DEP07 - Artículos de revista

Biofunctional properties and electrochemical behavior of loose sintering titanium alloys under simulated oral conditions and acidic dietary habits

2026-01-01T00:00:00Z

Commercially pure titanium (cpTi IV) and Ti6Al4V are widely used in dental implants due to their good me- chanical properties and clinical reliability. However, their high elastic modulus may cause biomechanical mismatch with bone, and Ti6Al4V contains potentially cytotoxic elements such as Al and V. Additionally, exposure to acidic carbonated beverages may compromise implant longevity by accelerating corrosion. This study compares the biomechanical (stiffness and strength) and biofunctional (corrosion resistance and bioac- tivity) performance of cpTi IV and Ti6Al4V with a commercial Ti35Nb7Zr5Ta alloy, which features a lower elastic modulus and lacks cytotoxic elements. Although promising, Ti35Nb7Zr5Ta is more costly and requires more complex processing, warranting detailed evaluation. Disc-shaped samples were produced by loose sintering and fully dense processing to assess the influence of porosity. Corrosion behavior was analyzed using open circuit potential, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and potentiodynamic polarization in artificial saliva and Coca-Cola at 37 ◦C. Results show superior corrosion resistance for cpTi IV, balanced mechanical–corrosion behavior for Ti6Al4V, and improved biomechanical compatibility and bioactivity for Ti35Nb7Zr5Ta. Porosity and acidic conditions negatively affected passive film stability. These findings support optimization of titanium- based dental and orthopedic implants.

Natural mediators for indigo carmine dye removal with immobilized laccase in polyacrylic film

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Este trabajo presenta un nuevo material polimérico en forma de película (FLAC) que contiene la enzima lacasa inmovilizada mediante enlaces diazo, diseñado para la degradación del colorante índigo carmín, el cual es altamente tóxico y se encuentra comúnmente en las aguas residuales de la industria textil. La inmovilización de la enzima en la película se caracterizó mediante SEM, FT-IR, DSC, TGA y EDXS. La degradación del colorante por FLAC se inicia en presencia de un mediador debido al alto potencial redox del colorante. Se evaluaron seis mediadores naturales (ácido ferúlico, siringaldazina, guayacol, eugenol, timol y ácido p-cumárico), y se logró la degradación completa del colorante en 180 min, con una concentración de mediador de 1 ppm (siringaldazina) y una concentración de colorante de 10 ppm. Una novedad de este estudio es el corto tiempo de exposición de la solución colorante-mediador a FLAC (15 min), lo que permitió que el proceso de degradación continuara de forma autónoma tras retirar la película. Además, se observó que el material fue más efectivo en presencia de productos de lavado textil, alcanzando más del 99 % de degradación en 40 min, superando su eficacia en agua destilada. En cuanto a la reutilización, el material mantuvo más del 90 % de su actividad después de cinco ciclos de uso y lavado. El Análisis de Ciclo de Vida (ACV) y el Análisis Tecnoeconómico (ATE) identificaron palancas clave para la viabilidad tecnoeconómica y ambiental: reducir el tiempo de ciclo (medios con tensioactivos), maximizar la reutilización y el volumen/concentración por ciclo, implementar la recuperación de disolventes y la descarbonización energética, estableciendo así una hoja de ruta para un escalado sostenible.

Impact of milk preservation in the classification and prediction capabilities of a voltammetric electronic tongue

2023-10-15T00:00:00Z

Electronic tongues (ETs) are of great interest for the dairy industry. However, still several problems related to the fouling of the electrodes and the preservation conditions of the samples, limit their usage in milk analysis. In this work, the effects of sampling and preservation methods used to analyze raw cow milk in the performance of a portable ET based on serigraphied electrodes have been explored and optimized. Fouling caused by fat and proteins is drastically decreased if milk samples are diluted and sonicated at 20 kHz (pulses of 30 s during 5 min) previous to the analysis. Preservation by freezing at − 20ºC or by addition of azidiol have an important influence in the electrochemical responses, but freezing is a more efficient preservation method for ET analysis than azidiol. Principal Component Analysis of the signals obtained using the optimized conditions allows the discrimination of 180 milk samples with different characteristics. Using Support Vector Machine Regression (SVMR) model, the ET is able to predict the percentage of fat, protein, urea, somatic cell count (SCC) and β-Hydroxybutyric acid (BHB) with good correlation coefficients and low residual errors. The system reported can be thus used for fast in situ analysis of five parameters in a single experiment.

Graphical Reconstruction of the Lost Paper Mill at Locks 11–12 of the Canal de Castilla

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Near the 11–12 locks of the Canal de Castilla, there once stood a paper mill built in the 18th century and dismantled in 1983. Despite the scarce physical remains, the absence of original plans, and the limited availability of data, this research aims to reconstruct its initial layout, characteristics, and operation. To achieve this, an analytical– synthetic method has been followed: in the analysis phase, multiple sources and materials are thoroughly examined from various perspectives, while in the synthesis phase, drawing is employed as a means of reflection, since any hypothesis about this factory must be validated through sufficiently precise graphical representations. The most relevant result is the complete drafting of the factory’s plans, including its machinery, as well as the clarification of its production system. The main conclusion suggests that, although based on the mechanisms and equipment of traditional paper mills, this manufacturing facility sought to be innovative and exemplary in its time. Its dispersed typology was designed to improve and dignify working conditions for employees, while its internal organization optimized the paper production process and increased manufacturing capacity.

Key predictors of injury severity in occupational accidents involving construction-site vehicles

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Across national statistics, construction repeatedly ranks among sectors with the highest injury and fatality rates. Vehicle-related accidents constitute a modest share of minor injuries yet contribute a significant fraction of construction fatalities. This study analysed 16,781 Spanish construction vehicle-related accidents recorded from 2009 to 2022 (2.5% severe-fatal) to identify determinants of injury severity and develop predictive models. Records were retrieved from Delt@, the compulsory national electronic occupational injury reporting platform. Variables were structured into two domains (organisational, contextual) and five categories. Methods combined descriptive profiling, chi 2 association tests, mutual-information ranking and three machine-learning classifiers (Random Forest, XGBoost, multilayer perceptron). Seven predictors-hour block, worker age, job tenure, site zone, deviation pattern, injury type and body region-showed the strongest association with severity. Separate models were trained on contextual and organisational feature sets. The contextual model detected 87.1% of severe/fatal cases (balanced accuracy 88.1.%), while the organisational model detected 59.3% (balanced accuracy 62.1%). The findings emphasise the importance of scheduling (time-of-day exposure), targeted training for short-tenure and at-risk age groups (30-59 years old), and control of the site zone. These results provide practical guidance for managers, regulators, engineers and safety practitioners seeking to reduce the number of vehicle-related accidents on construction sites, particularly those with a high level of severity.

Analysis of occupational accidents in the construction metal products manufacturing subsector in Spain: Trends and risk factors

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

Research on work accidents is important to determine the causes of occupational accidents to effectively prevent them in the future and improve workplace safety. This study aims to analyse the evolution of accidents in the metal products manufacturing subsector for construction (CNAE subsector 251) in Spain for the period 2009-2022 to classify accidents into different operational profiles. This will facilitate the proposal of specific preventive measures based on the severity and characteristics of each accident. Data for this study are collected from occupational accident reports via the Delt@ (Electronic declaration of injured workers) IT system. The study variables were classified into five groups: temporal, personal, business, circumstances, and consequences. Accidents at work are more common in males and in middle-aged workers (30-59 years). Companies with less than five workers, works outside the usual workplace and workers with less three months of length of the service in the company present high accident rate, both in light as fatal accidents. A semi-supervised model has been developed using the Fuzzy Cluster algorithm that can detect serious accidents with a recall rate of approximately 64% and group them into three distinct categories. This makes it possible to propose specific preventive measures for each category, of which there are 12 in total.

Integrating terminological resources in dictionary portals: the case of the Diccionarios Valladolid-UVa

2020-01-01T00:00:00Z

This paper advocates the convergence of terminology and lexicography, and illustrates this view by presenting some of the steps taken for incorporating terminological resources and ideas in an online dictionary portal that is being constructed at the University of Valladolid (Spain). This dictionary portal contains several dictionary types, was designed by the same team and is being constructed from the same theoretical perspective, regardless of whether some of the lexical items included are judged "lexicographic", i.e. related to general language expressions, or "terminological", i.e. connected with terms. In addition to dealing with certain basic tenets of dictionary portals, the paper describes an ad-hoc typology of definitions that has been created for two main reasons. Firstly, it makes the process of compilation easier, more uniform, and more readily systematised, thus facilitating the efforts of different people in different places at different times. Secondly, these definitions will feed the Spanishâ€“English Write Assistant, a commercially driven language tool that uses a language module based on statistics and is in the process of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, e.g. machine learning and neural networks, for creating patterns. We have found that precise definitions, similar to terminological (i.e. encyclopaedic) definitions, for most lemmas increase the tool's functions. Such definitions offer a very different picture of current monolingual Spanish and bilingual Spanishâ€“English dictionaries.

Aplicación del método Delphi en la identificación de unidades especializadas

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

La lexicografía especializada en ingeniería gráfica no dispone de una obra de referencia que, mediante consultas puntuales, asista a estudiantes en un contexto universitario de aplicación técnica y de adquisición de conocimiento de EGI (expresión gráfica en la ingeniería). Una obra lexicográfica de expresión gráfica en la ingeniería (EGI) incluye unidades lexicográficas especializadas de esta área cuyo significado completo puede expresarse mediante dos componentes: uno verbal y otro gráfico. Este trabajo propone un procedimiento que facilita a los lexicógrafos una lista inicial de unidades de significación especializadas de este ámbito que permite satisfacer las necesidades de información de un usuario potencial y conforma una obra de referencia de EGI. Esta primera lista de lemas se obtiene utilizando el método Delphi y servirá de base para un futuro diccionario de español en el ámbito de la ingeniería gráfica. El proceso que presentamos consta de dos rondas a expertos, con sus respectivos cuestionarios más una consulta dirigida a los alumnos. Se decide adoptar un método de experto refrendado por expertos: en este caso, un experto diseña el primer cuestionario, que se envía a un grupo de expertos. Cabe destacar que la primera ronda tiene un objetivo adicional, previo a la dinámica establecida en este método, que es la identificación de unidades especializadas por un panel de expertos. Los conceptos resultantes se consideran fundamentales, a criterio de los docentes, por la dificultad que representan, por su importancia dentro del campo de conocimiento o porque son fuente de errores recurrentes en el contexto de aprendizaje que se contempla en este trabajo. La información adicional que proporcionan los estudiantes permite una discusión interesante sobre 52 conceptos y la comparación de los resultados respecto a la opinión de los expertos. Una vez identificados y consensuados los conceptos, tenemos en cuenta las implicaciones teóricas de la teoría de las funciones lexicográficas (TFL) para definir una aplicación práctica de este trabajo.

Selecting an initial lemma list in specialized lexicography: A case study in the field of graphic engineering

2020-01-01T00:00:00Z

Specialized lexicography in graphic engineering has never had a tool in dictionary format that facilitates knowledge acquisition for students and meets their specific lexicographic needs in a technical university context. This paper presents an initial lemma list for a Spanish dic- tionary in the field of graphic engineering. The Delphi method has been used to assure expert con- sensus in this area. In addition, two equally professional surveys have been conducted by an expert and endorsed by experts. The fundamental concepts are considered, either because of the difficulty they represent, or due to their importance within our field of knowledge for which engineering documents and technical standards with technical graphic elements have been employed. Students have taken part in the process, thereby allowing identification of convergences and divergences between both groups of participants. The paper concludes with, on the one hand, a final list of accepted concepts and, on the other, of additional uncertain concepts, which could satisfy diction- ary user needs and constitute the beginning of a functional online dictionary.

Antifungal Activity against Fusarium culmorum of Stevioside, Silybum marianum Seed Extracts, and Their Conjugate Complexes

2020-01-01T00:00:00Z

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a disease that poses a major challenge in cereal production that has important food and feed safety implications due to trichothecene contamination. In this study, the effect of stevioside—a glycoside found in the leaves of candyleaf (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni)—was evaluated in vitro against Fusarium culmorum (W.G. Smith) Sacc., alone and in combination (in a 1:1 molar ratio) with polyphenols obtained from milk thistle seeds (Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn). Different concentrations, ranging from 32 to 512 µg·mL−1, were assayed, finding EC50 and EC90 inhibitory concentrations of 156 and 221 µg·mL−1, respectively, for the treatment based only on stevioside, and EC50 and EC90 values of 123 and 160 µg·mL−1, respectively, for the treatment based on the stevioside–polyphenol conjugate complexes. Colony formation inhibition results were consistent, reaching full inhibition at 256 µg·mL−1. Given that synergistic behavior was observed for this latter formulation (SF = 1.43, according to Wadley’s method), it was further assessed for grain protection at storage, mostly directed against mycotoxin contamination caused by the aforementioned phytopathogen, confirming that it could inhibit fungal growth and avoid trichothecene contamination. Moreover, seed tests showed that the treatment did not affect the percentage of germination, and it resulted in a lower incidence of root rot caused by the pathogen in Kamut and winter wheat seedlings. Hence, the application of these stevioside–S. marianum seed extract conjugate complexes may be put forward as a promising and environmentally friendly treatment for the protection of cereal crops and stored grain against FHB.

Antifungal Activity of Chitosan Oligomers–Amino Acid Conjugate Complexes against Fusarium culmorum in Spelt (Triticum spelta L.)

2020-01-01T00:00:00Z

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a complex disease of cereals caused by Fusarium species, which causes severe damages in terms of yield quality and quantity worldwide, and which produces mycotoxin contamination, posing a serious threat to public health. In the study presented herein, the antifungal activity against Fusarium culmorum of chitosan oligomers (COS)–amino acid conjugate complexes was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. The amino acids assayed were cysteine, glycine, proline and tyrosine. In vitro tests showed an enhancement of mycelial growth inhibition, with EC50 and EC90 effective concentration values ranging from 320 to 948 µg·mL−1 and from 1107 to 1407 µg·mL−1 respectively, for the conjugate complexes, as a result of the synergistic behavior between COS and the amino acids, tentatively ascribed to enhanced cell membrane damage originating from lipid peroxidation. Tests on colonies showed a maximum percentage reduction in the number of colonies at 1500 µg·mL−1 concentration, while grain tests were found to inhibit fungal growth, reducing deoxynivalenol content by 89%. The formulation that showed the best performance, i.e., the conjugate complex based on COS and tyrosine, was further investigated in a small-scale field trial with artificially inoculated spelt (Triticum spelta L.), and as a seed treatment to inhibit fungal growth in spelt seedlings. The field experiment showed that the chosen formulation induced a decrease in disease severity, with a control efficacy of 83.5%, while the seed tests showed that the treatment did not affect the percentage of germination and resulted in a lower incidence of root rot caused by the pathogen, albeit with a lower control efficacy (50%). Consequently, the reported conjugate complexes hold enough promise for crop protection applications to deserve further examination in larger field trials, with other Fusarium spp. pathogens and/or Triticum species.

Uncaria tomentosa-Loaded Chitosan Oligomers–Hydroxyapatite–Carbon Nitride Nanocarriers for Postharvest Fruit Protection

2023-01-01T00:00:00Z

Given the risks associated with synthetic fungicides, it is crucial to explore safe and sustainable alternatives. One potential solution is using bioactive natural products (BNPs). However, BNPs face challenges like lability, solubility, and lack of specificity. These issues can be addressed through nanoencapsulation. This study focuses on the evaluation of novel chitosan oligomers–hydroxyapatite–carbon nitride (COS–HAp–g-C3N4) nanocarriers (NCs) for encapsulating BNPs, specifically an extract from Uncaria tomentosa bark. The NCs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. The NCs were monodisperse, with a mean diameter of 250 nm, and showed an encapsulation efficiency of 82%. The suitability of the loaded NCs (COS–HAp–g-C3N4–BNP, in a 2:1:0.5:1 weight ratio) for postharvest fruit protection was investigated in vitro and ex situ at a laboratory scale. Results regarding their efficacy against Botrytis cinerea on strawberries, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides on mangoes, Penicillium expansum on apples, Monilinia laxa on peaches, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum on kiwifruit are presented. Minimum inhibitory concentrations of 250, 375, 375, 250, and 187.5 μg·mL−1 were found in vitro, respectively, while higher doses (500, 750, 750, 250, and 375 μg·mL−1, respectively) were needed to achieve effective control in postharvest tests on artificially inoculated fruit. These findings suggest that NCs containing extracts from U. tomentosa bark show promise as biorational agents and as alternatives to conventional fungicides for managing postharvest phytopathogens.

Plant survival monitoring with UAVs and multispectral data in difficult access afforested areas

2020-01-01T00:00:00Z

Water supply devices enable afforestation in dry climates and on poor lands with generally high success rates. Previous survival analyses have been based on the direct observation of each individual plant in the field, which entails considerable effort and costs. This study provides a low-cost method to discriminate between live and dead plants in afforestation that can efficiently replace traditional field inspections through the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with RGB and NIR sensors. The method combines the use of a conventional camera with an identical camera modified to record the NIR channel. Survival analysis was performed with digital image processing techniques based on calculated indices associated with plant vigour and PCA-based decorrelation. The method yielded results with high global accuracy rates (∼96.2%) with a minimum percentage of doubtful plants, even in young plantations (seedlings <30 cm tall). The procedure could be particularly useful in hazardous areas.

About human and learning factors impacting manual picking on assembly lines

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

In the pursuit of competitiveness, human capital remains a critical asset for companies. While automation offers unparalleled production efficiency and error reduction, often surpassing the capabilities of even the most skilled personnel, several factors -such as high initial investment costs, the diversity of products, and other operational complexities- ensure that production systems continue to rely heavily on human involvement as a key resource. This work focuses on assembly workstations, which are integral to a wide range of industries. At these stations, operators perform tasks such as selecting components, assembling parts, verifying outputs, labelling and packaging. The concept of ”pick-to-assemble” is widely discussed in the literature, often accompanied by the use of selection support systems like ”pick-to-light” technology, which assist operators in their tasks. Designing efficient workstations involves considering various factors, including Lean manufacturing principles and ergonomic design. In our study, we prioritized optimizing an assembly line designed to handle multiple product variations. The assistance systems were tailored to adapt to the operator’s level of expertise and experience. By integrating Industry 4.0 concepts, we implemented real-time performance monitoring, enabling the system to dynamically support workers, even when new product references are introduced to the assembly line.

Neuro-fuzzy optimization of cutting tool geometry in machining using Sugeno and Mamdani inference models

2025-01-01T00:00:00Z

This study presents the design and validation of zero-order Sugeno and Mamdani fuzzy inference systems applied to the estimation of optimal cutting tool angles in machining processes. The input variables considered were the tool destruction energy (D) and the material’s specific cutting energy (U), while the output variables corresponded to the clearance angle (αn), rake angle (γn), and cutting-edge inclination angle (λs). Based on a real dataset of 81 experimental values, a synthetic database of 118,300 records was generated using an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) trained via the backpropagation algorithm, achieving a reliability level of 85%. Both models were implemented in MATLAB using Gaussian membership functions with nine rules per output variable. The Sugeno model employed constant outputs, whereas the Mamdani model used linguistic labels. Validation was performed through the calculation of the cutting-edge angle (βn), derived from αn and γn, by comparing the outputs of both systems. The normalized relative root mean square error (rMSE) was found to be below 6.5%, indicating a high level of agreement between the two models. The results demonstrate that fuzzy inference systems—particularly when integrated with neuro-fuzzy architectures like ANFIS—are effective tools for addressing geometric optimization problems in industrial environments characterized by uncertainty and complexity. It is concluded that this approach provides a robust and accurate alternative for computer-aided cutting tool design.

Acoustic impedance and absorption coefficient measurements of porous materials used in the automotive industry

1994-01-01T00:00:00Z

A comparative study of the acoustic impedance (Zo), ttle absorption coefficient (ct) and the reflection coefficient (R) of several thermoplastic porous compounds is presented. Seven closed cell crosslinked polyolefin foams and a carpet of polypropylene staple fibres were analysed. Measurements of the commonly used polyurethane foams were also recorded to compare them with the results obtained with the above recycleable materials. The behaviour of the sound absorption in terms of the mean pore size and the type of cell (closed or open) is considered Jbr the analysed samples.