Use of Tyre-Derived Aggregate as Backfill Material for Wave Barriers to Mitigate Railway-Induced Ground Vibrations

[Abstract] The use of piles as barriers to mitigate vibrations from rail traffic has been increasing in theoretical and practical engineering during the last years. Tyre-derived aggregate (TDA) is a recycled material with some interesting applications in civil engineering, including those related to railway engineering. As a novelty, this paper combines the concept of pile wave barriers and TDA material and investigates the mitigation effect of pile barriers made of TDA on the vibrations transmitted by rail traffic. This solution has a dual purpose: the reduction of railway vibrations and the recycling of a highly polluting material. The mitigation potential of this material when used as backfill for piles is analysed using a numerical scheme based on a 3D finite-difference numerical model formulated in the space/time domain, which is also experimentally validated in this paper in a real case without pile barriers. The numerical results show insertion loss (IL) values of up to 11 dB for a depth closed to the wavelength of Rayleigh wave. Finally, this solution is compared with more common backfills, such as concrete and steel tubular piles, showing that the TDA pile is a less effective measure although from an environmental and engineering point of view it is a very competitive solution

Caracterización hidrológica e hidrogeológica de diversas áreas limítrofes con las presas del Guadalhorce (provincia de Málaga)

Las presas Conde de Guadalhorce y Guadalhorce-Guadalteba constituyen el Sistema de explotación Presas del Guadalhorce cuyo principal objetivo es garantizar el suministro de agua a la ciudad de Málaga y las dotaciones para el regadío de unas 9.600 hectáreas en el valle del Guadalhorce. Desde la puesta en servicio de la presa de Guadalhorce-Guadalteba, en el año 1973, se detectaron una serie de surgencias de carácter salino, aguas abajo de ésta, que llegaron a suponer un grave problema para la gestión del Sistema. El problema, de cara a la calidad del agua bruta suministrada al abastecimiento de Málaga, se ha minimizado a partir de la entrada en servicio de la planta desalobradora de El Atabal, en el año 2005. No obstante, se mantiene en cuanto al agua destinada al regadío del valle del Guadalhorce y, por ello, entre enero de 2010 y mayo de 2011, se ha llevado a cabo un control hidrodinámico e hidroquímico de los principales puntos identificados de descarga de agua salinizada, a lo largo del tramo comprendido entre el pie de las Presas del Guadalhorce y el contraembalse de La Encantada. Estos controles se han apoyado además en los datos históricos recopilados por el Servicio encargado de la explotación del Sistema. Los resultados de este primer análisis ponen de manifiesto que los puntos de descarga situados en la margen izquierda del río Guadalhorce muestran una clara conexión con las aguas del vaso de Guadalhorce, de carácter salino, mientras que las situadas en la margen derecha deben su salinidad a contactos naturales entre materiales de naturaleza salina (facies Keuper) y calizas jurásicas que afloran en la región

Comparing the generation of DTM in a forest ecosystem using TLS, ALS and UAV-DAP, and different software tools

[EN] Remote sensing and photogrammetry techniques have demonstrated to be an important tool for the characterization of forest ecosystems. Nonetheless, the use of these techniques requires an accurate digital terrain model (DTM) for the height normalization procedure, which is a key step prior to any further analyses. In this manuscript, we assess the extraction of the DTM for different techniques (airborne laser scanning: ALS, terrestrial laser scanning: TLS, and digital aerial photogrammetry in unmanned aerial vehicle: UAV-DAP), processing tools with different algorithms (FUSION/LDV© and LAStools©), algorithm parameters, and plot characteristics (canopy and shrub cover, and terrain slope). To do this, we compare the resulting DTMs with one used as reference and extracted from classic surveying measurements. Our results demonstrate, firstly, that ALS and reference DTMs are similar in the different scenarios, except for steep slopes. Secondly, TLS DTMs are slightly less accurate than those extracted for ALS, since items such as trunks and shrubs cause a great occlusion due to the proximity of the instrument, and some of the points filtered as ground correspond to these items as well, therefore a finer setting of algorithm parameters is required. Lastly, DTMs extracted for UAV-DAP in dense canopy scenarios have a low accuracy, however, accuracy may be enhanced by modifying the processing tool and algorithm parameters. An accurate DTM is essential for further forestry applications, therefore, to know how to take advantage of the available data to obtain the most accurate DTM is also fundamental.The authors are thankful for the financial support provided by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad and FEDER, in the framework of the project CGL2016-80705-R.Crespo-Peremarch, P.; Torralba, J.; Carbonell-Rivera, JP.; Ruiz Fernández, LÁ. (2020). Comparing the generation of DTM in a forest ecosystem using TLS, ALS and UAV-DAP, and different software tools. ISPRS. 575-582. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B3-2020-575-2020S57558

Analyzing TLS Scan Distribution and Point Density for the Estimation of Forest Stand Structural Parameters

[EN] In recent decades, the feasibility of using terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) in forest inventories was investigated as a replacement for time-consuming traditional field measurements. However, the optimal acquisition of point clouds requires the definition of the minimum point density, as well as the sensor positions within the plot. This paper analyzes the effect of (i) the number and distribution of scans, and (ii) the point density on the estimation of seven forest parameters: above-ground biomass, basal area, canopy base height, dominant height, stocking density, quadratic mean diameter, and stand density index. For this purpose, 31 combinations of TLS scan positions, from a single scan in the center of the plot to nine scans, were analyzed in 28 circular plots in a Mediterranean forest. Afterwards, multiple linear regression models using height metrics extracted from the TLS point clouds were generated for each combination. In order to study the influence of terrain slope on the estimation of forest parameters, the analysis was performed by using all the plots and by creating two categories of plots according to their terrain slope (slight or steep). Results indicate that the use of multiple scans improves the estimation of forest parameters compared to using a single one, although using more than three to five scans does not necessarily improves the accuracy. Moreover, it is also shown that lower accuracies are obtained in plots with steep slope. In addition, it was observed that each forest parameter has a strategic distribution depending on the field of view of the TLS. Regarding the point density analysis, the use of 1% to 0.1% (¿136 points·m¿2) of the initial point cloud density (¿37,240.86 points·m¿2) generates an R2adj difference of less than 0.01. These findings are useful for planning more efficient forest inventories, reducing acquisition and processing time as well as costs.This research has been funded by the project PID2020-117808RB-C21 MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by the grant PEJ2018-002924-A Fondo de Garantia Juvenil en I+D+i ESF Investing in your future.Torralba, J.; Carbonell-Rivera, JP.; Ruiz Fernández, LÁ.; Crespo-Peremarch, P. (2022). Analyzing TLS Scan Distribution and Point Density for the Estimation of Forest Stand Structural Parameters. Forests. 13(12):1-22. https://doi.org/10.3390/f13122115122131

Classification of UAV-based photogrammetric point clouds of riverine species using machine learning algorithms: a case study in the Palancia river, Spain

[EN] The management of riverine areas is fundamental due to their great environmental importance. The fast changes that occur in these areas due to river mechanics and human pressure makes it necessary to obtain data with high temporal and spatial resolution. This study proposes a workflow to map riverine species using Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imagery. Based on RGB point clouds, our work derived simple geometric and spectral metrics to classify an area of the public hydraulic domain of the river Palancia (Spain) in five different classes: Tamarix gallica L. (French tamarisk), Pinus halepensis Miller (Aleppo pine), Arundo donax L. (giant reed), other riverine species and ground. A total of six Machine Learning (ML) methods were evaluated: Decision Trees, Extra Trees, Multilayer Perceptron, K-Nearest Neighbors, Random Forest and Ridge. The method chosen to carry out the classification was Random Forest, which obtained a mean score cross-validation close to 0.8. Subsequently, an object-based reclassification was done to improve this result, obtaining an overall accuracy of 83.6%, and individually a producer¿s accuracy of 73.8% for giant reed, 87.7% for Aleppo pine, 82.8% for French tamarisk, 93.5% for ground and 80.1% for other riverine species. Results were promising, proving the feasibility of using this cost-effective method for periodic monitoring of riverine species. In addition, the proposed workflow is easily transferable to other tasks beyond riverine species classification (e.g., green areas detection, land cover classification) opening new opportunities in the use of UAVs equipped with consumer cameras for environmental applications.Carbonell-Rivera, JP.; Estornell Cremades, J.; Ruiz Fernández, LÁ.; Torralba, J.; Crespo-Peremarch, P. (2020). Classification of UAV-based photogrammetric point clouds of riverine species using machine learning algorithms: a case study in the Palancia river, Spain. ISPRS. 659-666. https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLIII-B2-2020-659-2020S65966

Generación de un curso en línea masivo y abierto (MOOC) como resultado de una acción Marie Skłodowska-Curie

[EN] The results of European projects are often presented in lengthy deliverables, making it difficult for interested parties to understand the methodologies followed and the results obtained. In recent years, the use of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) as an educational tool has increased significantly, in some ways necessitated by the restrictions experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper shows the guidelines for the generation of a MOOC as a result of a European Marie Skłodowska-Curie project in which different institutions from four European countries have participated. Course enrolment data show that the creation of a MOOC course with appropriate dissemination has attracted dozens of interested people from different parts of the world.[ES] Los resultados de los proyectos europeos suelen ser presentados en extensos entregables, dificultando que las personas interesadas puedan entender las metodologías seguidas y los resultados obtenidos. En los últimos años se ha incrementado notablemente la utilización de cursos en línea masivos y abiertos (MOOCs) como herramienta educacional, en cierto aspecto de forma necesaria por las restricciones vividas durante la pandemia de COVID-19. En este trabajo se muestran las directrices para la generación de un MOOC como resultado de un proyecto europeo Marie Skłodowska-Curie en el que han participado diferentes instituciones de cuatro países europeos. Los datos de matriculación en el curso muestran que la creación de un curso MOOC con su debida publicidad ha atraído a decenas de personas interesadas de diferentes partes del planeta.La financiación ha sido aportada por la ayuda BES-2017-081920 financiada por MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 y por la Comisión Europea a través del proyecto MAIL H2020-MSCA-RISE2018 (grant agreement 823805).Carbonell Rivera, JP.; Torralba Pérez, J.; Ruiz Fernández, LÁ. (2022). Generación de un curso en línea masivo y abierto (MOOC) como resultado de una acción Marie Skłodowska-Curie. En In-Red 2022 - VIII Congreso Nacional de Innovación Educativa y Docencia en Red. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1291-1299. https://doi.org/10.4995/INRED2022.2022.158491291129

Infrequent loss of luminal differentiation in ductal breast cancer metastasis

Lymph node involvement is a major prognostic variable in breast cancer. Whether the molecular mechanisms that drive breast cancer cells to colonize lymph nodes are shared with their capacity to form distant metastases is yet to be established. In a transcriptomic survey aimed at identifying molecular factors associated with lymph node involvement of ductal breast cancer, we found that luminal differentiation, assessed by the expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and/or progesterone receptor (PR) and GATA3, was only infrequently lost in node-positive primary tumors and in matched lymph node metastases. The transcription factor GATA3 critically determines luminal lineage specification of mammary epithelium and is widely considered a tumor and metastasis suppressor in breast cancer. Strong expression of GATA3 and ER in a majority of primary node-positive ductal breast cancer was corroborated by quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry in the initial sample set, and by immunohistochemistry in an additional set from 167 patients diagnosed of node-negative and -positive primary infiltrating ductal breast cancer, including 102 samples from loco-regional lymph node metastases matched to their primary tumors, as well as 37 distant metastases. These observations suggest that loss of luminal differentiation is not a major factor driving the ability of breast cancer cells to colonize regional lymph nodes

Interplay between genetics and lifestyle on pain susceptibility in women with fibromyalgia: the al-Ándalus project

This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (I + D+i DEP2010-15639, I + D+i DEP2013-40908-R to M.D.-F.; BES-2014-067612 to F.E.-L.), the Spanish Ministry of Education (FPU13/03410 to D.S.-T.; FPU15/0002 to B.G.-C.), the Consejeria de Turismo, Comercio y Deporte, Junta de Andalucia (CTCD-201000019242-TRA to M.D.-F.), the Consejeria de Salud, Junta de Andalucia (PI-0520-2016 to M.D.-F.) and the University of Granada, Plan Propio de Investigacion 2016, Excellence actions: Units of Excellence; Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES). The funders of the present study did not have any role in the study design, data collection and analyses, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.Objectives. It is widely acknowledged that the experience of pain is promoted by both genetic susceptibility and environmental factors such as engaging in physical activity (PA), and that pain-related cognitions are also important. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to test the association of 64 polymorphisms (34 candidate genes) and the gene–gene, gene–PA and gene–sedentary behaviour interactions with pain and pain-related cognitions in women with FM. Methods. Saliva samples from 274 women with FM [mean (S.D.) age 51.7 (7.7) years] were collected for extracting DNA. We measured PA and sedentary behaviour by accelerometers for a week, pain with algometry and questionnaires, and pain-related cognitions with questionnaires. To assess the robustness of the results, a meta-analysis was also performed. Results. The rs6311 and rs6313 polymorphisms (5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A, HTR2A) were individually related to algometer scores. The interaction of rs4818 (catechol-O-methyltransferase, COMT) and rs1799971 (opioid receptor l gene, OPRM1) was related to pain catastrophizing. Five gene–behaviour interactions were significant: the interactions of sedentary behaviour with rs1383914 (adrenoceptor alpha 1A, ADRA1A), rs6860 (charged multivesicular body protein 1A, CHMP1A), rs4680 (COMT), rs165599 (COMT) and rs12994338 (SCN9A) on bodily pain subscale of the Short Form 36. Furthermore, the meta-analysis showed an association between rs4680 (COMT) and severity of FM symptoms (codominant model, P-value 0.032). Conclusion. The HTR2A gene (individually), COMT and OPRM1 gene–gene interaction, and the interactions of sedentary behaviour with ADRA1A, CHMP1A, COMT and SCN9A genes were associated with pain-related outcomes. Collectively, findings from the present study indicate a modest contribution of genetics and gene– sedentary behaviour interaction to pain and pain catastrophizing in women with FM. Future research should examine whether reducing sedentary behaviour is particularly beneficial for reducing pain in women with genetic susceptibility to pain.Spanish Government I + D+i DEP2010-15639 I + D+i DEP2013-40908-R BES-2014-067612 FPU13/03410 FPU15/0002Junta de Andalucia CTCD-201000019242-TRA PI-0520-2016University of Granada, Plan Propio de InvestigacionUnit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES

El Trabajo de Fin de Grado en la Facultad de Derecho: experiencias y vivencias

El trabajo desarrollado en la Red analiza y evalúa el desarrollo e implementación de la asignatura de Trabajo Fin de Grado en las titulaciones de la Facultad de Derecho. Éste ha sido el primer año de su implantación y la gestión y evaluación del mismo han generado algunas incidencias que han puesto de manifiesto la necesidad de mejorar su gestión y aplicación. Distintos factores han influido a la hora de realizar una valoración del desarrollo del TFG en la Facultad de Derecho. En este sentido la existencia de una aplicación informática UA Project que facilita la gestión del mismo se valora como positiva. Sin embargo la misma presenta algunos inconvenientes que requieren de su revisión en el sentido que se plantea en el trabajo. Plantear estratégicamente una mínima formación del alumnado en el desarrollo del TFG se nos presenta como ineludible para conseguir unos resultados satisfactorios. A tal fin este trabajo realiza algunas propuestas de mejora que abundan en la necesidad de prestigiar el TFG