Paleoenvironmental analysis of an Early Pliocene section in the Águilas Basin (Eastern Betic Cordillera)

La sección de El Barcelón, localizada en el sector interno del Arco de Águilas (Cordillera Bética oriental), registra la reinundación pliocena. Consta de una unidad basal de conglomerados, A, y una unidad B de margas limosas y areniscas glauconíticas. Los rasgos icnológicos esculpidos sobre los bloques de la unidad A, atribuibles a la icnofacies de Entobia, sugieren una transgresión rápida. En la unidad B se han reconocido tres asociaciones de foraminíferos bentónicos: una asociación I propia de ambientes epibatiales, seguida de la II, propia de medios circalitorales, y finalmente, una asociación III, infralitoral. En general, las asociaciones apuntan a condiciones eutróficas, con estrés ambiental, y a episodios de corrientes energéticas en el fondo.The Barcelón section, located at the inner sector of the Águilas Arc (Eastern Betic Cordillera), records the Pliocene reflooding. This section comprises a basal unit A, made up of conglomerates, overlain by unit B, consisting of silty marls and glauconitic sandstones. Ichnological traits sculptured over blocks of unit A are attributable to the Entobia ichnofacies, and suggest a rapid transgression. In unit B three benthic foraminiferal assemblages are recognized: an assemblage I, related to epibathyal settings, followed by a circalittoral one, II, and finally, an infralittoral assemblage, III. Overall features point to eutrophic conditions, environmental stress at the bottom, and events of high energy bottom-currents

The northeastern sector of the Guadalquivir Foreland Basin (Betic Cordillera, Late Miocene): stratigraphy, chronology and sedimentary evolution

Estudios estratigráficos y sedimentológicos de afloramiento y el análisis paleoecológico y bioestratigráfico mediante foraminíferos, han permitido realizar una reinterpretación sedimentaria de las unidades de margas y areniscas miocenas del sector nororiental de la Cuenca del Guadalquivir. El relleno sedimentario ha sido dividido en cuatro unidades litoestratigráficas (I-IV), todas ellas depositadas durante el Tortoniense, entre 10 y 7.89 Ma, aproximadamente. La Unidad I (Tortoniense antiguo no basal) está fomada por arenas y calizas de algas, y es interpretada como una unidad transgresiva y expansiva sobre el basamento que evoluciona desde ambientes marinos someros a rampa de carbonatos tipo rhodalgal. La Unidad II (Tortoniense inferior, biozona MMi11: entre 10 y 9.54 Ma) está caracterizada por una alternancia rítmica de margas arcillosas y silíceas, depositadas en ambientes pelágicos y profundos de aguas frías-eutróficas, si bien con repetidos cambios en la estratificación y distribución de nutrientes en la columna de agua. Esta unidad registra una importante somerización en su parte superior, dando paso gradual a la Unidad III. La Unidad III (Tortoniense inferior, biozonaMMi11: desde 9.54 Ma) está dominada por areniscas, aunque lateralmente aparecen brechas intraformacionales con estratos contorsionados. Está nutrida por deltas desde la costa y se interpreta como el depósito de bancos arenosos movilizados por la acción de corrientes mareales y el oleaje de tormentas en rampas. La Unidad IV (Tortoniense superior, biozona MMi12: desde 8.35 Ma) está representada por margas pelágicas similares a las de la Unidad II, de la que difiere por la presencia de intercalaciones arenosas genéticamente relacionadas con procesos mareales y de tormentas.A sedimentary revision of the marls and sandstone Miocene Units from the northeastern part of the Guadalquivir basin is here reported. Stratigraphical and sedimentological studies from field outcrop and biostratigraphical and palaeoecological analysis from field samples support the interpretations and results. The sedimentary infilling of the studied part of the basin is divided into four lihostratigraphic units (I to IV). Unit I (Lowermost Tortonian) is mainly represented by calcareous sandstone interpreted as the deposition at coastal systems vertically evolving to rhodalgal ramp environment. Unit II (Lower Tortonian, biozone MMi11: ca. 10-9.54 Ma) is formed by a rhythmite of silty and siliceous marls deposited in pelagic conditions of cold-eutrophic water. Foraminifera record a basinal shallowing from deep water. Heterolithic Unit III (Lower Tortonian, biozoneMMi11: since 9.54Ma) mainly consist of sandstones but slumped brecchias and marls laterally also occur. It is interpreted as sand banks or sand crestal ridges fed from northern margin deltas and controlled by tidal and storm currents in a starved pelagic ramp. Unit IV (Upper Tortonian, biozone MMi12: since 8.35 Ma) is mainly marly and the sedimentary interpretation is analogue to that of Unit III but in a deeper ramp.El estudio se ha financiado por el Proyecto de Investigación CGL2009-07830/BTE (Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia, y Fondos Europeos de Desarrollo Regional-FEDER) y por el Grupo de Investigación RNM-200 (F.G.) de la Junta de Andalucía

Unified Compact ECC-AES Co-Processor with Group-Key Support for IoT Devices in Wireless Sensor Networks

Security is a critical challenge for the effective expansion of all new emerging applications in the Internet of Things paradigm. Therefore, it is necessary to define and implement different mechanisms for guaranteeing security and privacy of data interchanged within the multiple wireless sensor networks being part of the Internet of Things. However, in this context, low power and low area are required, limiting the resources available for security and thus hindering the implementation of adequate security protocols. Group keys can save resources and communications bandwidth, but should be combined with public key cryptography to be really secure. In this paper, a compact and unified co-processor for enabling Elliptic Curve Cryptography along to Advanced Encryption Standard with low area requirements and Group-Key support is presented. The designed co-processor allows securing wireless sensor networks with independence of the communications protocols used. With an area occupancy of only 2101 LUTs over Spartan 6 devices from Xilinx, it requires 15% less area while achieving near 490% better performance when compared to cryptoprocessors with similar features in the literature

Web-GIS approach to preventive conservation of heritage buildings

The effective implementation of preventive conservation approaches demands the employment of standardized and robust tools able to integrate the data coming from multiple sources, inspection and diagnosis techniques, as well as to ensure the proper information transfer between expert and non-expert users. Aiming to make a step forward in the state of the art of current conservation approaches, a cutting edge Web-GIS technology resorting to the intuitiveness of 360° panoramas and 3D point clouds in combination with the Internet of Things is presented in this work, demonstrating how physical and digital worlds can be linked for proper documentation and management of cultural heritage. To validate such a pioneering approach, one of the most representative and complex heritage buildings of Spain is used as a case study: the General Historical Library of Salamanca.This work was financed by ERDF funds through the V Sudoe Interreg program within the framework of the HeritageCare project (Ref. SOE1/P5/P0258), by project Patrimonio 5.0 (SA075P17), by FEDER funds through the Competitive Factors Operational Program (COMPETE) and by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) within the scope of projects POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007633. The authors would like to express their gratitude to the personnel from the General Historical Library of the University of Salamanca as well as to the Centre for Computer Graphics of the University of Minho for the web implementation of the platform

Voltammetric determination of size and particle concentration of Cd-based quantum dots

In this article, we present two novel methodologies, using a simple electrochemical approach, for the determination of the size and particle concentration of Cd-based Quantum Dots (QDs), nanoparticles widely used as photoluminescent labels in many bioanalytical applications. Such QDs were analyzed directly in organic medium and in water after derivatization with an amphiphilic polymer. Screenprinted carbon electrodes modified with a bismuth film were employed as the electrochemical platform. The herein proposed methodologies allow the reliable determination of very low nanoparticle concentrations. Detection limits achieved with the selected experimental conditions were of 3.0 1012 nanoparticles mL1 for CdSe QDs dispersed in organic medium and of 6.0 1012 nanoparticles mL1 for water-solubilized CdSe/ZnS QDs (both with a core size of 3.26 nm). However, detection limits could be improved increasing the QDs sample volume or the voltammetric deposition time. Furthermore, the proposed methodologies allowed the determination of the CdSe QDs diameters. Results obtained were validated after comparison with standard spectroscopic approaches. The electrochemical characterization of QDs, disclosed in this work, allows to perform a synthesis control with a simple, inexpensive and fast approach

Guía Global de Practicum en Enfermería. Una necesidad para el aprendizaje y la evaluación

El alumnado acude a la Universidad con intención de adquirir competencias profesionales. Planteamos el currículo de titulación y su contenido y el método deben traducirse eficazmente en la práctica. Si encontramos un vacío provocamos un “shock de realidad.” Para evitarlo surge el consenso de Guía de Practicum con los Centros Sanitarios, la adquisición secuencial de competencias y la figura del Tutor Clínico coordinado con el profesorado. Este trabajo tiene como objetivo elaborar una Guía Académica Global del Practicum que fomente la participación activa entre los profesores UA, tutores clínicos y alumnado. Se ha realizado un análisis del contenido de 13 guías académicas. En el Practicum de cuarto han participado 41 profesores y existen 4 guías; en tercero han participado 31 profesores y existen 5 guías; en segundo 62 profesores con 4 guías académicas. Actualmente registrados en la aplicación informática y con asignación de estudiantes existen 1859 tutores clínicos en los distintos puestos de prácticas. El tipo de evaluación realizada es 100% continua. Como conclusión decir que, unificar criterios con el profesorado, formación de tutores, secuenciar objetivos por complejidad, seguimiento/evaluación de competencias coordinados UA/Empresas e Instituciones Sanitarias, investigación e innovación, son una necesidad para la calidad del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje