The U(1) phase transition on toroidal and spherical lattices

We have studied the properties of the phase transition in the U(1) compact pure gauge model paying special atention to the influence of the topology of the boundary conditions. From the behavior of the energy cumulants and the observation of an effective \nu -> 1/d on toroidal and spherical lattices, we conclude that the transition is first order.Comment: LATTICE98(gauge

Performance evaluation of the Hilbert–Huang transform for respiratory sound analysis and its application to continuous adventitious sound characterization

© 2016. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/The use of the Hilbert–Huang transform in the analysis of biomedical signals has increased during the past few years, but its use for respiratory sound (RS) analysis is still limited. The technique includes two steps: empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and instantaneous frequency (IF) estimation. Although the mode mixing (MM) problem of EMD has been widely discussed, this technique continues to be used in many RS analysis algorithms. In this study, we analyzed the MM effect in RS signals recorded from 30 asthmatic patients, and studied the performance of ensemble EMD (EEMD) and noise-assisted multivariate EMD (NA-MEMD) as means for preventing this effect. We propose quantitative parameters for measuring the size, reduction of MM, and residual noise level of each method. These parameters showed that EEMD is a good solution for MM, thus outperforming NA-MEMD. After testing different IF estimators, we propose Kay¿s method to calculate an EEMD-Kay-based Hilbert spectrum that offers high energy concentrations and high time and high frequency resolutions. We also propose an algorithm for the automatic characterization of continuous adventitious sounds (CAS). The tests performed showed that the proposed EEMD-Kay-based Hilbert spectrum makes it possible to determine CAS more precisely than other conventional time-frequency techniques.Postprint (author's final draft

Impacto ambiental: Autorización Ambiental Integrada

La Autorización Ambiental Integrada es uno de los instrumentos de prevención y gestión ambiental en Andalucía. Su finalidad es: 1. Protección del medioambiente y de las personas; 2. Utilización eficiente de la energía, agua, materias primas, el paisaje, el territorio y otros recursos; 3. Integrar todas las autorizaciones en un único documento. Su aplicación, según el anexo I (Ley 3/2014) alcanza a la a) Construcción, montaje, explotación o traslado de instalaciones en las que se desarrolle alguna o parte de las actividades siguientes: 1. Industria extractiva (no AAI). 2. Instalaciones energéticas. 3. Producción y transformación de metales. 4. Industria del mineral. 5. Industria química y petroquímica. 6. Industria textil, papelera y del cuero. 7. Proyectos de infraestructuras (no AAI). 8. Proyectos de ingeniería hidráulica y de gestión del agua. 9. Agricultura, selvicultura y acuicultura. 10.Industrias agroalimentarias y explotaciones ganaderas. 11.Proyectos de tratamiento y gestión de residuos. 12. Planes y programas (no AAI). 13.Otras actuaciones. b) Modificación sustancial de las instalaciones o parte de las mencionadas en el punto a). c) Instalaciones operativas y por causa de alguna modificación superen los umbrales del anexo I.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

“A Goodbye Lightly Said” : A Critical Approach to Roland Leighton´s Poetry

The present MA dissertation aims at exploring and vindicating the figure and work of a talented British young man, the poet and soldier Roland Aubrey Leighton, who died of wounds at the age of twenty in the First World War. This project has four main parts. The first one consists of an Introduction to the most relevant features of the Public School System at the beginning of 20th century England, before and during the Great War. Its idealised values of manliness and heroism are studied for an understanding of the direct effect they had on young boys of the poet´s generation. This part also includes an introductory section on Roland Leighton´s life: the Leighton´s household at London and Lowestoft, Roland´s academic background at Uppingham´s Public School, as well as his relationship with Vera Brittain and his own experiences during the war at the Western Front in France. In the second part of the essay, Roland Leighton´s poetry is examined in depth. From his early poems written when he was still at school, some of them published at Uppingham´s The School Magazine, to his love poems to Vera and the ones he wrote at the front, to poetic fragments. This analysis is, therefore, divided into the following sections: “Juvenilia”, “Love & War Poems” and “Fragmentary Poems & Vale”. This critical approach especially takes into account some of his own personal thoughts as made manifest in his correspondence with Vera, family and friends, as well as his readings and some of Roland´s other Uppingham´s writings. The next and third part of the study is the Conclusion, that aims to sum up the most characteristic features that were found in Roland´s poetry: contemplation, the sense of the pictorial, nature as an escape from reality, the coexistence of the romantic tradition and a modernist attraction to the sensorial, the tendency to a dialogical form, aesthetic realism, etc. On the other hand, some of Roland´s literary influences are addressed: from Greek and Latin classics, to English Romanticism or a novelist such as Olive Schreiner and such diverse poets as Henry Newbolt, W.E.Henley, Paul Verlaine or Leighton´s contemporary and well-known war poet, Rupert Brooke. The last part of the project consists of an Appendix with my translations of Roland´s poems into Spanish. It is presented in a bilingual version and is preceeded by a translator´s note. This last part of the essay is followed by a selection of some reproductions of manuscripts and photographs to illustrate Roland´s work and life, and aims at adding a visual counterpart, which will contribute to a more complete perspective on the poet.A presente dissertação de Mestrado visa explorar e validar a figura e a obra de um jovem britânico talentoso, o poeta e soldado Roland Aubrey Leighton, que morreu de ferimentos na Primeira Guerra Mundial, aos vinte anos. Este projeto contempla quatro partes principais. A primeira consiste numa Introdução às características mais relevantes do sistema das Public Schools na Inglaterra do início do séc. XX, antes e durante a Primeira Guerra Mundial. Observámos o fenómeno da idealização dos valores da virilidade e do heroísmo de modo a compreender os efeitos que produziram nos jovens da geração do poeta. Esta parte inclui também uma secção introdutória sobre a vida de Roland Leighton: o contexto familiar dos Leighton em Londres e em Lowestoft, a formação académica de Roland na Public School de Uppingham, bem como a sua relação com Vera Brittain e as posteriores experiências durante a guerra, na Frente Ocidental em França. A segunda parte deste trabalho explora em profundidade a poesia de Roland Leighton: desde os poemas escritos quando ainda se encontrava em Uppingham (alguns dos quais publicados em The School Magazine de Uppingham), aos poemas de amor dedicados a Vera, aos escritos durante a guerra e até aos fragmentos de poemas que deixou. Por isso, esta secção divide-se nas seguintes subpartes: “Juvenília”, “Poemas de amor e de guerra” e “Vale e outros fragmentos”. A abordagem crítica toma em consideração pensamentos do poeta, tais como se manifestam na correspondência trocada com Vera, com a família e com os amigos, e ainda contempla as suas leituras e alguns dos escritos não-poéticos produzidos em Uppingham. A parte seguinte deste estudo corresponde à Conclusão que visa resumir as características mais marcantes encontradas na poesia de Leighton: contemplação, o sentido do pictórico, a natureza como escape à realidade, a coexistência da tradição romântica e da atracção modernista pelo sensorial, a tendência para uma estrutura dialógica, realismo estético, etc. Por outro lado, consideram-se ainda algumas das influências literárias sofridas pelo poeta: dos clássicos greco-romanos ao Romantismo inglês ou a romancistas como Olive Schreiner, a poetas tão diversos como Henry Newbolt, W.E.Henley, Paul Verlaine ou o contemporâneo de Leighton, o famoso poeta da guerra, Rupert Brooke. A parte final do projecto consiste num anexo com as minhas traduções para castelhano dos poemas de Roland Leighton, apresentados em versão bilingue. Esta parte final é precedida duma nota da tradutora. Além disso, segue-se uma selecção de reproduções de alguns manuscritos e fotografias, visando ilustrar a vida e a obra do poeta, por meio de documentação visual que se espera contribua para dar do jovem autor uma perspectiva mais completa

The Use of L-PRF in Autogenous Tooth Transplantation

Introdução: O autotransplante dentário é definido como a transferência de um dente de seu alvéolo para um alvéolo pós-extração ou alvéolo feito cirurgicamente na mesma pessoa. O prognóstico da técnica melhorou graças aos avanços na compreensão da cicatrização óssea, periodontal e pulpar. O L-PRF tem um grande potencial de regeneração natural, atuando como barreira biológica, facilitando o fechamento primário do leito cirúrgico e protegendo-o das agressões externas e acelerando a cicatrização. Objetivos: O objetivo desta revisão sistemática integrativa foi pesquisar a literatura atual relevante e analisar os efeitos do uso de L-PRF no Transplante Autógeno de Dentes. Materiais e Métodos: Foi realizada uma pesquisa nas bases de dados PUBMED, EBSCO e SCIENCEDIRECT e foram aplicadas combinações de vários termos de pesquisa para encontrar os estudos incluídos. Resultados: Selecionámos 17 artigos com informação pertinente para os objetivos propostos. Discussão: Segundo a literatura, a utilização de L-PRF demonstrou ter efeitos positivos na regeneração do tecido, aumentando a proliferação de fibroblastos e células estaminais, proporcionando uma rápida hemostasia e liberação de de fatores de crescimento, citoquinas e proteínas, que atuam em conjunto no processo de regeneração, impulsionando e acelerando a resposta biológica natural do organismo. Conclusão: Podemos concluir que os resultados obtidos não mostram diferenças significativas que permitam uma comparação directa entre a técnica L-PRF e as técnicas convencionais. Assim, é necessária mais investigação para comparar os resultados de ambas as técnicas neste contexto específico.Introduction: The dental autotransplantation is defined as the transfer of a tooth from its socket to a post-extraction socket or a surgically created socket in the same person. The prognosis of the technique has improved thanks to advances in understanding bone, periodontal, and pulp healing. L-PRF has great potential for natural regeneration, acting as a biological barrier, facilitating primary closure of the surgical site and protecting it from external aggressions and accelerating healing. Objetives: The objective of this integrative systematic review was to research current relevant literature and analyze the effects of using L-PRF in Autogenous Tooth Transplantation. Materials and Methods: A Search was conducted in PUBMED´s, EBSCO´s and SCIENCEDIRECT´s databases and combinations of various search terms were applied to find the included studies. Results: We have selected 17 articles with relevant information for the proposed objectives. Discussion: According to the literature, the use of L-PRF has been shown to have positive effects on tissue regeneration by increasing fibroblast and stem cell proliferation, promoting rapid hemostasis, and releasing growth factors, cytokines, and proteins that work together in the regeneration process, boosting and accelerating the organism's natural biological response. Conclusion: We can conclude that the obtained results do not show significant differences that allow for a direct comparison between the L-PRF technique and conventional techniques. Therefore, further research is needed to compare the results of both techniques in this specific context

Customer-oriented risk assessment in Network Utilities

For companies that distribute services such as telecommunications, water, energy, gas, etc., quality perceived by the customers has a strong impact on the fulfillment of financial goals, positively increasing the demand and negatively increasing the risk of customer churn (loss of customers). Failures by these companies may cause customer affection in a massive way, augmenting the intention to leave the company. Therefore, maintenance performance and specifically service reliability has a strong influence on financial goals. This paper proposes a methodology to evaluate the contribution of the maintenance department in economic terms, based on service unreliability by network failures. The developed methodology aims to provide an analysis of failures to facilitate decision making about maintenance (preventive/predictive and corrective) costs versus negative impacts in end-customer invoicing based on the probability of losing customers. Survival analysis of recurrent failures with the General Renewal Process distribution is used for this novel purpose with the intention to be applied as a standard procedure to calculate the expected maintenance financial impact, for a given period of time. Also, geographical areas of coverage are distinguished, enabling the comparison of different technical or management alternatives. Two case studies in a telecommunications services company are presented in order to illustrate the applicability of the methodology

Environmental engagement of costumer in the tourism industry

This article contributes to a better understanding of tourists’ environmental concerns, assuming that distance from the place of residence is relevant. The analysis is conducted for EU-27 countries, combining micro-data, correspond to the Flash Eurobarometer 281 drawn from the European Commission and macro-data from different international sources. Since the environmental attitudes may vary across different cultures and societies, the individuals should be nested into countries. Therefore, it is inappropriate to analyze data using traditional regression analysis. Mixed model specifically may take into account such hierarchical data structure considering simultaneously individual and contextual variables. A general finding from the estimates indicated that significant variance exists within and among nations in the level of environmental support. This finding is congruent with the necessity of simultaneously assessing the effect of individual and country levels variables on environmental support across the European countries. Additionally, this paper demonstrates that people who are actively involved in protecting the environment at home do not maintain this type of behavior when they go on vacation, which may have negative environmental consequences on destinations, albeit involuntarily. The environmental concerns of tourists when travelling domestically were around 15% higher than those travelling abroad. Additionally, the random slope variance regarding destination choice parameter is statistically significant, which allows us to explore the underpinning behind the heterogeneous pattern across countries. Our results can be of great importance to minimize the negative environmental impacts when traveling, and represents an interesting starting point to reduce the environmentally unsustainable behaviors in the tourist field