Directrices para evaluar la puesta en valor de un residuo en la fabricación de un material base cemento: producción de hormigón autocompactante a partir de sedimentos dragados

This article presents some guidelines in order to analyse the feasibility of including a waste material in the production of a structural cementitious material. First of all, the compatibility of the waste with a cementitious material has to be assured; then, if necessary, a decontamination step will be carried out; after, decision on the type of material has to be taken based on different aspects, with special emphasis on the granulometry. As a last step, mechanical, environmental and durability properties have to be evaluated. Then the procedure is illustrated with a full example, obtaining a self compacting concrete (SCC) including dredged sediment taken from a Spanish harbour.Este artículo presenta algunas directrices con el fin de analizar la posibilidad de incluir un material de desecho en la producción de un material base cemento estructural. En primer lugar, debe asegurarse la compatibilidad de los residuos con el material base cemento. Tras ello, si es necesario, se llevará a cabo la etapa de descontaminación del residuo. Después debe tomarse la decisión sobre el tipo de material a utilizar en base a diferentes aspectos, haciendo especial énfasis en la granulometría. Como último paso, deben evaluarse las propiedades mecánicas, ambientales y de durabilidad del producto final. El procedimiento a seguir se ilustra con un ejemplo concreto basado en la obtención de un hormigón autocompactante (SCC) incluyendo en su fabricación sedimentos dragados tomados de un puerto español

Kinematic and kinetic patterns related to free-walking in parkinson’s disease

The aim of this study is to compare the properties of free-walking at a natural pace between mild Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients during the ON-clinical status and two control groups. In-shoe pressure-sensitive insoles were used to quantify the temporal and force characteristics of a 5-min free-walking in 11 PD patients, in 16 young healthy controls, and in 12 age-matched healthy controls. Inferential statistics analyses were performed on the kinematic and kinetic parameters to compare groups’ performances, whereas feature selection analyses and automatic classification were used to identify the signature of parkinsonian gait and to assess the performance of group classification, respectively. Compared to healthy subjects, the PD patients’ gait pattern presented significant differences in kinematic parameters associated with bilateral coordination but not in kinetics. Specifically, patients showed an increased variability in double support time, greater gait asymmetry and phase deviation, and also poorer phase coordination. Feature selection analyses based on the ReliefF algorithm on the differential parameters in PD patients revealed an effect of the clinical status, especially true in double support time variability and gait asymmetry. Automatic classification of PD patients, young and senior subjects confirmed that kinematic predictors produced a slightly better classification performance than kinetic predictors. Overall, classification accuracy of groups with a linear discriminant model which included the whole set of features (i.e., demographics and parameters extracted from the sensors) was 64.1%

ControlShell: A real-time software framework

The ControlShell system is a programming environment that enables the development and implementation of complex real-time software. It includes many building tools for complex systems, such as a graphical finite state machine (FSM) tool to provide strategic control. ControlShell has a component-based design, providing interface definitions and mechanisms for building real-time code modules along with providing basic data management. Some of the system-building tools incorporated in ControlShell are a graphical data flow editor, a component data requirement editor, and a state-machine editor. It also includes a distributed data flow package, an execution configuration manager, a matrix package, and an object database and dynamic binding facility. This paper presents an overview of ControlShell's architecture and examines the functions of several of its tools

Kinematic and kinetic patterns related to free-walking in Parkinson's disease

The aim of this study is to compare the properties of free-walking at a natural pace between mild Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients during the ON-clinical status and two control groups. In-shoe pressure-sensitive insoles were used to quantify the temporal and force characteristics of a 5-min free-walking in 11 PD patients, in 16 young healthy controls, and in 12 age-matched healthy controls. Inferential statistics analyses were performed on the kinematic and kinetic parameters to compare groups’ performances, whereas feature selection analyses and automatic classification were used to identify the signature of parkinsonian gait and to assess the performance of group classification, respectively. Compared to healthy subjects, the PD patients’ gait pattern presented significant differences in kinematic parameters associated with bilateral coordination but not in kinetics. Specifically, patients showed an increased variability in double support time, greater gait asymmetry and phase deviation, and also poorer phase coordination. Feature selection analyses based on the ReliefF algorithm on the differential parameters in PD patients revealed an effect of the clinical status, especially true in double support time variability and gait asymmetry. Automatic classification of PD patients, young and senior subjects confirmed that kinematic predictors produced a slightly better classification performance than kinetic predictors. Overall, classification accuracy of groups with a linear discriminant model which included the whole set of features (i.e., demographics and parameters extracted from the sensors) was 64.1

Potenciación de la respuesta inmune humoral sistémica en ratas lactantes por el ácido linoleico conjugado (CLA)

Cis-9, trans-11 (c9, t11) and trans-10, cis-12 (t10, c12) are the predominating molecules in the positional and geometrical isomers mixture termed CLA. Although CLA has shown positive effects on human health and seems to be associated with immunomodulatory activities, its effect in the developing immune system has not been studied. Thus, the present study was designed to establish the effect of CLA supplementation during gestation and/or lactation on humoral immune response, i.e. by analysing sera Ig levels during the suckling period. Wistar rats were allocated to four groups (A, B, C and W) on day 7 of pregnancy. From day 7 and throughout the study period group C and W gestating mothers were fed standard pellet chow. Group A and B dams were fed 10 g CLA (80% cis-9, trans-11, 20% trans-10, cis-12; Lipid Nutrition B. V. Wormerveer, The Netherlands)/kg pellet chow during gestation. Moreover, group A mothers were also fed the CLA-supplemented chow until the litters were 21 d old, the end of suckling period. Group B and C litters received the CLA mixture of isomers by daily oral administration while their respective dams were fed standard pellet chow during lactation. In all cases litters were equalised to ten rats per lactating mother. Pups from each experimental group were killed at the end of the second week of life (day 14) and at the end of the suckling period (day 21), and blood samples were collected. Serum IgA, IgG and IgM levels were quantified by the ELISA sandwich technique. ANOVA and post hoc comparisons (LSD test) were performed. Differences were considered to be significant at P<0.05. Animals receiving CLA passively from their mothers (group A) during gestation and the suckling period exhibited the highest concentrations of IgG and IgM at 14 d old (P<0.05; see Table). At the end of suckling period the serum IgG concentration in this group was also increased, up to three times more than in the other groups (P<0.05). Those animals supplemented with CLA only during suckling period (group C) showed no difference in relation to those receiving no supplement. Thus, these results demonstrate that CLA supplementation during gestation and lactation promotes systemic humoral immune response

Metodología para la intervención en elementos históricos: el caso de la espadaña del convento de Nuestra Señora de la Consolación (Alcalá de Henares-Madrid-España)

The purpose of this paper is the study of damage detected in the belfry of the convent of “Nuestra Señora de la Consolación”, Alcalá de Henares, as well as the materials analysis to establish both the current state of the structure as the nature and extent of the deterioration of the original materials. For a good detection of defects in the structure were the application of a methodology of previous studies in historical buildings, in which were used, among other techniques, the element Thermographic Analysis, to then proceed to the experimental determination of the emissivities of the different inspected materials. The use of supplementary techniques of analysis as porosimetry of mercury, x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy of scanning and thermogravimetry, as well as mechanical characterization of materials, has made it possible to delve into the characteristics of the Union mortar and employed; evaluate comprehensively current degradation status and facilitating the rehabilitation.El objeto del presente trabajo es el estudio de daños detectados en la espadaña del Convento de Nuestra Señora de la Consolación, Alcalá de Henares, así como el análisis de los materiales para establecer, tanto el estado actual de la estructura, como la naturaleza y grado de deterioro de los materiales originales. Para ello se aplicó una metodología de estudios previos en edificaciones históricas, en la que se utilizaron, entre otras técnicas, el análisis termográfico del elemento, para posteriormente proceder a la determinación experimental de las emisividades de los diferentes materiales inspeccionados. El uso de técnicas complementarias de caracterización y análisis como porosimetría de intrusión de mercurio, difracción de rayos X, microscopía electrónica de barrido y termogravimetría, así como la caracterización mecánica de los materiales, ha permitido ahondar en las características del mortero de unión y las piezas de fábrica; evaluando completamente el estado actual y facilitando su rehabilitación

Influence of grain processing in regard to serum metabolites and enzymes for finishing bull calves

This study compared two grain processing methods that are widely used for beef cattle, grinding and steam pelleting, with respect to serum metabolic parameters: glucose, non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), serum urea nitrogen (SUN), total serum protein (TSP), albumin, L-lactate, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT) and amylase. Ten Belgian Blue bull calves were allotted randomly to each of two experimental groups: PF, fed pelleted concentrate, and GF, fed ground concentrate. During the 77-day study most parameters underwent significant variation in time, increasing only numerically serum values of total protein, albumin, AST and amylase, while serum glucose, NEFA and GGT decreased numerically. Statistically significant differences were found only between groups PF and GF for creatinine (higher in group PF, in relation with its greater average body weight) and urea nitrogen, which for unknown causes fluctuated in opposite directions in the two groups throughout most of the study and attributable to changes in ruminal protein digestion. Neither serum glucose nor L-lactate were affected by treatment of grainsSupported by the Xunta de Galicia (Spain), Grant XUGA 2002/CG320S

Hyperspectral Imaging for the Detection of Bitter Almonds in Sweet Almond Batches

A common fraud in the sweet almond industry is the presence of bitter almonds in commercial batches. The presence of bitter almonds not only causes unpleasant flavours but also problems in the commercialisation and toxicity for consumers. Hyperspectral Imaging (HSI) has been proved to be suitable for the rapid and non-destructive quality evaluation in foods as it integrates the spectral and spatial dimensions. Thus, we aimed to study the feasibility of using an HSI system to identify single bitter almond kernels in commercial sweet almond batches. For this purpose, sweet and bitter almond batches, as well as different mixtures, were analysed in bulk using an HSI system which works in the spectral range 946.6–1648.0 nm. Qualitative models were developed using Partial Least Squares-Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) to differentiate between sweet and bitter almonds, obtaining a classification success of over the 99%. Furthermore, data reduction, as a function of the most relevant wavelengths (VIP scores), was applied to evaluate its performance. Then, the pixel-by-pixel validation of the mixtures was carried out, identifying correctly between 61–85% of the adulterations, depending on the group of mixtures and the cultivar analysed. The results confirm that HSI, without VIP scores data reduction, can be considered a promising approach for classifying the bitterness of almonds analysed in bulk, enabling identifying individual bitter almonds inside sweet almond batches. However, a more complex mathematical analysis is necessary before its implementation in the processing lines