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Aspects of inflation beyond the single-field, slow-roll regime
No full textTesis Doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Física Teórica. Fecha de Lectura: 27-09-2025La inflación cósmica es el principal paradigma para resolver los problemas de la planitud y del horizonte en el modelo cosmológico estándar del Big Bang y, al mismo tiempo, explicar las condiciones iniciales de las inhomogeneidades que observamos hoy en día. Dicho paradigma asume una fase de expansión acelerada en el universo primitivo, cuya implementación más sencilla se basa en un único campo escalar -el inflatón- que desciende lentamente por su potencial. En esta tesis, consideramos dos marcos teóricos bien motivados que van más allá de este escenario básico.
En el primer marco que abordamos, conocido como inflación cálida, el inflatón disipa una fracción de su energía hacia un baño térmico durante la inflación. Esto da lugar a una componente térmica en el espectro de potencias primordial de las fluctuaciones de curvatura, debida al acoplamiento entre las perturbaciones del inflatón y las fluctuaciones térmicas del plasma. Analizamos las propiedades de dichas fluctuaciones inducidas térmicamente y proponemos un método basado en la ecuación de Fokker-Planck para calcular su evolución, que supera tanto en rapidez como en precisión a los métodos empleados anteriormente. Utilizamos estas herramientas para estudiar las implicaciones de la inflación cálida en los observables del fondo cósmico de microondas (CMB); en particular, la posible reconciliación de las predicciones de potenciales inflacionarios monómicos con las restricciones impuestas por el CMB. Por último, exploramos la posibilidad de generar agujeros negros primordiales (que podrían constituir la totalidad de la materia oscura del universo) mediante una fase de inflación cálida.
El segundo marco que estudiamos es el de inflación con un solo campo escalar y una fase transitoria de rodamiento ultralento. Este escenario es conocido por favorecer la producción de agujeros negros primordiales, al dar lugar tanto a un pico en el espectro de potencias primordial como a una cola exponencial en la función de densidad de probabilidad de las perturbaciones primordiales de curvatura. En primer lugar, analizamos (a nivel clásico) la relación no lineal entre las perturbaciones del inflatón y las de curvatura, y su efecto sobre la cola de la función de densidad de probabilidad de estas últimas. A continuación, comparamos estos resultados con los que se derivan de un tratamiento estocástico de la difusión cuántica del inflatón, concluyendo que los resultados obtenidos en ambos enfoques coinciden para los casos estudiados. Finalmente, evaluamos el impacto de las auto-interacciones del inflatón sobre las propiedades estadísticas de las perturbaciones de curvatur
Project-based learning in Chemical Engineering Projects course: The Pilot Project and Project Cycle approaches
No full textChemical Engineering Projects is a last-year course of the Chemical Engineering bachelor’s degree taught at
Autonomous University of Madrid. Project-Based Learning (PBL) stands as an ideal teaching methodology to prepare students for this multicriteria and complex context by developing representative cases of the Chemical Industry. In this work, two main concepts are deployed, namely, pilot project and project cycle, aiming at solving two main difficulties within the course: (i) the difficulty of integrating conceptual and methodological knowledge in the resolution of a project and (ii) the representativeness of the projects to be worked with. A well-structured PBL design is created based on five projects, along with the design of self-learning tools, highlighting self-learning tools and extensive and multichannel feedback: (i) follow-up meetings with all the students in Microsoft Teams, (ii) thematic online forums to questions of general interest, and (iii) email to solve specific problems of a group or even a
student. The projects are aligned and hierarchically structured to guide students; at the same time, they are complementary in terms of representativeness of engineering cases of study. This integral PBL design stands as a novel approach to improve learning outcomes, strengthening the student’s skills for a real life project. The results showed improved academic success up to mean grades in the range of 6.3−6.6 and a B/C grades ratio near 1 with stable behavior in the midterm (3 academic years). Finally, student satisfaction is high, highlighting course structure, feedback, and self-learning tools, respectively, in the range of 4.3−4.5, 4.7−4.9, and
3.8−4.5The authors are grateful to Autonomous University of Madrid (project C_005.20_INN) for financial suppor
Polyclonal LC3B Antibodies Generate Non-Specific Staining in the Nucleus of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1-Infected Cells: Caution in the Interpretation of LC3 Staining in the Immunofluorescence Analysis of Viral Infections
No full textThe most common marker used to monitor autophagy is the microtubule-associated
protein light chain 3 (LC3). Upon induction of autophagy, LC3 is conjugated to phosphatidylethanolamine
and targeted to autophagic membranes, which can be easily detected
by immunofluorescence. However, this technique has some limitations. During the early
stages of HSV-1 infection, strong LC3B nuclear staining is observed within the viral replication
compartments. This staining is only detected when using polyclonal antibodies. It is
noteworthy that monoclonal antibodies or the GFP-LC3 plasmid do not reveal any nuclear
LC3 staining. Interestingly, LC3B is not detected in the nuclear fraction of infected cells by
Western blotting, even when polyclonal antibodies are used. In infected LC3B knockout
cells, nuclear staining is still observed when using polyclonal LC3B antibodies. This suggests
that polyclonal LC3B antibodies generate non-specific nuclear staining in infected
cells, which could result in misinterpretation and erroneous conclusions. These findings
raise questions about the reliability of LC3-immunofluorescence assays in herpesvirus
infections. It is imperative that the methodology employed for monitoring autophagy by
immunofluorescence in viral infections be reviewed and updated, and that the specificity
of anti-LC3B antibodies be tested before use. To ensure the accuracy of the results, it is
essential to validate this technique with additional assays, such as by immunoblot analysis
or via the use of autophagy-deficient cell linesThis research was funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spain (PID2022-140632NB-I00
AI-Based Multimodal Biometrics for Detecting Smartphone Distractions: Application to Online Learning
No full textThis work investigates the use of multimodal biometrics to detect distractions caused by smartphone use during tasks that require sustained attention, with a focus on computer-based online learning. Although the methods are applicable to various domains, such as autonomous driving, we focus on the challenges learners face in maintaining engagement amid internal (e.g. motivation), system-related (e.g., course design) and contextual (e.g., smartphone use) factors. Traditional learning platforms often lack detailed behavioral data, but Multimodal Learning Analytics (MMLA) and biosensors provide new insights into learner attention. We propose an AI-based approach that leverages physiological signals and head pose data to detect phone use. Our results show that single biometric signals, such as brain waves or heart rate, offer limited accuracy, while head pose alone achieves 87%. A multimodal model that combines all signals reaches accuracy 91%, highlighting the benefits of integration. We conclude by discussing the implications and limitations of deploying these models for real-time support in online learning environmentsSupport by projects: Cátedra ENIA UAM-VERIDAS en IA Responsable (NextGenerationEU PRTR TSI-100927-2023-2), HumanCAIC (TED2021131787B-I00 MICINN) and SNOLA (RED2022-134284-T
The apolar inner product and a Bombieri-type inequality for polynomials
No full textWe consider inequalities of Bombieri type for polynomials that do not have to be homogeneous, using the apolar inner product.The first and second named authors were partially supported by Grants PID2019-106870GB-I00 and PID2022-138916NB-I00 (respectively) of the MICINN of Spain, by ICMAT Severo Ochoa project CEX2019-000904-S (MICINN), and by the Madrid Government (Comunidad de Madrid - Spain) V PRICIT (Regional Programme of Research and Technological Innovation), 2022-202
Entrevista a Sergio Nespral (Director Ejecutivo de la Cámara de Comercio de España en Japón)
No full textEntrevista a Sergio Nespral (Director Ejecutivo de la Cámara de Comercio de España en Japón) en la que se trata la internacionalización de las empresas españolas en Japón, la inversión española en Japón y las características del mercado y los consumidores japonesesProyecto de investigación: FYL_074.24_INN: Aprendizaje Basado en Entrevistas, Casos y Experiencias sobre Economía y Empresa Japonesa (ABECE-Japón
From Grammatical Reflection to Textual Comprehension: On the Reading of a Micro-Story
No full textEl presente artículo parte de la necesidad de integrar gramática y discurso en el ejercicio de la competencia metalingüística, considerando que la reflexión lingüística contextualizada, emprendida con rigor, favorece el desempeño de la competencia comunicativa. Metodológicamente, se propone que el acceso al análisis de la gramática en contexto se haga partiendo de los conocimientos gramaticales y discursivos más cercanos al discente: el contenido, en el caso de las estructuras gramaticales, y la información contextual, en los textos y discursos. A partir de un microrrelato, como manifestación de subgénero literario, se sugieren siete actividades de reflexión lingüística, que permiten reconocer, a través de la gramática, patrones contextuales y discursivos y, de forma complementaria, ilustran cómo los factores contextuales y las pautas discursivas determinan la gramática. De este modo, el ejercicio metalingüístico contextualizado (aplicado en un microrrelato) es una estrategia que genera inferencias de comprensión textual más profunda
Eficacia analgésica de la hipnosis clínica en los pacientes pediátricos intervenidos de cirugía ortopédica
No full textIntroduction
Clinical hypnosis is effective for pain management in adults, but there is little evidence of its use in the pediatric population.
Materials and Methods
We conducted a randomized clinical trial on pediatric patients (aged 7–19 years) that had undergone major orthopedic surgery, allocated to one of two groups: the experimental hypnosis group (HG), which received two sessions of clinical hypnosis, or the control group (CG), which had two non-hypnosis visits. The variables analyzed were pain (Visual Analog Scale [VAS]), use of analgesic drugs, anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children [STAIC]), parasympathetic activation (Analgesia Nociception Index [ANI] monitor) and vital signs such as heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR) and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP). We used the Student t test and the χ2 test for the statistical analysis.
Results
Of the 24 patients in the sample, 16 were assigned to the HG and 8 to the CG. In the HG, we observed a significant reduction in VAS scores at 24 h (P = .0001) and 48 h (P = .0004) post surgery. Additionally, HG patients required fewer rescue doses of analgesic agents (P = .025) and had lower state-anxiety scale scores in the STAIC (P = .046). The ANI values increased significantly at 24 h (P = .0001) and 48 h (P = .007). The HR, SBP and DBP values decreased at 24 h (P < .05), and the RR at 24 and 48 h (P < .05).
Conclusion
Clinical hypnosis is an effective nonpharmacological intervention for reducing postoperative pain and anxiety in children, and it is associated with an increase in parasympathetic toneIntroducción
La hipnosis terapéutica es un eficaz tratamiento del dolor en adultos, pero en población pediátrica no ha sido ampliamente estudiada.
Material y métodos
Se realizó un ensayo clínico aleatorizado en los pacientes pediátricos (7–19 años) sometidos a cirugía ortopédica mayor, en 2 grupos: el grupo experimental (GH) recibió 2 sesiones de hipnosis clínica, mientras que el grupo control (GC) tuvo 2 visitas sin hipnosis. Se evaluaron: dolor (escala visual analógica [EVA]), consumo analgésico, ansiedad (State Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children [STAIC]), activación parasimpática con el monitor de Analgesia Nociception Index (ANI) y constantes vitales como frecuencia cardíaca (FC), frecuencia respiratoria (FR) y tensión arterial sistólica y diastólica (TAS y TAD). Se utilizaron las pruebas de la t de Student y la de Chi-cuadrado para el análisis estadístico.
Resultados
De los 24 pacientes estudiados, 16 fueron asignados al GH y 8 al GC. En el GH se constató un descenso significativo en la EVA a las 24 (P = ,0001) y 48 horas (P = ,004) postoperatorias. También en el GH hubo una reducción los bolos de rescate (P = ,025) y en el valor de STAIC-Estado (P = ,046). Además, en el GH se registró un aumento del ANI a las 24 (P = ,0001) y 48 horas (P = ,007), junto con un descenso de FC, TAS, TAD a las 24 h (P < ,05) y de la FR a las 24 y 48 horas (P < ,05).
Conclusiones
La hipnosis clínica es una intervención no farmacológica eficaz para reducir el dolor y la ansiedad postoperatoria en niños, asociándose a un aumento del tono parasimpátic
Puberty in medieval Veranes: Embracing all adolescent skeletons for a more complete picture
No full textThis study aimed to examine the pubertal development of medieval adolescents from northern Spain and to explore possibilities for increasing sample sizes and representativeness in other research of this type. Medieval skeletons with age-at-death estimations between 8 years and “young adult” (n = 222) from the archaeological site of Veranes (Asturias, Spain; 5th-14th centuries) were analyzed to determine puberty and menarche status. A single puberty stage was assigned to 167 skeletons, while 23 exhibited marker criteria that were consistent with multiple possible stages. The growth spurt began between ages 9 and 10 in females and between 11 and 12 years in males. Although females matured ahead of males, delays in later puberty led to a particularly extended period of female development. Menarche occurred between 14 and 16 years and both sexes completed growth around age 20. Puberty in Veranes followed patterns observed in other past populations. Including individuals assigned to skeletal age groups and those with multiple possible puberty stages allowed for the identification of developmental variation that might otherwise have been missed. These findings demonstrate that more inclusive sampling strategies can recover informative developmental data from individuals often excluded in traditional studiesThe Laboratorio de Poblaciones del Pasado (LAPP) has been supported by the following projects: Leaky Foundation (United States) 38360, Ministerio de Asuntos Económicos y Transformación Digital, Gobierno de España (Spain) HAR2017-83004-P, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (Spain) PGC2018-099405-B-100, HAR2016-74846-P, Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (Spain) HAR2016-78036-P, HAR2017-82755-P, Comunidad de Madrid (Spain) SI4/PJI/2024-0010
Enhanced Hydrogen Production from Food Waste Via Bioaugmentation with Clostridium and Lactobacillus
No full textDark fermentation (DF) of food waste (FW) is a promising and sustainable alternative for valorization, where a carbohydraterich substrate is converted into value-added products such as hydrogen (H2) and volatile fatty acids (VFA). In this work, several combinations of hydrogen-producing bacteria (Clostridium butyricum and Clostridium beijerinckii) along with lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus pentosus) were evaluated for H2 production using sterile FW as a substrate in DF batch tests as follows: 10%v/v inoculum ratio, 10 gVS L−1 of FW, phosphate buffer pH 7.4 (0.005 M), 37 °C, and 150 rpm. The highest H2 production of 46.0±0.7 mL H2 gVS −1 was obtained by the combination of C. butyricum (61%), C. beijerinckii (13%), L. plantarum (13%), and L. pentosus (13%), showing a synergistic activity between those strains. Subsequently, this combination was tested to carry on a bioaugmentation strategy using sterile and non-sterile FW as substrate, achieving an H2 production of 89.6±1.0 mL H2 gVS –1 and 76.7±2.6 mL H2 gVS –1 with sterile and non-sterile FW, respectively. According to the microbial analysis, Lactobacillus species were displaced in the microbial community, and Clostridium sensu stricto 1_butyricum led the H2 production in both sterile and non-sterile FW tests. The results suggest that a negative interaction was established between C. butyricum and Enterobacter, generating low H2 production during fermentation with non-sterile FW. This study confirms that bioaugmentation with hydrogen-producing microorganisms is a promising alternative for valorizing feedstocks, such as FW, which tend to be predominated by lactic acid bacteriaThe financial support granted by DGAPA-UNAM through the PAPIIT project IN102722 is gratefully acknowledged. M.P. Díez thanks funding from PID2022-138632OB-I00 from MCIN/AEI/https://doi.org/10.13039/501100011033/FEDER, UE, and for the research grant PRE2020-09404