Which could be the role of Hybrid Fibre Coax in Next Generation Access networks?

Next generation access networks (NGAN) will support a renewed communication structure where opportunities lie in the provision of ubiquitous broadband connectivity, a wide variety of new applications, appealing contents and a general support to the sustainable growth of diverse sectors. From their deployment it is expected a wealth of innovations, jobs creation and a new wave of economic growth. In this paper we discuss which could be the role of Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) in the Next Generation Access Network (NGAN) roadmap. Thus, we propose a simplified model for making approximate cost calculations for HFC deployment based on the geographic and sociodemographic characteristics of Spain. Considering the latest evolution of HFC based on DOCSIS 3.0 from integrated (I-CMTS) towards modular (M-CMTS), the results from the model are compared with the most competitive NGAN for ultrabroadband speeds: Fibre to the Home (FTTH) based on Gigabitcapable Passive Optical Networks (GPON

Hygrothermal Performance of Worship Spaces: Preservation, Comfort and Energy Consumption

The energy problem, one the most important on a global scale, greatly affects the environment. Much of the current energy consumption occurs in existing buildings, including heritage buildings with varying protected status. Energy intervention and heritage conservation conflict to some extent, as research focuses more on the search for improved energy efficiency solutions for materials and systems than on their application to heritage buildings. This study describes experimental research on environmental conditioning techniques in spaces of worship in a temperate climate in southern Spain. Buildings were monitored and assessed in the implementation of different environmental techniques—active and combined (passive and active)—with the aim of improving the thermal comfort conditions of the faithful while preserving the cultural heritage of these buildings. The need for a control system of RH and the air system was concluded, as well as radiant floors and radiators, which, in the considered case studies, would barely affect the artworks. 24- and 12-h operation are better suited to heritage preservation than occasional use. All operation schedules are valid for thermal comfort.Universidad de Malaga Universidad de Sevill

Optimal Fair Scheduling in S-TDMA Sensor Networks for Monitoring River Plumes

Underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) are a promising technology to provide oceanographers with environmental data in real time. Suitable network topologies to monitor estuaries are formed by strings coming together to a sink node.This network may be understood as an oriented graph. A number of MAC techniques can be used in UWSNs, but Spatial-TDMA is preferred for fixed networks. In this paper, a scheduling procedure to obtain the optimal fair frame is presented, under ideal conditions of synchronization and transmission errors. The main objective is to find the theoretical maximum throughput by overlapping the transmissions of the nodes while keeping a balanced received data rate from each sensor, regardless of its location in the network. The procedure searches for all cliques of the compatibility matrix of the network graph and solves a Multiple-Vector Bin Packing (MVBP) problem. This work addresses the optimization problem and provides analytical and numerical results for both the minimum frame length and the maximum achievable throughput

Registros paleógenos de glyptodontidae propalaehoplophorinae (xenarthra, cingulata) en áreas extrapatagónicas

Los registros paleógenos de Cingulata Glyptodontidae son muy escasos y los mejores conocidos provienen de la actual región patagónica de Argentina. Dos subfamilias han sido descritas: Glyptatelinae y Propalaehoplophorinae. Los registros paleógenos de Propalaehoplophorinae provienen de la localidad El Pajarito (Oligoceno Tardío, SALMA Deseadense), provincia de Chubut, Argentina. Aquí damos a conocer el registro más septentrional de un Propalaehoplophorinae, proveniente de la Formación Fray Bentos (Oligoceno Tardío, SALMA Deseadense) de la localidad Cueva del Tigre, Chajarí, provincia de Entre Ríos, Argentina. Desde una perspectiva morfológica, estos restos son casi idénticos con aquellos reportados para El Pajarito. Esto demuestra que durante el Paleógeno la distribución latitudinal de los Propalaehoplophorinae fue mucho mayor a la previamente conocida.Paleogene records of Cingulata Glyptodontidae are scarce. The only well described comes from the Paleogene of Argentine Patagonia. Two subfamilies have been reported for that period: Glyptatelinae and Propalaehoplophorinae. Until this contribution, the latter taxon was geographically restricted to the locality of El Pajarito (Late Oligocene, Deseadan SALMA), Chubut province, Argentina. Here we present and describe the northernmost record of a Paleogene Propalaehoplophorinae. The material is represented by three associated osteoderms of the dorsal carapace from the Fray Bentos Formation (Late Oligocene, Deseadan SALMA) in the locality of Cueva del Tigre, Chajarí, Entre Ríos province, Argentina. Morphologically, these remains are almost identical to those reported from the late Oligocene of the Patagonian region, showing that during the Paleogene the Propalaehoplophorinae had a larger latitudinal distribution than previously known.Fil: Zurita, Alfredo Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Gonzalez Ruiz, Laureano Raul. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagóica. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Esquel. Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco". Facultad de Ciencias Naturales - Sede Esquel. Laboratorio de Investigaciones en Evolución y Biodiversidad; ArgentinaFil: Miño Boilini, Ángel Ramón. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Herbst, Rafael. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Departamento de Geología. Cátedra Geología Estructural. Instituto Superior de Correlación Geológica; ArgentinaFil: Scillato, Gustavo Juan. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Departamento Científico de Paleontología de Vertebrados; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Cuaranta, Pedro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Centro de Ecología Aplicada del Litoral; Argentin

A traditional mediterranean diet effectively reduces inflammation and improves cardiovascular health

Chrysohoou et al. fifteen years ago, showed in an elegant analysis nested within the ATTICA study [1] that a dietary score reflecting adherence to the traditional Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) was inversely associated with plasma biomarkers of low-grade inflammation. Specifically, participants in the highest tertile of adherence to the MedDiet presented 20% lower levels of highly-sensitive C reactive protein (hs-CRP), 17% lower levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), and 14% lower white blood cell counts. This was an observational study that could be affected by residual confounding and other potential imperfections. However, another similar study, this time nested within the Nurses Cohort in the USA [2], assessed hs-CRP, IL-6, E-selectin, soluble intercellular cell adhesion molecule 1, and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 and found that better adherence to the MedDiet was also associated with a reduction in inflammatory biomarker concentrations, with relative reductions of 24% in hs-CRP, 16% in IL-6, and 13% in E-selectin concentrations [2]. These well conducted observational studies were subsequently confirmed by a randomized clinical trial (the pilot study of the PREDIMED (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea) trial) where we were able to show that an intervention with 2 MedDiets maintained during 3 months was able to reduce hs-CRP, IL-6 (in both cases) and adhesion molecules compared to a low-fat diet [3]. However, hs-CRP was reduced only when the MedDiet was supplemented with polyphenol-rich extra-virgin olive oil, but not with nuts

Mediterranean diet as the ideal model for preventing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)

The prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has dramatically increased in the 2–3 last decades and it represents the most frequent global cause of liver disease, affecting 25% to 45% of adults in most studies (1). The worldwide elevation in the population rates of NAFLD has come in parallel with rising unprecedented pandemics of obesity and diabetes. There is no specific medication for NAFLD and dietary/lifestyle modifications are the main foundations for the treatment of NAFLD. They are also very likely to be effective for its primary prevention. In this context, a dietary pattern that meets most requirements to become the ideal model for the prevention of NAFLD is the traditional Mediterranean diet (2). In addition to the potential for preventing NAFLD, the Mediterranean diet has sufficiently demonstrated its great ability to improve cardiovascular health. The accrual of prospective and well conducted studies showing cardiovascular benefits associated with better adherence to a high-quality food pattern is superior for the traditional Mediterranean food pattern than for any other dietary pattern (3)

Prevención cardiovascular y de la osteoporosis con terapia hormonal sustitutiva

Se recomienda actualmente que todo médico -sea cual sea su especialidad- aproveche la oportunidad que supone la atención clínica a cualquier mujer postmenopáusica o que se halle en torno a la menopausia para aconsejarle acerca de los beneficios y riesgos que supone la terapia hormonal sustitutiva (THS) con estrógenos y progesterona. Una vez que sea adecuadamente informada de estos beneficios y riesgos, debe ser la propia mujer quien decida si va a iniciar o no esta terapia, teniendo en cuenta no sólo su propio perfil de riesgo sino también sus preferencias. Los beneficios más claros se refieren a la reducción del riesgo de osteoporosis y de fracturas, así como al control y prevención de algunos síntomas frecuentes en la menopausia. Para prevenir la osteoporosis se requiere un uso continuado de IaTHS. También existen cada vez más argumentos que sugieren una reducción del riesgo de un primer episodio coronario. No obstante, no hay pruebas de que laTHS sea útil en la prevención secundaria de la cardiopatía isquémica o aporte alguna protección frente a los accidentes cerebrovasculares. Las desventajas más importantes de la THS se refieren a un mayor riesgo de hiperplasia de endometrio y de cáncer endometrial cuando se usan estrógenos solos, sin combinarlos con progestágenos. También existe un pequeño incremento del riesgo de cáncer de mama cuando se prolonga la THS, también cuando se asocian progestágenos

Micromechanical basis for shear strength of rock discontinuities

The theoretical basis for evaluating shear strength in rock joints is presented and used to derive an equation that governs the relationship between tangential and normal stress on the joint during situations of slippage between the joint faces. The dependent variables include geometric dilatancy, the instantaneous friction angle, and a parameter that considers joint surface roughness. The effect roughness is studied, and the aforementioned formula is used to analyse joints under different conditions. A mathematical expression is deduced that explains Barton's value for the joint roughness coefficient (JRC) according to the roughness geometry. In particular, when the Hoek and Brown failure criterion is used for a rock in the contact with the surface roughness plane, it is possible to determine the shear strength of the joint as a function of the relationship between the uniaxial compressive strength of the wall with the normal stress acting on the wall. Finally, theoretical results obtained for the geometry of a three-dimensional joint are compared with those of the Barton's formulatio