Biomechanical insights into the dentition of megatooth sharks (Lamniformes: Otodontidae)

Abstract The evolution of gigantism in extinct otodontid sharks was paralleled by a series of drastic modifications in their dentition including widening of the crowns, loss of lateral cusplets, and acquisition of serrated cutting edges. These traits have generally been interpreted as key functional features that enabled the transition from piscivory to more energetic diets based on marine mammals, ultimately leading to the evolution of titanic body sizes in the most recent forms (including the emblematic Otodus megalodon). To investigate this hypothesis, we evaluate the biomechanics of the anterior, lateral, and posterior teeth of five otodontid species under different loading conditions by using two-dimensional finite element analysis. Stress distribution patterns are remarkably similar among all models under puncture and draw (i.e., when subjected to vertical and lateral forces, respectively). Contrary to expectation, higher average stress values are detected under both loading scenarios in more recent species. Altogether, this suggests little correlation between tooth morphology and key aspects of biomechanical behaviour in otodontids, making it difficult to frame the morphological trend of their dentitions within an adaptive scenario. We propose that this pattern most likely emerged as a non-functional by-product of heterochronic processes driven by selection towards larger body sizes

Immersion in architecture project: ideation, deabte and construction

This teaching methodological proposal aims to involve the first year students in the real complexity of architectural design, taking the three-dimensional model as a vehicle for learning. Expanding the scale of the model into a living space, the project reaches its target creating a place that can be explored and recognized in all its complexity. Ideation, debate and construction are essential operations in the proyectual creation process. Reflecting, exchanging ideas and defending them, finding new relationships and references, learning the material, its qualities and construction systems, are all recurring actions that occur simultaneously for the project development. Teaching this process as scheduled and directed procedure has been the main goal of this educational project implemented for five years, that is: systematizing the process from the initial stage of analysis and conception to the construction of two temporary/ephemeral exhibition pavilions, at the Higher Technical School of Architecture, Universidad de Sevilla in April 2015.Esta propuesta metodológica pretende favorecer la inmersión del alumno de primer curso en la realidad del proyecto arquitectónico, tomando como vehículo de aprendizaje la maqueta. Dilatando su escala hasta construir un espacio habitable, el proyecto alcanza su objetivo conformando un espacio que podrá ser recorrido y reconocido en toda su complejidad. La ideación, el debate y la construcción son operaciones esenciales del proceso de creación proyectual. Reflexionar, intercambiar ideas y defenderlas, buscar nuevas relaciones y referencias, producir intercambios, conocer los materiales, sus cualidades y sistemas constructivos, son acciones, todas ellas, recurrentes y simultaneas en la elaboración del proyecto. Enseñar esta realidad como un procedimiento creativo, pautado y dirigido, ha sido el objetivo de este proyecto docente aplicado durante cinco años, sistematizar el proceso, desde su fase inicial de análisis e ideación hasta la construcción de dos pabellones expositivos, de carácter efímero, en la Escuela Superior de Arquitectura de Sevilla, el resultado

Digital technology-based solutions for enhanced effectiveness of secured transactions law:the road to perfection?

This article has two objectives. First, the article examines how the incorporation of specific digital technologies to the different stages of secured transactions could mitigate the imperfections of the secured transactions system and enhance its effectiveness. To begin with, an envisioned integrated ecosystem of smart property and self-executed smart contracts for security agreements could effectively reduce verification and monitoring costs. Next, a fully automatic electronic—maybe, blockchain-based—registry fed by a (IoT) network of interconnected assets would dramatically improve the accuracy of consistently-updated registered information. Furthermore, implanted AI-based solutions could be used to detect changes of circumstances and deviations from agreed provisions. Finally, AI-guided smart contracts could assist in decisionmaking to prevent breaches and automatically enforce remedies.8 Second, given this backdrop, the article focuses on some of the legal implications for secured transactions legal system and assesses whether the current legal framework is prepared to face the challenges inherent to these new technologies, to exploit the multitude of opportunities presented by the technologies, and to manage the involved risks. Alternatively, if the current system is incapable of taking on this challenge, this article will consider an appropriate legal response.Research Project Reform of Spanish Laws of Security Rights in an international context (DER201677695-P)

The hidden layout of the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla Bullring. About its geometry

Quizás una de las características más llamativas de la Plaza de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla sea la singularidad de su traza, la irregularidad de su ruedo. Una forma insólita a la que no se ha encontrado justificación convincente. No existen documentos que la expliquen en los archivos de la Corporación y tampoco puede dudarse de la solvencia y destreza de los maestros mayores, ingenieros militares y arquitectos que a lo largo de ciento veinte años la levantaron. Ahora, creemos haber encontrado una explicación a esa geometría irregular. Un razonamiento basado en la historia de su construcción, también en la observación tanto de la planimetría histórica conservada como de los nuevos levantamientos, y sobre todo en el conocimiento que nos han proporcionado del edificio las obras de reforma y conservación llevadas a cabo en ella durante estos últimos años.Perhaps one of the most showy characteristics of the Bullring of the Real Maestranza de Caballeria of Seville is the singularity of its geometric layout, the irregularity of its arena. An unusual form to which no convincing justification has been found. There are no documents that explain it in the archives of the Corporation and there is no doubt about the solvency and dexterity of the major teachers, military engineers and architects who built it over a hundred and twenty years. Now, we think we have found an explanation for this irregular geometry. A reasoning based on the history of it construc-tion, also in the observation of the historical and new planimetry, and especially in the knowledge that has provided us with the building of the works of reform and conservation carried out In it during these last years

The legal anatomy of electronic platforms:a prior study to assess the need of a law of platforms in the EU

Digital economy is nowadays a Platform economy. This pervading expansion of platforms has been triggered by their value-creating ability and trust-generation potential. The emergence and increasing popularity of disruptive models, such as sharing-based economy, crowdfunding or fintech variants, have been greatly accelerated by platformbased solutions. Platforms have also transformed social, political, public and educational contexts by providing participative and collaborative environments, creating new opportunities, facilitating the creation of communities, mobilizing resources and capital, and promoting innovation. Along with these visible social and economic disruptions, platforms are also legally disruptive. Their self-regulating power, the internal relational complexity, and the potential role of platform operators for infringement prevention and civil enforcement in a possible policy shift towards an increasing intermediaries’ responsibility have triggered regulatory interest. The aim of this Paper is to examine the platform model in order to explore the legal anatomy of electronic platforms and identify the key issues to consider for possible legislative actions in respect of the same within the context of the European Union (EU) Digital Single Market. First, the analysis concludes that existing transaction-oriented rules are insufficient to fully cover all legal angles of platforms and do not capture its ‘institutional dimension’. Regulations would have to define operators’ obligations in relation to users’ protection, transparency, prevention or private enforcement. Then, the first key regulatory issue to consider is the role that platform operator may or should play. Second, the analysis reveals that the binominal division of information society service providers is not entirely consistent with the actual role of platform operators for the purposes of the application of the specific intermediary liability rules. Thus, the adoption of a set of uniform criteria under which the platform operator might be deemed as an intermediary, and the devising of a common liability regime for platforms would be critical areas to focus regulatory attention on. Third, as the community-based architecture of platforms enables the articulation of decentralized trust-generating mechanisms (reputational feedback systems, recommender systems, rating and listing), it would be pertinent to consider the elaboration of uniform concepts regarding those decentralized reputational systems, speculate on possible common criteria in design and operation (good practices, standards), and ultimately clarify liability scenarios

The background of the Digital Services Act : looking towards a platform economy

The E-Commerce Directive laid the foundation of the EU legal framework for digital services. Since its adoption in 2000, the legal framework has remained largely unchanged, while the digital economy has undergone a profound transformation. The digital economy is today becoming a platform economy. Rules and legal solutions underpinning the Directive effectively accommodate the structural, operational, and behavioural features of a preliminary stage to the platform economy. Thus, the cornerstone of the EU digital services legal framework now requires a thorough revision. Despite its merits, noticeable limitations on facing new challenges surface. The aim of this Paper is to highlight those legal issues that call for attention in the Digital Services Act package

Legal challenges of artificial intelligence : modelling the disruptive features of emerging technologies and assessing their possible legal impact

The extensive use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and systems and its extraordinary relevance in a multitude of social and economic domains must be framed into the broader context of a second wave of digital transformation. AI embodies the transformative force and the disruptive potential of a second generation of technologies that are ushering in a new stage of the digital evolution of our societies and economies. The acceleration and accumulation of technological developments pose unforeseen challenges to the twenty-first century’s law. A systematic, extensive, and wisely combined application of these emerging technologies, such as AI and advanced robotics, Internet-of-Things (IoT), and DLT, offers fascinating possibilities and announces great disruptive effects. The aim of this paper is to devise an analytical framework to identify the disruptive features of AI, as one of the most illustrative exponent of the second-generation technologies, and assess the potential impact on certain existing principles, rules and concepts

The layers of digital financial innovation : charting a regulatory response

The increasing penetration of digital technologies in financial markets is evidenced by promising adoption rates among users, expanding presence of fintech firms and bigtech providing techfin services, and the growing use of fintech solutions by incumbents. The increasingly popular term "fintech" captures the accelerated transformation of contemporary financial markets driven and enabled by technology, and encapsulates its multifarious potential impact on services, market structures, and business models. This Article first aims to devise and propose an analytical framework to understand the digital challenges to financial regulation based on the "layers of digital financial innovation" theory. Accordingly, digital innovation (fintech) is stratified in three layers: the structure layer, activity layer, and players layer-each of which identifies and analyses the impact of digital innovation on a financial-market dimension. Consequently, a multi­layered regulatory response is proposed. This Article will consider different regulatory strategies devised to face each layer of fintech, as risks and benefits differ in each layer. This Article's starting premise is that any attempt to approach fintech as a single, global phenomenon will sink in the vast complexity of a multifaceted, open process phenomenon and is bound to fail. Our understanding is that the intricacies in embracing the impact of fintech on financial markets and the difficulties in apprehending its consequences for regulation and supervision are largely exacerbated by the lack of perception of its multi-layered nature. Based on a three-variable function to assess the adequacy of regulation and devise a fit-for-purpose regulatory response, a taxonomy of policy challenges will be addressed, and a multi-layered regulatory strategy is proposed accordingly

La etapa precontractual en la contratación mercantil

En el tráfico mercantil, el contrato, como acuerdo de voluntades, es esencialmente el resultado de un proceso de aproximación de posturas que tiene lugar en un determinado contexto transaccional. La extensión y la complejidad del proceso de deliberación, negociación de condiciones y formación del contrato dotan de una significativa relevancia a los tratos preliminares y al conjunto de situaciones previas conducentes a la perfección del contrato. En el Anteproyecto de Ley de Código Mercantil, se incluyen dos disposiciones (artículos 412-1 y 412-2) que, aunque escuetas, representan la primera expresión normativa en nuestro derecho positivo de los deberes propios de la fase preparatoria en la contratación mercantil