Metropolitan Mobility In Spain Are We Tending Towards Sustainability?

There is a growing concern in the urban transport field about the development of a data set of indicators that would allow to undertake ongoing monitoring and evaluation of current transportation policies, compare data from territories facing the same kind of challenges, identify good practices and strategies to be followed, and strengthen the information, participation and decision-making process. These data set of indicators, known as observatories, are aimed to fulfil stakeholders needs, so that they achieve the precise knowledge to adopt pertinent policies. The Spanish Metropolitan Mobility Observatory, sponsored by the Spanish Ministry of Environment, was launched in 2003 by the Metropolitan Transport Authorities of the major metropolitan areas in Spain, and TRANSyT. Its scope is to identify those elements within urban transport policy packages which have had a more significant impact on mobility (i.e. global transport demand, travel time, modal split,…), and on land use patterns. And its main goal is to serve as basis for Metropolitan Transport Authorities to improve operation of their public transport system, and thus increasing their contribution to sustainable mobility. For itsFor its second edition, based on the year 2003, a set of data from the different Metropolitan Transport Authorities has been collected, in order to: Highlight public transport contribution to improve urban areas and sustainable development - Describe the role of Metropolitan Transport Authorities in achieving an attractive and quality public transport - Monitoring transport supply and demand characteristics, focusing on public transport - Analyse resources dedicated to the public transport system - Describe the financial models used for the public transport system - Highlight the main initiatives and innovations developed by Metropolitan areas This information will be compared to that one from the previous edition, and a statistical analysis will be conducted in order to identify those variables, which are likely to explainresults in most cities.Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies. Faculty of Economics and Business. The University of Sydne

Metropolitan Mobility In Spain Are We Tending Towards Sustainability?

Workshop FThere is a growing concern in the urban transport field about the development of a data set of indicators that would allow to undertake ongoing monitoring and evaluation of current transportation policies, compare data from territories facing the same kind of challenges, identify good practices and strategies to be followed, and strengthen the information, participation and decision-making process. These data set of indicators, known as observatories, are aimed to fulfil stakeholders needs, so that they achieve the precise knowledge to adopt pertinent policies. The Spanish Metropolitan Mobility Observatory, sponsored by the Spanish Ministry of Environment, was launched in 2003 by the Metropolitan Transport Authorities of the major metropolitan areas in Spain, and TRANSyT. Its scope is to identify those elements within urban transport policy packages which have had a more significant impact on mobility (i.e. global transport demand, travel time, modal split,…), and on land use patterns. And its main goal is to serve as basis for Metropolitan Transport Authorities to improve operation of their public transport system, and thus increasing their contribution to sustainable mobility. For itsFor its second edition, based on the year 2003, a set of data from the different Metropolitan Transport Authorities has been collected, in order to: Highlight public transport contribution to improve urban areas and sustainable development - Describe the role of Metropolitan Transport Authorities in achieving an attractive and quality public transport - Monitoring transport supply and demand characteristics, focusing on public transport - Analyse resources dedicated to the public transport system - Describe the financial models used for the public transport system - Highlight the main initiatives and innovations developed by Metropolitan areas This information will be compared to that one from the previous edition, and a statistical analysis will be conducted in order to identify those variables, which are likely to explainresults in most cities.Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies. Faculty of Economics and Business. The University of Sydne

Energy Storage Systems for Electric Vehicles: Performance Comparison based on a Simple Equivalent Circuit and Experimental Tests

The decision to select the most suitable type of energy storage system for an electric vehicle is always difficult, since many conditionings must be taken into account. Sometimes, this study can be made by means of complex mathematical models which represent the behavior of a battery, ultracapacitor or some other devices. However, these models are usually too dependent on parameters that are not easily available, which usually results in nonrealistic results. Besides, the more accurate the model, the more specific it needs to be, which becomes an issue when comparing systems of different nature. This paper proposes a practical methodology to compare different energy storage technologies. This is done by means of a linear approach of an equivalent circuit based on laboratory tests. Via these tests, the internal resistance and the self-discharge rate are evaluated, making it possible to compare different energy storage systems regardless their technology. Rather simple testing equipment is sufficient to give a comparative idea of the differences between each system, concerning issues such as efficiency, heating and self-discharge, when operating under a certain scenario. The proposed methodology is applied to four energy storage systems of different nature for the sake of illustration

Recurrence of the blue wing enhancements in the high ionization lines of SDSS 1004+4112 A

We present integral field spectroscopic observations of the quadruple-lensed QSO SDSS 1004+4112 taken with the fiber system INTEGRAL at the William Herschel Telescope on 2004 January 19. In May 2003 a blueward enhancement in the high ionization lines of SDSS 1004+4112A was detected and then faded. Our observations are the first to note a second event of similar characteristics less than one year after. Although initially attributed to microlensing, the resemblance among the spectra of both events and the absence of microlensing-induced changes in the continuum of component A are puzzling. The lack of a convincing explanation under the microlensing or intrinsic variability hypotheses makes the observed enhancements particularly relevant, calling for close monitoring of this object.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Síntesis y aplicación de nuevas nanopartículas de plata biocompatibles para el control del crecimiento de bacterias lácticas y acéticas en vinos

Este libro recoge el amplio y significativo elenco de estudios (microbiología) recientemente realizados por los grupos de investigación de la red GIENOL (Grupos de investigación enológica).-- et al.Es bien conocido que la plata tiene propiedades antimicrobianas muy potentes. Actualmente, la nanoplata es el nanomaterial más utilizado, representando aproximadamente la cuarta parte de todos los nanomateriales comercializados en el mercado. El presente trabajo tiene por objetivo explorar la potencial utilización de nuevas nanopartículas de plata como agentes antimicrobianos en enología, como una alternativa al empleo de los sulfitos. En primer lugar, se ha llevado a cabo la síntesis y caracterización de dos materiales de plata: PEG‐Ag NPs 1, nanopartículas sólidas soportadas sobre polietilenglicol, y GSH‐Ag NPs 2, nanopartículas en solución soportadas sobre glutatión. A continuación, se ha evaluado su actividad antimicrobiana frente a un total de 11 especies, que incluyen bacterias lácticas y bacterias acéticas. Se han establecido los parámetros de inhibición bacteriana, comprobándose que los nanomateriales con recubrimientos a base de ambos polímeros solubles (polietilenglicol y glutatión), son capaces de inhibir el crecimiento de ambos tipos de bacterias, y en concreto, el efecto inhibidor sobre las bacterias acéticas, fue superior al del metabisulfito potásico. También se ha estudiado el mecanismo de acción antimicrobiano de las nanopartículas de plata, en el que parece que están implicados cambios en la membrana plasmática de la célula bacteriana con pérdida de la viabilidad celular y de las funciones vitales de la célula.Los autores agradecen la financiación recibida del Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) a través de los proyectos PRI‐PIBAR‐2011‐1358 y AGL2012‐40172‐C02‐01.Peer Reviewe

Longitudinal study of functional flexibility in olfer physically active

Un importante componente de la condición física es la flexibilidad, particularmente para las personas mayores que suelen sufrir un deterioro de la misma con los años. Con el objetivo de conocer como la flexibilidad evoluciona a lo largo del tiempo en un grupo de personas mayores físicamente activas, este estudio longitudinal ha evaluado 54 sujetos mayores de 65 años (17 hombres y 37 mujeres), que participaban con regularidad en clases de mantenimiento físico global realizadas dos veces a la semana en sesiones de 60 minutos. Para la medición de la flexibilidad fueron aplicados los tests chair sit and reach y back scratch, en cuatro momentos distintos en un periodo total de 12 meses. Los resultados muestran la evolución positiva de la flexibilidad de las zonas testadas en el grupo de mayores practicantes de actividad física al final de un año. Se concluye que para los participantes previamente activos del estudio la flexibilidad fue mantenida con el tiempo e inclusive mejorada en el periodo total propuesto al conservarse un estilo de vida activo a través de la práctica regular de actividad física de mantenimiento global de la condición físicaFlexibility is an important component of physical fitness, particularly in elderly people whose flexibility tend to deteriorate with the passing of time. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to determine how flexibility of older adults’ change over time. The control group consisted of 54 physically active adults (17 men and 37 women) all of which were 65 years and older. These adults participated in a 60 minute global fitness course, led by a trained instructor, twice a week. During the 12 month study, the subjects’ flexibility was measured at four different times through chair sit and reach and back scratch tests. The results show that the subjects who took part in this yearlong study, experienced positive results in flexibility in the areas tested. The results concluded that the subjects in the study that were previously engaged in regularly physical activity maintained and in some cases, improved flexibility through regular global fitness activit

High-resolution imaging of the molecular outflows in two mergers: IRAS17208-0014 and NGC1614

Galaxy evolution scenarios predict that the feedback of star formation and nuclear activity (AGN) can drive the transformation of gas-rich spiral mergers into ULIRGs, and, eventually, lead to the build-up of QSO/elliptical hosts. We study the role that star formation and AGN feedback have in launching and maintaining the molecular outflows in two starburst-dominated advanced mergers, NGC1614 and IRAS17208-0014, by analyzing the distribution and kinematics of their molecular gas reservoirs. We have used the PdBI array to image with high spatial resolution (0.5"-1.2") the CO(1-0) and CO(2-1) line emissions in NGC1614 and IRAS17208-0014, respectively. The velocity fields of the gas are analyzed and modeled to find the evidence of molecular outflows in these sources and characterize the mass, momentum and energy of these components. While most (>95%) of the CO emission stems from spatially-resolved (~2-3kpc-diameter) rotating disks, we also detect in both mergers the emission from high-velocity line wings that extend up to +-500-700km/s, well beyond the estimated virial range associated with rotation and turbulence. The kinematic major axis of the line wing emission is tilted by ~90deg in NGC1614 and by ~180deg in IRAS17208-0014 relative to their respective rotating disk major axes. These results can be explained by the existence of non-coplanar molecular outflows in both systems. In stark contrast with NGC1614, where star formation alone can drive its molecular outflow, the mass, energy and momentum budget requirements of the molecular outflow in IRAS17208-0014 can be best accounted for by the existence of a so far undetected (hidden) AGN of L_AGN~7x10^11 L_sun. The geometry of the molecular outflow in IRAS17208-0014 suggests that the outflow is launched by a non-coplanar disk that may be associated with a buried AGN in the western nucleus.Comment: Final version in press, accepted by A&A. Reference list updated. Minor typos correcte

Impact of using new commercial glutathione enriched inactive dry yeast oenological preparations on the aroma and sensory properties of wines

The effect of the addition of a commercial enriched glutathione inactive dry yeast oenological preparation in the volatile and sensory properties of industrially manufactured rosé Grenache wines was evaluated during their shelf-life. In addition, triangle tests were performed at different times during wine aging (among 1 and 9 months) to determine the sensory differences between wines with and without glutathione inactive dry yeast preparations. Descriptive sensory analysis with a trained panel was carried out when sensory differences in the triangle test were noticed. In addition, consumer tests were performed in order to investigate consumers’ acceptability of wines. Results revealed significant sensory differences between control and glutathione inactive dry yeast wines after 9 months of aging. At that time, glutathione inactive dry yeast wines were more intense in fruity aromas (strawberry, banana) and less intense in yeast notes than control wine. The impact of the glutathione inactive dry yeast in the aroma might be the consequence of different effects that these preparations could induce in wine composition: modification of yeast byproducts during fermentation, release of volatile compounds from inactive dry yeast, interaction of wine volatile compounds with yeast macromolecules from inactive dry yeast and a possible antioxidant effect of the glutathione released by the inactive dry yeast preparation on some specific volatile compounds