries, 2) the concept of structure of e-learning course, 3) the definition of tools and methods for knowledge assessment adjusted to users’ expectation. The methodology was based on the expert panels and two types of surveys: 1) on training needs, 2) on evaluation and self-assessment preferences. The major findings of the study allowed describing the subjects of four training modules and learning sessions. According to peoples’ opinion there were defined most expected test methods which are single choice test and right after quizzes: “True or False” and “Link elements”. The first project outcomes confirmed the necessity of creating a universal training tool for orthopaedic surgeons regardless of the country in which they work. Because of limited time that surgeons have, the e-learning course should be strictly adjusted to their expectation in order to be useful.

Keywords: international e-learning, ergonomics, orthopaedic surgery, Train4OrthoMIS

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Authors: Charles Anthony S. Santillan, Jude Noel P. Jarina, Patricia Mae A. Cuevas, Julito B. Añora Jr.

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The research examines the effectiveness of Two-Position and Tuned PID controllers in magnetic levitation systems. Magnetic levitation, a crucial technology in diverse industries, depends on meticulous control mechanisms for stability and performance. The study seeks to compare these two control strategies to ascertain their efficacy in practical applications. The paper explores the theoretical foundations of the controllers, presents an experimental methodology emphasizing setup and installation, and examines the results about stability, response time, and susceptibility to disturbances. By interpreting and discussing the findings, the research provides valuable perspectives on the practical ramifications of utilizing Two-Position and Tuned PID controllers in magnetic levitation systems. The conclusion encapsulates significant outcomes and proposes avenues for future research, thereby contributing to the progress of control strategies in magnetic levitation technology.

Keywords: arduino, comparative analysis, magnetic levitation, tuned PID controller, two-position controller

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Authors: Nicolas Cuevas-Alvear

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The subject of this paper is the concept of interpretation. Its purpose is to expose the need for a new concept of interpretation and to trace the construction route of interpretation as determination and negotiation. The thesis it defends is that interpretation is the determination of events and the negotiation of those determinations in communication. To meet its objective, this manuscript is divided into five sections. The first section introduces the subject and the need for a new concept of interpretation. The second section explicitly formulates the research questions and the objectives of the project for the construction of a new concept of interpretation. The third section presents the state of the art, specifically, the theory of Radical interpretation proposed by Donald Davidson and the theory of the Hermeneutic Circle proposed by Hans Georg Gadamer. In addition, in this section, there is a reconstruction of Ernst Cassirer's explanation of language as a symbolic form. The fourth section is an explanation of the proposal based on the theories presented. Specifically: language as a symbolic form explains interpretation as a determination of events using objective, subjective and intersubjective elements, and these three elements are negotiated in interpretation as communication. The last section is the bibliography proposed to carry out the project.

Keywords: interpretation, metaphysics, semantics, Donald Davidson, ERNST Cassirer

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Authors: E. Cuevas, M. Feigel'man, L. Ioffe, M. Mezard

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The origin of continuous energy spectrum in large disordered interacting quantum systems is one of the key unsolved problems in quantum physics. While small quantum systems with discrete energy levels are noiseless and stay coherent forever in the absence of any coupling to external world, most large-scale quantum systems are able to produce thermal bath, thermal transport and excitation decay. This intrinsic decoherence is manifested by a broadening of energy levels which acquire a finite width. The important question is: What is the driving force and mechanism of transition(s) between two different types of many-body systems - with and without decoherence and thermal transport? Here, we address this question via two complementary approaches applied to the same model of quantum spin-1/2 system with XY-type exchange interaction and random transverse field. Namely, we develop analytical theory for this spin model on a Bethe lattice and implement numerical study of exact level statistics for the same spin model on random graph. This spin model is relevant to the study of pseudogaped superconductivity and S-I transition in some amorphous materials.

Keywords: strongly correlated electrons, quantum phase transitions, superconductor, insulator

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Authors: Yunusa Audu, Alona Cuevas Linatoc, Aisha Idris

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The maximum carboxylation rate of Rubisco (Vcmax) and the maximum electron transport rate (Jmax), light compensation point (LCP), light saturation point (LSP), maximum photosynthesis (Amax), and apparent quantum yield (Aqy) are gas exchange characteristics that are derived from the carbon dioxide (CO2) and light response curves. This characteristics can be affected by the level of CO2 and light received by the plant. Moreover, the characteristics determines the photosynthetic capacity of the plant. The objective of the study is to evaluate the gas exchange characteristics of selected plant species of UTHM. Photosynthetic carbon dioxide (A\Ci) and light (A/Q) response curves were measured using portable photosynthesis system (LICOR). The results shows that both A/Ci and A/Q curves increases as CO2 and light increases, but reach to a certain point where the curves will become saturated. Spathodea campanulata was having the highest Vcmax (52.14±0.005 µmolCO2 m-2s-1), Jmax (104.461±0.011 µmolCO2 m-2s-1) and Aqy (0.072±0.001 mol CO2 mol-1 photons). The highest LCP was observed in Rhaphis excelsa (69.60±0.067 µmol photons m-2s-1) while the highest LSP was recorded for Costus spicatus (1576.69±0.173 µmol photons m-2s-1). It was concluded that the plants need high light intensity and CO2 for their maximum assimilation rate.

Keywords: Gas, Co2, Exchange, Plants

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Authors: M. Cuevas-González, O. Monserrat, A. Barra, C. Reyes-Carmona, R.M. Mateos, J. P. Galve, R. Sarro, M. Cantalejo, E. Peña, M. Martínez-Corbella, J. A. Luque, J. M. Azañón, A. Millares, M. Béjar, J. A. Navarro, L. Solari

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Geohazard prone areas require continuous monitoring to detect risks, understand the phenomena occurring in those regions and prevent disasters. Satellite interferometry (InSAR) has come to be a trustworthy technique for ground movement detection and monitoring in the last few years. InSAR based techniques allow to process large areas providing high number of displacement measurements at low cost. However, the results provided by such techniques are usually not easy to interpret by non-experienced users hampering its use for decision makers. This work presents a set of tools developed in the framework of different projects (Momit, Safety, U-Geohaz, Riskcoast) and an example of their use in the Granada Coastal area (Spain) is shown. The ADA (Active Displacement Areas) tool have been developed with the aim of easing the management, use and interpretation of InSAR based results. It provides a semi-automatic extraction of the most significant ADAs through the application ADAFinder tool. This tool aims to support the exploitation of the European Ground Motion Service (EU-GMS), which will provide consistent, regular and reliable information regarding natural and anthropogenic ground motion phenomena all over Europe.

Keywords: ground displacements, InSAR, natural hazards, satellite imagery

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Authors: Mae Genevieve G. Cheung, Michael G. Cuevas, Lovely Fe L. Cuison, Elijin P. Dai, Katrina Marie S. Duron, Azalea Damaris E. Encarnacion, May T. Magtoto, Gina C. Castro

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The present study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of Blumea balsamifera in reducing obesity on diet-induced obese Sprague-Dawley rats. Aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts were obtained by maceration and percolation, respectively, of air-dried, grinded leaves. The test animals were given a high fat diet (HFD) for 21 days, except for one negative control group fed with a standard diet (SD). The Blumea balsamifera extracts were given at doses of 300 mg/Kg and 600 mg/Kg for BBAE and BBEE groups, and the positive control group, Orlistat, was given at 21.6 mg/Kg dose. After 24 days of treatment, the statistical difference of parameters such as Lee’s index and lipid profile of each group before and after the treatment period were determined separately using Tukey’s test of two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The statistical results showed that the600mg/kg dose of BBAE and BBEE had greatly lowered the Lee’s index among the other doses while the 300 mg/Kg dose BBEE, 600 mg/Kg BBAE, and 300 mg/kg BBAE lowered the total cholesterol level, LDL level, and VLDL and total triglyceride level respectively. The extracts, however, lowered the HDL level which was also exhibited by the standard drug, Orlistat.

Keywords: adipocytes, adipogenesis, Blumea balsamifera, Lee’s index, obesity, Sambong

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Authors: Gonzalo Ortiz de Elguea-Culebras, Raúl Sánchez-Vioquea, Adela Mena-Morales, Manuel Alaiz, Enrique Melero-Bravo, Esteban García-Romero, Javier Vioque, Lourdes Marchante-Cuevas, Julio Girón-Calle

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Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a highly valued crop for the manufacture of spice that consists of the dried stigma of the flowers. This is in contrast to other underutilized parts of the saffron plant as leaves, which represent abundant biomass whose use might help to enhance the sustainability of the saffron crop. Saffron leaves contain significant amounts of phenolic compounds, 7.8 equivalent grams of gallic acid per 100g of extract, and are very promising compounds in terms of exploring novel uses of saffron leaves. Given that phenolic compounds have numerous effects on cancer-related biological pathways, we have investigated the in vitro antiproliferative effect of saffron leaf polyphenols against human colon adenocarcinoma cells (Caco-2). Polyphenols were extracted from leaves with 70% ethanol, defatted with hexane, and purified by solid phase extraction using C18 silica gel and then silica gel 60. Analysis of polyphenols was performed by HPLC-ESI-MS. Di-, tri-, and tetrahexosides of quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin, as well as C-hexosides like isoorientin and vitexin, were tentatively identified. Polyphenols strongly inhibited the proliferation of Caco-2 cells, which is consistent with model studies in which several of the polyphenols identified in saffron leaves have demonstrated their potential as chemopreventive agents in cancer. Due to the low profitability that saffron leaf currently represents, we consider these results very encouraging and that this by-product deserves further investigation as a potential source of active molecules against colorectal cancer.

Keywords: saffron leaves, agricultural by-products, polyphenols, antiproliferative effect, human colon adenocarcinoma cells

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Authors: Sergio Alejandro Cuevas, Catherine Etchebest, Fernando Luis Barroso Da Silva

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The flavivirus genus has several organisms responsible for generating various diseases in humans. Special in Brazil, Zika (ZIKV), Dengue (DENV) and Yellow Fever (YFV) viruses have raised great health concerns due to the high number of cases affecting the area during the last years. Diagnostic is still a difficult issue since the clinical symptoms are highly similar. The understanding of their common structural/dynamical and biomolecular interactions features and differences might suggest alternative strategies towards differential serological diagnostics and therapeutic intervention. Due to their immunogenicity, the primary focus of this study was on the ZIKV, DENV and YFV non-structural proteins 1 (NS1) protein. By means of computational studies, we calculated the main physical chemical properties of this protein from different strains that are directly responsible for the biomolecular interactions and, therefore, can be related to the differential infectivity of the strains. We also mapped the electrostatic differences at both the sequence and structural levels for the strains from Uganda to Brazil that could suggest possible molecular mechanisms for the increase of the virulence of ZIKV. It is interesting to note that despite the small changes in the protein sequence due to the high sequence identity among the studied strains, the electrostatic properties are strongly impacted by the pH which also impact on their biomolecular interactions with partners and, consequently, the molecular viral biology. African and Asian strains are distinguishable. Exploring the interfaces used by NS1 to self-associate in different oligomeric states, and to interact with membranes and the antibody, we could map the strategy used by the ZIKV during its evolutionary process. This indicates possible molecular mechanisms that can explain the different immunological response. By the comparison with the known antibody structure available for the West Nile virus, we demonstrated that the antibody would have difficulties to neutralize the NS1 from the Brazilian strain. The present study also opens up perspectives to computationally design high specificity antibodies.

Keywords: zika, biomolecular interactions, electrostatic interactions, molecular mechanisms

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Authors: M. Salvador, J. C. Martinez-Garcia, A. Moyano, M. C. Blanco-Lopez, M. Rivas

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Biosensors play a crucial role in the detection of molecules nowadays due to their advantages of user-friendliness, high selectivity, the analysis in real time and in-situ applications. Among them, Lateral Flow Immunoassays (LFIAs) are presented among technologies for point-of-care bioassays with outstanding characteristics such as affordability, portability and low-cost. They have been widely used for the detection of a vast range of biomarkers, which do not only include proteins but also nucleic acids and even whole cells. Although the LFIA has traditionally been a positive/negative test, tremendous efforts are being done to add to the method the quantifying capability based on the combination of suitable labels and a proper sensor. One of the most successful approaches involves the use of magnetic sensors for detection of magnetic labels. Bringing together the required characteristics mentioned before, our research group has developed a biosensor to detect biomolecules. Superparamagnetic nanoparticles (SPNPs) together with LFIAs play the fundamental roles. SPMNPs are detected by their interaction with a high-frequency current flowing on a printed micro track. By means of the instant and proportional variation of the impedance of this track provoked by the presence of the SPNPs, quantitative and rapid measurement of the number of particles can be obtained. This way of detection requires no external magnetic field application, which reduces the device complexity. On the other hand, the major limitations of LFIAs are that they are only qualitative or semiquantitative when traditional gold or latex nanoparticles are used as color labels. Moreover, the necessity of always-constant ambient conditions to get reproducible results, the exclusive detection of the nanoparticles on the surface of the membrane, and the short durability of the signal are drawbacks that can be advantageously overcome with the design of magnetically labeled LFIAs. The approach followed was to coat the SPIONs with a specific monoclonal antibody which targets the protein under consideration by chemical bonds. Then, a sandwich-type immunoassay was prepared by printing onto the nitrocellulose membrane strip a second antibody against a different epitope of the protein (test line) and an IgG antibody (control line). When the sample flows along the strip, the SPION-labeled proteins are immobilized at the test line, which provides magnetic signal as described before. Preliminary results using this practical combination for the detection and quantification of the Prostatic-Specific Antigen (PSA) shows the validity and consistency of the technique in the clinical range, where a PSA level of 4.0 ng/mL is the established upper normal limit. Moreover, a LOD of 0.25 ng/mL was calculated with a confident level of 3 according to the IUPAC Gold Book definition. Its versatility has also been proved with the detection of other biomolecules such as troponin I (cardiac injury biomarker) or histamine.

Keywords: biosensor, lateral flow immunoassays, point-of-care devices, superparamagnetic nanoparticles

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Authors: Alberto A. Escobar Puentes, G. Adriana García, Luis F. Cuevas G., Alejandro P. Zepeda, Fernando B. Martínez, Susana A. Rincón

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Snack foods are usually classified as ‘junk food’ because have little nutritional value. However, due to the increase on the demand and third generation (3G) snacks market, low price and easy to prepare, can be considered as carriers of compounds with certain nutritional value. Resistant starch (RS) is classified as a prebiotic fiber it helps to control metabolic problems and has anti-cancer colon properties. The active compound can be developed by chemical cross-linking of starch with phosphate salts to obtain a type 4 resistant starch (RS4). The chemical reaction can be achieved by extrusion, a process widely used to produce snack foods, since it's versatile and a low-cost procedure. Starch is the major ingredient for snacks 3G manufacture, and the seeds of sorghum contain high levels of starch (70%), the most drought-tolerant gluten-free cereal. Due to this, the aim of this research was to develop a snack (3G), with RS4 in optimal conditions extrusion (previously determined) from sorghum starch, and carry on a sensory, chemically and structural characterization. A sample (200 g) of sorghum starch was conditioned with 4% sodium trimetaphosphate/ sodium tripolyphosphate (99:1) and set to 28.5% of moisture content. Then, the sample was processed in a single screw extruder equipped with rectangular die. The inlet, transport and output temperatures were 60°C, 134°C and 70°C, respectively. The resulting pellets were expanded in a microwave oven. The expansion index (EI), penetration force (PF) and sensory analysis were evaluated in the expanded pellets. The pellets were milled to obtain flour and RS content, degree of substitution (DS), and percentage of phosphorus (% P) were measured. Spectroscopy [Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR)], X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis were performed in order to determine structural changes after the process. The results in 3G were as follows: RS, 17.14 ± 0.29%; EI, 5.66 ± 0.35 and PF, 5.73 ± 0.15 (N). Groups of phosphate were identified in the starch molecule by FTIR: DS, 0.024 ± 0.003 and %P, 0.35±0.15 [values permitted as food additives (<4 %P)]. In this work an increase of the gelatinization temperature after the crosslinking of starch was detected; the loss of granular and vapor bubbles after expansion were observed by SEM; By using X-ray diffraction, loss of crystallinity was observed after extrusion process. Finally, a snack (3G) was obtained with RS4 developed by extrusion technology. The sorghum starch was efficient for snack 3G production.

Keywords: extrusion, resistant starch, snack (3G), Sorghum

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