Energy Production, Ecological Footprint and Socio-Economic Transformation of the Territory in an Organic Economy. The Case Study of Early Modern Madrid.

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the impact of Madrid’s fuel demand on the near surrounding territory in the early modern period, both from an economic and an ecological viewpoint. Fuel supply (charcoal and timber) to Madrid required the raising of resources from a vast territory of inland Spain, and caused a process of specialization of forests in fuel extraction and commercialization. The economic structures of the villages of Castile adapted to the rising needs, and rural populations could take an active part in transportation of fuel and charcoal production. This paper also aims to define the area affected by the city’s charcoal production in order to analyze the ecological footprint in an organic economy.energy history, ecological footprint, forest history, urban supply, preindustrial transport.

Kinetic study of pilot-scale supercritical CO2 extraction of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) leaves

NOTICE: This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Journal of Supercritical Fluids. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Journal of Supercritical Fluids, 55 (2011). http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.supflu.2010.09.030Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) extracts were obtained in a supercritical pilot-scale plant. Based on experimental information available in the literature for analytical or low-scale processes, extraction temperature and pressure were selected to be 313 K and 30 MPa. At these extraction conditions, the kinetic behavior of the pilot-scale overall extraction curve were determined with respect to yield, antioxidant activity and carnosic acid content. The overall extraction curve was represented using Sovova’s model; the average deviation between measured and calculated yields was lower than 2%. Mass transfer coefficients in the fluid and solid phases were determined and were compared with previous data reported in the literature for low-scale rosemary supercritical extraction. A two-stage depressurization procedure was accomplished and the effect of both on-line fractionation and extraction time on the antioxidant activity of the samples collected was studied. The antioxidant activity of the different fractions could be straight correlated with the carnosic acid content with a regression coefficient of 0.92This work has been financed by Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (ALIBIRD-S2009/AGR-1469) and project FUN-C-FOOD, CSD2007-00063 (CONSOLIDER-INGENIO) from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Spain

A Bayesian Technique for Real and Integer Parameters Estimation in Linear Models and its Application to GNSS High Precision Positioning

A novel Bayesian technique for the joint estimation of real and integer parameters in a linear measurement model is presented. The integer parameters take values on a finite set, and the real ones are assumed to be a Gaussian random vector. The posterior distribution of these parameters is sequentially determined as new measurements are incorporated. This is a mixed distribution with a Gaussian continuous part and a discrete one. Estimators for the integer and real parameters are derived from this posterior distribution. A Maximum A Posteriori (MAP) estimator modified with the addition of a confidence threshold is used for the integer part and a Minimum Mean Squared Error (MMSE) is used for the real parameters. Two different cases are addressed: i) both real and integer parameters are time invariant and ii) the integer parameters are time invariant but the real ones are time varying. Our technique is applied to the GNSS carrier phase ambiguity resolution problem, that is key for high precision positioning applications. The good performance of the proposed technique is illustrated through simulations in different scenarios where different kind of measurements as well as different satellite visibility conditions are considered. Comparisons with state-of-the-art ambiguity solving algorithms confirm performance improvement. The new method is shown to be useful not only in the estimation stage but also for validating the estimates ensuring a predefined success rate through proper threshold selection.Facultad de Ingenierí

Multi-antenna GNSS Receiver Tracking Algorithm for Vehicles With Unconstrained Three-dimensional Motion

An algorithm for GNSS GPS/GLONASS receivers is presented that allows the receiver to seamlessly combine the inputs from multiple antennas during signal tracking in order to keep full sky visibility at all times. This algorithm has applications for both aeronautical and space applications in all kinds of vehicles with unconstrained three-dimensional motion capabilities: high maneuverability jet aircraft, rockets, satellites, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), etc. The algorithm presented here keeps track of the received signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) and carrier phase on each of the antennas. For each set of correlation values the receiver selects the input antenna with the best SNR in order to do navigation message decoding and ranging. This fast-switching antenna selection process allows the receiver to stay synchronized with the incoming satellite signal for as long as at least one of the antennas of the set is within line-of-sight of the transmitting satellite. Distributing enough antennas throughout the fuselage of a vehicle, this algorithm will ensure that the receiver does not lose synchronization with the GNSS signals even during threedimensional maneuvers like spins and attitude changes. This algorithm was implemented on a four-antenna GNSS receiver prototype hardware, and tested using a GNSS signal simulator. During these tests the multi-antenna tracking algorithm performed successfully. The results of some of these tests are presented in this paper.Instituto de Investigaciones en Electrónica, Control y Procesamiento de Señale

A Bayesian Technique for Real and Integer Parameters Estimation in Linear Models and its Application to GNSS High Precision Positioning

A novel Bayesian technique for the joint estimation of real and integer parameters in a linear measurement model is presented. The integer parameters take values on a finite set, and the real ones are assumed to be a Gaussian random vector. The posterior distribution of these parameters is sequentially determined as new measurements are incorporated. This is a mixed distribution with a Gaussian continuous part and a discrete one. Estimators for the integer and real parameters are derived from this posterior distribution. A Maximum A Posteriori (MAP) estimator modified with the addition of a confidence threshold is used for the integer part and a Minimum Mean Squared Error (MMSE) is used for the real parameters. Two different cases are addressed: i) both real and integer parameters are time invariant and ii) the integer parameters are time invariant but the real ones are time varying. Our technique is applied to the GNSS carrier phase ambiguity resolution problem, that is key for high precision positioning applications. The good performance of the proposed technique is illustrated through simulations in different scenarios where different kind of measurements as well as different satellite visibility conditions are considered. Comparisons with state-of-the-art ambiguity solving algorithms confirm performance improvement. The new method is shown to be useful not only in the estimation stage but also for validating the estimates ensuring a predefined success rate through proper threshold selection.Facultad de Ingenierí

Utilización de una FPGA para resolver posición diferencial mediante señales de GPS

Las técnicas de posicionamiento diferencial con GPS emplean dos receptores que están siguiendo los mismos satélites simultáneamente, para determinar sus coordenadas relativas, que denominaremos línea base, logrando una precisión mayor a la que se obtiene si se calcula la posición en cada punto por separado. Las técnicas diferenciales pueden ser de post-procesamiento o de tiempo real, en función de la aplicación; y pueden utilizar las mediciones de pseudo-rango, de fase de portadora, o ambas. En este trabajo nos enfocaremos en las técnicas de tiempo real, en particular a aquellas que emplean mediciones de pseudo-rango, que si bien son menos precisas que las que emplean fase de portadora, no son tan complejas de implementar y la mejora que se obtiene resulta muy útil en varias aplicaciones. Además, el prototipo que implementamos se puede utilizar, modifcando el software, con técnicas que utilizan fase de portadora.Eje: MicroelectrónicaFacultad de Ingenierí

Discretion in the application of the goodwill impairment test in European banks

In the absence of amortization of goodwill, the purpose of this study is to identify whether the impairment test was applied uniformly between 2005 and 2015 at the 45 biggest banks in Europe, during the first decade of IFRS application. Likewise, an attempt has been made to verify whether such application has been insufficient and late. Through a significant sample, statistical tools already widely used in other studies have been applied to contrast the behavior of entities. The results obtained show that impairment policies have been applied unevenly in each of the countries. These conclusions could support the return to a valuation pattern that takes into account the systematic amortization of goodwill, apart from its impairment. This paper reveals how impairment in European banks has been recognized during a crucial period of time that includes a major financial crisis. The study suggests a discretionary and opportunistic implementation of accounting regulations which does not reveal the economic conditions inherent to the financial activity of the leading European banks, making comparability difficult and, ultimately, making the financial information less relevant.Discrecionalidad en la aplicación del test de deterioro del fondo de comercio en la banca europea Dada la ausencia de amortización del fondo de comercio, el objetivo de esta investigación se concreta en identificar si el test de deterioro, entre los ejercicios 2005 y 2015, primera década de aplicación de las NIIF, ha sido aplicado de manera homogénea y coherente por los 45 mayores bancos europeos. Asimismo, se ha tratado de comprobar si dicha aplicación ha podido ser insuficiente y tardía. A través de una muestra significativa, se han aplicado herramientas estadísticas ampliamente utilizadas en otros estudios, para contrastar el comportamiento de las entidades. Los resultados obtenidos evidencian que las políticas de deterioro han sido aplicadas de manera desigual en cada país. Estas conclusiones podrían soportar la vuelta a un patrón de valoración que considerase la amortización sistemática del fondo de comercio, aparte de su deterioro. El trabajo muestra la aplicación del deterioro en los bancos europeos, durante un periodo temporal de especial importancia, puesto que incluye los años de crisis financiera. El estudio sugiere una implementación de la normativa contable que puede ser calificada de discrecional y oportunista en la contabilización del fondo de comercio