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Experimental LiFePO4 Battery Cycling System. Analysis and Simulation of a stand-alone/on-grid Photovoltaic Applications
No full textThis paper presents the design, modeling, and validation of an experimental LiFePO₄ battery cycling system applied to stand-alone and on-grid photovoltaic (PV) scenarios. A comprehensive analysis of battery behaviour -including key parameters such as SOC, SOH, DOD, and internal resistance- is conducted to highlight the advantages of LiFePO₄ chemistry in terms of safety, thermal stability, and cycle life. The charge/discharge dynamics are governed by the CCCV protocol, with detailed insights into voltage plateau behaviour, degradation mechanisms, and second-life reuse potential. The proposed experimental platform integrates a programmable power supply, active load, and full monitoring system to simulate real irradiance and consumption profiles with high temporal resolution. Results from the test-bench validate the accurate tracking of SOC, power flow optimization, and effective battery cycling under fluctuating PV conditions. Colour-map diagrams and hourly data analyses demonstrate the system’s capacity to balance generation, storage, and consumption, ensuring reliability and autonomy. The setup also enables the modeling of thermal and electrical behaviour at minute-level resolution, offering a valuable tool for the simulation and development of distributed PV-battery storage systems. The energy balance analysis, based on minutely power data, confirms the model’s accuracy in simulating real-world PV-battery interactions
Palaeoecological context for the last Neanderthals of inland Iberia: small mammals from Los Casares cave (Guadalajara, Spain)
No full textLos Casares cave is a site in inland Iberia that preserves evidence of Late Pleistocene Neanderthal and carnivore occupations. In this paper, we report small mammal assemblages from layers C and Bsingle bondC of the “Seno A" cavity which date from MIS 3 (44–42 cal kyr BP). Taphonomic evidence suggests a mixed predator origin for the assemblage, with contributions from both mammalian carnivores and avian raptors. The presence of Cricetulus bursae, Pliomys coronensis, and Alexandromys oeconomus supports the Late Pleistocene age of the deposit. Our results show that the surrounding landscape was characterized by open areas with humid meadows, forest patches, and abundant water sources. Paleoclimatic reconstruction based on the study of small mammals indicates that the region experienced a relatively stable, warm, and humid typical temperate-Mediterranean ecotonal climate. Inferred temperatures were similar to those today for the area, while annual precipitation was slightly higher. These conditions would have provided a favourable setting for Neanderthal subsistence, offering diverse natural resources within a suitable climatic context. As such, our findings provide an updated palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic framework for the last Neanderthals of inland Iberia
Impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection therapies on the risk of venous thromboembolism and cardiovascular events from the SEMI-COVID-19 Registry
No full textThis study aimed to assess the impact of SARS-CoV-2 therapies on the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and other cardiovascular events. A retrospective, multicenter, observational study included hospitalized patients in Spain due to acute SARS-CoV-2 infection from March 2020 to March 2022. A total of 184,324 hospitalized COVID-19 patients were included, with a mean age of 67.5 (± 16) years of whom 58.4% were male. Among the comorbidities, arterial hypertension was the most common, affecting 52.5% (9618 patients), followed by dyslipidemia in 39.5% (7237 patients), diabetes mellitus in 23.7% (1748 patients), and atrial fibrillation in 10.6% (1948 patients). The overall mortality rate was 17.4% (3183 patients) and 9.9% (1819 patients) required admission to an intensive care unit. Cardiovascular events occurred in 4.08% (748 patients), with VTE occurring in 2.78% (510 patients), myocardial infarction in 0.75% (137 patients), and ischemic stroke in 0.55% (101 patients). Among therapies, beta-lactams were used in 66.7% (12,228 patients), systemic corticosteroids in 56.9% (10,424 patients), and tocilizumab in 11.6% (2128 patients). Multivariate analysis revealed an independent association between VTE and the use of tocilizumab (adjusted OR 2.07; p < 0.01), corticosteroids (adjusted OR 1.44; p = 0.02), and macrolides (adjusted OR 0.58; p < 0.01). None of the therapies were associated with the risk of myocardial infarction or ischemic stroke. In this large national cohort, tocilizumab and corticosteroids exhibited an independent association for the risk of VTE, but not for myocardial infarction or ischemic stroke
Tumor-specific major histocompatibility-II expression predicts pathological complete response to atezolizumab combined to chemotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer
No full textAdding immune checkpoint inhibitors to neoadjuvant chemotherapy improves outcomes in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), but a fraction of patients derive benefit. Tumor-specific MHC-II (tsMHC-II) expression has been shown to be a predictive biomarker of pathological complete response (pCR) to neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy in early-stage TNBC. We performed biomarker analysis of the phase III NeoTRIP trial where patients were randomized to neoadjuvant carboplatin and nab-paclitaxel±atezolizumab. Imaging mass cytometry was used to assess tsMHC-II expression in tumor samples. TsMHC-II positivity was predefined as ≥5% of tumor cells expressing MHC-II, and at an 80th percentile exploratory cutoff. TsMHC-II positivity was associated with a higher pCR rate in the atezolizumab arm (OR:2.58; P = 0.016), but not in the chemotherapy-only arm (OR:1.37; P = 0.34) and these results were stronger using the exploratory cutoff. TsMHC-II expression is associated with improved response to neoadjuvant chemo-immunotherapy in early TNBC and could represent a clinically useful predictive biomarker for treatment personalization
La empresa familiar aragonesa y navarra: un análisis multidimensional
No full textEste informe ejecutivo proporciona un análisis de las Empresas Familiares en Aragón y Navarra, pertenecientes a la Asociación Empresa Familiar de Aragón (AEFA) y a la Asociación para el Desarrollo de la Empresa Familiar Navarra (ADEFAN), respectivamente, abordando distintos sectores de actividad, como servicios administrativos,consultoría de gestión, contabilidad, asesoría fiscal y transformación decarne de ave, entre otros, utilizando el Paradigma Estructura-Conducta-Resultado (E-C-R). Se analizan aspectos clave de las empresas familiares, relacionados con su estructura de mercado, conducta empresarial, oportunidades de crecimiento, riesgos existentes y se proponen estrategias para mejorar la sostenibilidad y competitividad de este tipo de empresas en los diferentes en que participan. El trabajo ha sido realizado gracias al apoyo de la Cátedra de Empresa Familiar de la Universidad de Zaragoza. El documento se organiza en cinco secciones. La primera sección ofrece una visión general que destaca el contexto y la relevancia del estudio, establece el objetivo principal, y proporciona una descripción de las empresas asociadas a la AEFA y a la ADEFAN, así como la metodología empleada en el análisis. La segunda sección se centra en el marco teórico del modelo E-C-R, abordando la importancia de las empresas familiares en la economía y el contexto específico de Aragón y Navarra. En la tercera y cuarta secciones, se realiza un análisis detallado según el modelo E-C-R, desglosando la información por comunidad autónoma y por sectores de actividad económica. Por último, la sección final sintetiza las principales conclusiones del trabajo
Co-Creating Social Impact: Dialogues Between Policymakers, Practitioners, and the “Other Women” for Sustainable Development
No full textBackground: Scientific literature highlights that practitioners and policymakers in social and educational fields can contribute to the inclusion and empowerment of vulnerable groups when developing actions grounded in scientific evidence of social impact, co-created through dialogic engagement with the concerned communities. This study, aligned with Sustainable Development Goals 4 (“Quality Education”) and 5 (“Gender Equality”), provides new evidence on the co-creation process between policymakers and practitioners and women without higher education degrees and its impact. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted through nine in-depth interviews with practitioners and policymakers engaged in the development of dialogic spaces in education, health, and equality. Results: Two key characteristics were identified: (1) a focus on the inclusion of women not yet involved, through the co-creation of egalitarian spaces for dialogue and decision-making, and (2) a commitment to implementing actions based on scientific evidence of social impact. These led to reported improvements in empowerment, education, well-being, health, and employability, not only for the women themselves but also for their families, schools, and communities. Conclusions: The findings support the promotion of co-creation processes with women without academic qualifications and in vulnerable situations, demonstrating their potential to foster sustainable social development
Editorial: Artificial intelligence and social robotics for mental healthcare
No full textIn recent decades, mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression have risen dramatically across the globe (Baker and Kirk-Wade, 2023; Ten Have et al., 2023). Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Social Robotics present groundbreaking prospects that could revolutionize mental healthcare (Hung et al.). Social robots, specifically designed for human interaction by displaying emotions and engaging in conversations, along with data-driven AI, exemplify modern advancements in sectors such as education (LeTendre and Gray, 2024) and elderly care (Yen et al., 2024). Despite these advancements, the convergence of AI and social robotics in mental health has untapped potential and presents a plethora of unresolved challenges. For instance, there is a lack of ethical norms (Torras, 2024) that regulate and guide the correct use of social robots in a wide variety of contexts, ranging from assistive care for the elderly to healthcare. Therefore, in this Research Topic, we have collected current contributions to the design and development of social robots as well as empirical studies on human-robot interactions focused on mental health and elderly care
Antioxidant assessment of a glutathione-rich extract obtained from electroporated cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in white grape must
No full textSulfur dioxide (SO2) is widely used in winemaking for its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, but its application is increasingly questioned due to health concerns and regulatory restrictions. Glutathione (GSH) has emerged as a promising alternative, effectively preventing oxidative browning and preserving key aroma compounds. This study presents an integrated approach to enhance GSH production and extraction from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, combining amino acid supplementation and Pulsed Electric Fields (PEF) technology. Optimal supplementation with glutamic acid, cysteine, and glycine at 30 h increased intracellular GSH accumulation by 53 % (yielding 443 ± 7.9 mg GSH /L of culture). PEF treatment (20 kV/cm, 150 μs, 153.3 kJ/kg) achieved >90 % membrane permeabilization, allowing the recovery of 66 % of intracellular GSH. The lyophilized extract contained 51.2 ± 1.32 mg GSH/g, with a GSH/GSSG ratio of 19.2, exceeding the OIV standard for inactivated yeast preparations. The PEF-GSH extract exhibited higher antioxidant capacity than a commercial inactivated yeast product in aqueous assays, nonetheless, both showed comparable efficacy in mitigating oxidative browning in grape must. The combination of GSH-derived extracts with SO2 enabled a 50 % reduction in required sulfite concentration while maintaining must stability. Additionally, the PEF-GSH extract exhibited lower high-molecular-weight protein content, minimizing turbidity risk and enhancing its post-fermentation applicability. These findings support PEF-assisted extraction as an efficient strategy for producing GSH-rich extracts, offering a viable alternative to reduce SO2 use in winemaking
Flow Reactor Study of NH3/DEE Oxidation Chemistry
No full textThe pursuit of environmentally sustainable alternatives to conventional fuels is essential today. Ammonia emerges as a promising candidate, though its inherent disadvantages must be addressed. Co-firing ammonia with fuels exhibiting superior thermochemical properties is one of the most widely accepted solutions. The present study investigates the oxidation of ammonia and diethyl ether mixtures (NH3/DEE). To this end, a quartz flow reactor was employed at atmospheric pressure, within a temperature range of 875–1425 K. The oxygen excess ratio (λ) and the NH3/DEE mixture ratio were systematically varied during the experiments. The results show an increase in the reactivity of ammonia when mixed with DEE. During pyrolysis, DEE is inhibited by competition for H radicals, which are essential for initial conversion steps. DEE undergoes thermal decomposition without a significant radical pool, while NH3 reactivity remains low. With the increase of the oxygen excess ratio, fuel oxidation occurs at lower temperatures. Hydroxyl (OH) and atomic oxygen (O) radicals are crucial in NH3 oxidation, while the presence of DEE derivatives further promote this oxidation, although both fuels exhibit competitive behavior regarding radical consumption. Variations in λ do not cause a significant effect in the oxidation temperature of DEE, with OH radicals playing a central role in the minor differences observed. Hydrogen abstraction via interaction with H radicals is the most important consumption reaction of DEE, mainly occurring at the secondary carbon position. Conversely, the production and interaction of derivatives at other positions contribute to the most inhibitory reactions in DEE oxidation. The NH3/DEE ratio has a significant impact on ammonia oxidation, particularly under high DEE dilution conditions (NH3/DEE = 10). OH and H radicals drive oxidation, while an increased DEE concentration leads to CH3 radical formation, enhancing fuel consumption. A literature-based kinetic mechanism, modified in the present work, was employed to represent and interpret the current results accurately
Celebrating 10-years if ISME’s Revista Internacional de Educación Musical. Music Education Research in Ibero-America
No full textThis chapter discusses the importance of music education research and its democratisation around the world, highlighting the importance of reaching all countries with possibilities to research and publish their quality research and to access and apply it in music education. This is the philosophy with which the ISME’s Revista Internacional de Educación Musical (RIEM) was born ten years ago. It should be noted that Spanish is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world and the mother tongue in many countries while, at the same time, there are very little quality fora to publish research in this field. This is why this journal makes its use possible, both for researchers and music educators who are carrying out quality research that should be disseminated and for all those potential readers who feel more confident in this language. In the same way, the commitment to open access publication seeks to democratise knowledge, allowing all those areas with fewer economic resources to use it. ISME’s firm commitment to the democratisation and universalisation of knowledge and research in music education goes one step further with this book, bringing this quality research to the English-speaking public as well. In this paper we will discuss all these issues and the role the RIEM journal has played during its ten years of existence