Finite Element Models of Gold Nanoparticles and Their Suspensions for Photothermal Effect Calculation.

(1) Background: The ability of metal nanoparticles to carry other molecules and their electromagnetic interactions can be used for localized drug release or to heat malignant tissue, as in the case of photothermal treatments. Plasmonics can be used to calculate their absorption and electric field enhancement, which can be further used to predict the outcome of photothermal experiments. In this study, we model the nanoparticle geometry in a Finite Element Model calculus environment to calculate the effects that occur as a response to placing it in an optical, electromagnetic field, and also a model of the experimental procedure to measure the temperature rise while irradiating a suspension of nanoparticles. (2) Methods: Finite Element Method numerical models using the COMSOL interface for geometry and mesh generation and iterative solving discretized Maxwell's equations; (3) Results: Absorption and scattering cross-section spectrums were obtained for NanoRods and NanoStars, also varying their geometry as a parameter, along with electric field enhancement in their surroundings; temperature curves were calculated and measured as an outcome of the irradiation of different concentration suspensions; (4) Conclusions: The results obtained are comparable with the bibliography and experimental measurements.

Optogenetic Stimulation Array for Confocal Microscopy Fast Transient Monitoring.

Optogenetics is an emerging discipline with multiple applications in neuroscience, allowing to study neuronal pathways or serving for therapeutic applications such as in the treatment of anxiety disorder, autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), or Parkinson's disease. More recently optogenetics is opening its way also to stem cell-based therapeutic applications for neuronal regeneration after stroke or spinal cord injury. The results of optogenetic stimulation are usually evaluated by immunofluorescence or flow cytometry, and the observation of transient responses after stimulation, as in cardiac electrophysiology studies, by optical microscopy. However, certain phenomena, such as the ultra-fast calcium waves acquisition upon simultaneous optogenetics, are beyond the scope of current instrumentation, since they require higher image resolution in real-time, employing for instance time-lapse confocal microscopy. Therefore, in this work, an optogenetic stimulation matrix controllable from a graphical user interface has been developed for its use with a standard 24-well plate for an inverted confocal microscope use and validated by using a photoactivable adenyl cyclase (bPAC) overexpressed in rat fetal cortical neurons and the consequent calcium waves propagation upon 100 ms pulsed blue light stimulation.

Individual differences in predicting occupational success: the effect of population heterogeneity / Diferencias individuales en la predicción del éxito ocupacional: el efecto de la heterogeneidad de la población

Using a sample of 339 university graduates from the University of Alicante (Spain) three years after completion of their studies, we studied the relationships between general intelligence (GI), personality traits, emotional intelligence (EI), academic performance, and occupational attainment and compared the results of conventional regression analysis with the results obtained from applying regression mixture models. The results reveal the influence of unobserved population heterogeneity (latent class) on the relationship between predictors and criteria and the improvement in the prediction obtained from applying regression mixture models compared to applying a conventional regression model (AU)

Mediante una muestra de 339 graduados universitarios de la Universidad de Alicante, España, tres años después de acabar los estudios, hemos estudiado la relación entre inteligencia general (IG), rasgos de personalidad, inteligencia emocional (IE), rendimiento académico y consecución de empleo, comparando los resultados del análisis de regresión tradicional con los resultados obtenidos aplicando los modelos mixtos de regresión. Los resultados muestran la influencia de una heterogeneidad poblacional no observada (clase latente) en la relación entre predictores y criterios y la mejoría en la predicción a partir de la aplicación de los modelos mixtos de regresión en comparación con la aplicación del modelo convencional de regresión (AU)

Perceived emotional intelligence, general intelligence and early professional success: predictive and incremental validity / Inteligencia emocional percibida, inteligencia general y éxito profesional en el inicio de la carrera: validez predictiva e incremental

Although the study of factors affecting career success has shown connections between biographical and other aspects related to ability, knowledge and personality, few studies have examined the relationship between emotional intelligence and professional success at the initial career stage. When these studies were carried out, the results showed significant relationships between the dimensions of emotional intelligence (emotional self-awareness, self-regulation, social awareness or social skills) and the level of professional competence. In this paper, we analyze the relationship between perceived emotional intelligence, measured by the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24) questionnaire, general intelligence assessed by the Cattell factor "g" test, scale 3, and extrinsic indicators of career success, in a sample of 130 graduates at the beginning of their careers. Results from hierarchical regression analysis indicate that emotional intelligence makes a specific contribution to the prediction of salary, after controlling the general intelligence effect. The perceived emotional intelligence dimensions of TMMS repair, TMMS attention and sex show a higher correlation and make a greater contribution to professional success than general intelligence. The implications of these results for the development of socio-emotional skills among University graduates are discussed

Aunque en el estudio de los factores que afectan al éxito profesional, se han establecido conexiones entre aspectos biográficos y otros relacionados con la capacidad, los conocimientos o la personalidad, no abundan trabajos que demuestren la relación entre la inteligencia emocional y las dimensiones de éxito profesional al inicio de la carrera profesional. Cuando estos se han realizado, los resultados han mostrado relaciones significativas entre las dimensiones de la inteligencia emocional e indicadores de éxito profesional (como el salario o el nivel del puesto). En el presente trabajo, se analizan las relaciones entre la inteligencia emocional percibida, medida mediante el cuestionario Trait Meta-Mood Scale (MMS-24), la inteligencia general, evaluada mediante prueba de factor "g" de Cattell, escala 3, e indicadores extrínsecos de éxito profesional, en una muestra de 130 egresados universitarios que se encuentran en el inicio de su carrera profesional. Los resultados obtenidos en el análisis de regresión jerárquica, indican que la inteligencia emocional realiza una contribución específica y significativa a la predicción del salario, una vez controlado el efecto de la inteligencia gene-ral. Las dimensiones de la inteligencia emocional percibida TMMS control y TMMS atención, junto con el sexo, muestran una relación mayor con el éxito profesional y realizan una mayor contribución a la predicción del mismo que la inteligencia general. Se discuten las implicaciones de estos resultados para la formación futura en competencias socioemocionales a los titulados universitarios

Endothelium-dependent vasodilator effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor beta agonists via the phosphatidyl-inositol-3 kinase-Akt pathway.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor beta/delta (PPAR-beta) is a ligand-activated transcription factor belonging to the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily that regulates the transcription of many target genes. More recently, acute, nongenomic effects of PPAR-beta agonists have also been described. In the present study, we hypothesized that PPAR-beta agonists might exert acute nongenomic effects on vascular tone. Here, we report that the structurally unrelated PPAR-beta ligands [4-[3-(4-acetyl-3-hydroxy-2-propylphenoxy)propoxy]phenoxy]acetic acid (L-165041) and 4-[[[2-[3-fluoro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-4-methyl-5-thiazolyl] methyl]thio]-2-methylphenoxy]acetic acid (GW0742) induced vascular relaxation in phenylephrine-precontracted endothelium-intact rat aortic rings, which was significantly inhibited by endothelial denudation or nitric-oxide synthase (NOS) inhibition with N(G)-nitro-l-arginine methylester. These relaxant effects reached steady state within 15 min. The relaxation induced by L-165041 and GW0742 in aortic rings precontracted with the thromboxane A(2) analog 9,11-dideoxy-11alpha,9alpha-epoxymethanoprostaglandin F2alpha (U-46619) was unaffected either by removal of extracellular calcium or by incubation with calcium-free solution containing the intracellular calcium chelator 1,2-bis-(o-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid tetra(acetoxymethyl) ester. However, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor 2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-1(4H)-benzopyran-4-one hydrochloride (LY-294002) inhibited the endothelium-dependent relaxant responses induced by both PPAR-beta agonists. Blockade of PPAR-beta with 3-[[[2-methoxy-4-(phenylamino)phenyl]amino]sulfonyl]-2-thiophenecarboxylic acid methyl ester (GSK0660) also partially inhibited these relaxant responses, although PPAR-gamma blockade with 2-chloro-5-nitro-N-phenylbenzamide (GW9662) had no effect. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells, L-165041 and GW0742 increased nitric oxide (NO) production and Akt and endothelial NOS (eNOS) phosphorylation, which were sensitive to PI3K inhibition and PPAR-beta blockade. In conclusion, the PPAR-beta agonists acutely caused vasodilatation, which was partially dependent on endothelial-derived NO. The eNOS activation is calcium-independent and seems to be related to activation of the PI3K-Akt-eNOS pathway.