A new battery-charging method suggested by molecular dynamics simulations

Based on large-scale molecular dynamics simulations, we propose a new charging method that should be capable of charging a Lithium-ion battery in a fraction of the time needed when using traditional methods. This charging method uses an additional applied oscillatory electric field. Our simulation results show that this charging method offers a great reduction in the average intercalation time for Li+ ions, which dominates the charging time. The oscillating field not only increases the diffusion rate of Li+ ions in the electrolyte but, more importantly, also enhances intercalation by lowering the corresponding overall energy barrier.Comment: 11 pages, 5 figure

Experiments on document level machine translation

Most of the current SMT systems work at sentence level. They translate a text assuming that sentences are independent, but, when one looks at a well formed document, it is clear that there exist many inter sentence relations. There is much contextual information that, unfortunately, is lost when translating sentences in an independent way. We want to improve translation coherence and cohesion using document level information. So, we are interested in develop new strategies to take advantage of context information to achieve our goal. For example, we want to approach this challenge developing postprocesses in order to try to fix a first translation obtained by an SMT system. Also we are interested in taking advantage of the document level translation framework given by the Docent decoder to implement and test some of our ideas. The analogous problem can be found regarding to automatic MT evaluation metrics because most of them are designed at sentence level so, they do not capture improvements in lexical cohesion and coherence or discourse structure. However, we will left this topic for future workPreprin

On some noteworthy alpine or subalpine Hyaloscyphaceae (Leotiales) found in the Pyrenees

Se describen, ilustran y comentan cuatro especies pertenecientes a Hyaloscyphaceae (Leotiales), procedentes de comunidades alpinas y subalpinas de Cataluña y Andorra, nunca antes citadas en la Península Ibérica. Se trata de Lachnum latebricola (Rehm) R. Galán et Raitv., Hyalopeziza nectrioidea (Rehm) Raschle, Incrupila dennisii (Müller) Müller y Lachnellula fuscosanguinea (Rehm) Dennis.Four alpine and subalpine species of the Hyaloscyphaceae (Leotiales, Ascomycotina) are described, illustrated and discussed. They wete collected in Catalonia and Andorra, and they are never been previously reported from the Iberian Peninsula. These are: Lachnum latebricola (Rehm) R. Galán et Raitv., Hyalopeziza nectrioidea (Rehm) Raschle, Incrupila dennisii (Müller) Müller and Lachnellula fuscosanguinea (Rehm) Dennis

Document-level machine translation with word vector models

In this paper we apply distributional semantic information to document-level machine translation. We train monolingual and bilingual word vector models on large corpora and we evaluate them first in a cross-lingual lexical substitution task and then on the final translation task. For translation, we incorporate the semantic information in a statistical document-level decoder (Docent), by enforcing translation choices that are semantically similar to the context. As expected, the bilingual word vector models are more appropriate for the purpose of translation. The final document-level translator incorporating the semantic model outperforms the basic Docent (without semantics) and also performs slightly over a standard sentence level SMT system in terms of ULC (the average of a set of standard automatic evaluation metrics for MT). Finally, we also present some manual analysis of the translations of some concrete documentsPeer ReviewedPostprint (published version

On some noteworthy alpine or subalpine Hyaloscyphaceae (Leotiales) found in the Pyrenees

Four alpine and subalpine species of the Hyaloscyphaceae (Leotiales, Ascomycotina) are described, illustrated and discussed. They wete collected in Catalonia and Andorra, and they are never been previously reported from the Iberian Peninsula. These are: Lachnum latebricola (Rehm) R. Galán et Raitv., Hyalopeziza nectrioidea (Rehm) Raschle, Incrupila dennisii (Müller) Müller and Lachnellula fuscosanguinea (Rehm) Dennis.Se describen, ilustran y comentan cuatro especies pertenecientes a Hyaloscyphaceae (Leotiales), procedentes de comunidades alpinas y subalpinas de Cataluña y Andorra, nunca antes citadas en la Península Ibérica. Se trata de Lachnum latebricola (Rehm) R. Galán et Raitv., Hyalopeziza nectrioidea (Rehm) Raschle, Incrupila dennisii (Müller) Müller y Lachnellula fuscosanguinea (Rehm) Dennis

A database and digital signal processing framework for the perceptual analysis of voice quality

Bermúdez de Alvear RM, Corral J, Tardón LJ, Barbancho AM, Fernández Contreras E, Rando Márquez S, Martínez-Arquero AG, Barbancho I. A database and digital signal processing framework for the perceptual analysis of voice quality. Pan European Voice Conferenc: PEVOC 11 Abstract Book. Aug. 31-Sept.2, 2015.Introduction. Clinical assessment of dysphonia relies on perceptual as much as instrumental methods of analysis [1]. The perceptual auditory analysis is potentially subject to several internal and external sources of bias [2]. Furthermore acoustic analyses which have been used to objectively characterize pathological voices are likely to be affected by confusion variables such as the signal processing or the hardware and software specifications [3]. For these reasons the poor correlation between perceptual ratings and acoustic measures remains to be a controversial matter [4]. The availability of annotated databases of voice samples is therefore of main importance for clinical and research purposes. Databases to perform digital processing of the vocal signal are usually built from English speaking subjects’ sustained vowels [5]. However phonemes vary from one language to another and to the best of our knowledge there are no annotated databases with Spanish sustained vowels from healthy or dysphonic voices. This work shows our first steps to fill in this gap. For the aim of aiding clinicians and researchers in the perceptual assessment of voice quality a two-fold objective was attained. On the one hand a database of healthy and disordered Spanish voices was developed; on the other an automatic analysis scheme was accomplished on the basis of signal processing algorithms and supervised learning machine techniques. Material and methods. A preliminary annotated database was created with 119 recordings of the sustained Spanish /a/; they were perceptually labeled by three experienced experts in vocal quality analysis. It is freely available under Links in the ATIC website (www.atic.uma.es). Voice signals were recorded using a headset condenser cardioid microphone (AKG C-544 L) positioned at 5 cm from the speaker’s mouth commissure. Speakers were instructed to sustain the Spanish vowel /a/ for 4 seconds. The microphone was connected to a digital recorder Edirol R-09HR. Voice signals were digitized at 16 bits with 44100 Hz sampling rate. Afterwards the initial and last 0.5 second segments were cut and the 3 sec. mid portion was selected for acoustic analysis. Sennheiser HD219 headphones were used by judges to perceptually evaluate voice samples. To label these recordings raters used the Grade-Roughness-Breathiness (GRB) perceptual scale which is a modified version of the original Hirano’s GRBAS scale, posteriorly modified by Dejonckere et al., [6]. In order to improve intra- and inter-raters’ agreement two types of modifications were introduced in the rating procedure, i.e. the 0-3 points scale resolution was increased by adding subintervals to the standard 0-3 intervals, and judges were provided with a written protocol with explicit definitions about the subintervals boundaries. By this way judges could compensate for the potential instability that might occur in their internal representations due to the perceptual context influence [7]. Raters’ perceptual evaluations were simultaneously performed by means of connecting the Sennheiser HD219 headphones to a multi-channel headphone preamp Behringer HA4700 Powerplay Pro-XL. The Yin algorithm [8] was selected as initial front-end to identify voiced frames and extract their fundamental frequency. For the digital processing of voice signals some conventional acoustic parameters [6] were selected. To complete the analysis the Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC) were further calculated because they are based on the auditory model and they are thus closer to the auditory system response than conventional features. Results. In the perceptual evaluation excellent intra-raters agreement and very good inter-raters agreement were achieved. During the supervised machine learning stage some conventional features were found to attain unexpected low performance in the classification scheme selected. Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients were promising for assorting samples with normal or quasi-normal voice quality. Discussion and conclusions. Despite it is still small and unbalanced the present annotated data base of voice samples can provide a basis for the development of other databases and automatic classification tools. Other authors [9, 10, 11] also found that modeling the auditory non-linear response during signal processing can help develop objective measures that better correspond with perceptual data. However highly disordered voices classification remains to be a challenge for this set of features since they cannot be correctly assorted by either conventional variables or the auditory model based measures. Current results warrant further research in order to find out the usability of other types of voice samples and features for the automatic classification schemes. Different digital processing steps could be used to improve the classifiers performance. Additionally other types of classifiers could be taken into account in future studies. Acknowledgment. This work was funded by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Project No. TIN2013-47276-C6-2-R has been done in the Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech, Universidad de Málaga. References [1] Carding PN, Wilson JA, MacKenzie K, Deary IJ. Measuring voice outcomes: state of the science review. The Journal of Laryngology and Otology 2009;123,8:823-829. [2] Oates J. Auditory-perceptual evaluation of disordered voice quality: pros, cons and future directions. Folia Phoniatrica et Logopaedica 2009;61,1:49-56. [3] Maryn et al. Meta-analysis on acoustic voice quality measures. J Acoust Soc Am 2009; 126, 5: 2619-2634. [4] Vaz Freitas et al. Correlation Between Acoustic and Audio-Perceptual Measures. J Voice 2015;29,3:390.e1 [5] “Multi-Dimensional Voice Program (MDVP) Model 5105. Software Instruction Manual”, Kay PENTAX, A Division of PENTAX Medical Company, 2 Bridgewater Lane, Lincoln Park, NJ 07035-1488 USA, November 2007. [6] Dejonckere PH, Bradley P, Clemente P, Cornut G, Crevier-Buchman L, Friedrich G, Van De Heyning P, Remacle M, Woisard V. A basic protocol for functional assessment of voice pathology, especially for investigating the efficacy of (phonosurgical) treatments and evaluating new assessment techniques. Guideline elaborated by the Comm. on Phoniatrics of the European Laryngological Society (ELS). Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2001;258:77–82. [7] Kreiman et al. Voice Quality Perception. J Speech Hear Res 1993;36:21-4 [8] De Cheveigné A, Kawahara H. YIN, a fundamental frequency estimator for speech and music. J. Acoust. Soc. Amer. 202; 111,4:1917. [9] Shrivastav et al. Measuring breathiness. J Acoust Soc Am 2003;114,4:2217-2224. [10] Saenz-Lechon et al. Automatic Assessment of voice quality according to the GRBAS scale. Eng Med Biol Soc Ann 2006;1:2478-2481. [11] Fredouille et al. Back-and-forth methodology for objective voice quality assessment: from/to expert knowledge to/from automatic classification of dysphonia. EURASIP J Appl Si Pr 2009.Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech, Universidad de Málaga. Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Projecto No. TIN2013-47276-C6-2-R

Retrospective estimation of initial COVID-19 infections in the Santiago Metropolitan Region in Chile

Objetivo: Estimar los casos diarios de COVID-19 durante el primer año de pandemia en Santiago Región Metropolitana (SRM) y en Chile con cifras más realistas que las registradas oficialmente. Método: Estimación retrospectiva de los casos diarios a partir de los datos diarios de fallecimientos por COVID-19, un estudio de seroprevalencia y el algoritmo REMEDID (Retrospective Methodology to Estimate Daily Infections from Deaths). Resultados: En SRM se observa que: 1) el pico máximo de contagios fue superior al doble del registrado en las estadísticas oficiales; 2) dicho pico se alcanzó el 22 de mayo de 2020 (IC95%: 20 a 24 de mayo), esto es, 24 días antes de la fecha oficial del pico de contagios; y 3) el primer contagio estimado tuvo lugar el 28 de enero de 2020 (IC95%: 21 de enero a 16 de febrero), esto es, 36 días antes de la fecha oficial. En Chile, la situación es similar. Durante la primera ola, SRM concentró el 70-76% de los infectados de Chile, mientras que a partir de agosto de 2020 solo concentró el 36-39%. Conclusiones: Los registros oficiales de casos de COVID-19 en SRM y Chile infravaloraron el número real de positivos y mostraron un retraso de alrededor de un mes en la dinámica de contagios. Esta no es una situación aislada, ya que se sabe que también ha sido así en otros países. No obstante, es importante disponer de estimaciones fidedignas para una correcta modelización de la expansión del virus.Objective: Estimate daily infections of COVID-19 during the first year of the pandemic in the Santiago Metropolitan Region (SRM) in Chile and Chile that are more realistic than those officially registered. Method: Retrospective estimate of daily infections from daily data on COVID-19 deaths, a seroprevalence study, and the REMEDID (Retrospective Methodology to Estimate Daily Infections from Deaths) algorithm. Results: In SRM, it is observed that: 1) the maximum peak of infections was more than double that registered in the official statistics; 2) such peak was reached on May 22 (95% CI: 20–24 May), 2022, that is, 24 days before the official date of the peak of infections; and 3) the first estimated contagion took place on January 28, 2020 (95% CI: January 21 to February 16), that is, 36 days before the official date. In Chile, the situation is similar. During the first wave SRM accounted for 70%–76% of those infected in Chile, while from August 2020 onwards it accounted for 36%–39%. Conclusions: The official records of COVID-19 infections in SRM and Chile underestimated the real number of positives and showed a delay of about a month in the dynamics of infections. This is not an isolated situation, as it is known to have been the case in other countries as well. However, it is important to have reliable estimates for a correct modeling of the spread of the virus.J. Márquez ha recibido una beca de doctorado otorgada por la Dirección de Cooperación Internacional de la Universidad Viña del Mar, Chile. Este estudio ha estado parcialmente financiado por la Universidad de Alicante (contrato COVID-19 2020-41.30.6P.0016) y parcialmente realizado en el Laboratorio Marino UA-Dénia https://web.ua.es/es/marlabdenia/ (Acuerdo Ajuntament de Dénia-Conselleria de Medio Ambiente, Agua, Infraestructuras y Territorio de la Generalitat Valenciana)

Adaptation of Urban High-density Neighbourhoods in Nodes of Sustainable Intelligent Mobility Condensers

In Europe and since the early twentieth century, municipal mobility policies have provided underground parking and public transport to many of the rapidly built social neighbourhoods between 1960 and 1980, which were planned lacking them. However, the climatic emergency requires new approaches that reduce CO2 emissions. This paper sets out the steps for the implementation of an Intelligent Mobility Condenser (IMC) in an existing neighbourhood. IMCs combine connectivity to public transport, together with the creation of a transport cooperative that meets the mobility needs of its neighbours without the need to own a private car. Similar to car-sharing, the IMC offers hybrid, electric, solar cars, along with motorcycles and electric bicycles. This together with a digital platform that facilitates the management of their needs. On the other hand, IMCs are automatic surface parkings, with solar collection and urban gardens, which, being high-access nodes in the neighbourhood, allow the incorporation of community, social and commercial spaces. The paper discusses the results based on the economic and environmental benefits of the model, and the threats of its implementation due to the difficulties of giving up the private car.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Facile preparation of electrodes based on WO3 nanostructures modified with C and S used as anode materials for Li-ion batteries

[EN] An appropriate morphological and structure matrix configuration where lithium ions could insert and de-insert is essential for lithium-ion batteries (LiB). Tungsten oxides (WO3) are especially attractive materials for this aim. In this research, the effects of the morphology and composition of WO3 nanostructures on the charge/discharge behavior for Li-ion batteries are methodically examined. On the one hand, nanostructured WO3 thin film was effectively synthesized by an electrochemical procedure. Then, an annealing treatment at 600°C in air environment for 4 h was carried out. In the second electrode synthesized, a carbon layer was uniformly deposited on WO3 nanostructures to obtain a WO3/C electrode. Finally, WO3/WS2 electrodes were prepared by means of in situ sulfurization of WO3 one-step solid-state synthesis using tungsten trioxide (WO3) and thiourea as precursor material. By using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectra, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy, the three electrodes have been morphologically characterized. Electrochemical properties were analyzed by cyclic voltammogram, galvanostatic charge/discharge cycling, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Among all the synthesized samples, WO3/C nanostructures reveal the best performance as they exhibit the greatest discharge capacity and cycle performance (820 mA h g¿1).UPV for the concession of a postdoctoral, Grant/Award Number: PAID-10-21; Ministerio de Universidades for the concession of the predoctoral, Grant/Award Number: FPU19/02466; Comunitat Valenciana, Grant/Award Number: IDIFEDER/18/044Roselló-Márquez, G.; García-García, D.; Cifre-Herrando, M.; Blasco-Tamarit, E.; Garcia-Anton, J. (2023). Facile preparation of electrodes based on WO3 nanostructures modified with C and S used as anode materials for Li-ion batteries. Journal of the American Ceramic Society. 106(4):2550-2566. https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.1891025502566106

Degradation of Diazinon based on photoelectrocatalytic technique using enhanced WO3 nanostructures: Mechanism and pathway

[EN] In this work, a resistant and toxic pesticide called diazinon was degraded through the photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) technique using tungsten oxide (WO3) nanostructures, applying an external bias of 1VAg/AgCl and simulated solar illumination. For this, WO3 nanostructures have been synthesized using electrochemical anodization in 0.05 M hydrogen peroxide and 1.5 M of different acidic electrolytes: H2SO4, CH4O3S or HNO3. Morphology, composition and crystallinity of the samples were evaluated through Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FE-SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Raman Spectroscopy. Then, the photoelectrochemical properties of the samples were analyzed by Photo-Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (PEIS). The conclusion obtained with these studies was that the nanostructures obtained in the CH4O3S-H2O2 electrolyte presented better photoelectrochemical behavior than the others. The degradation process was checked by UV-Visible, and through Ultra High-Performanc liquid Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS) the courses of the experiments have been controlled and five possible degradation intermediates have been identified. Finally, after 24 h of experiment, 90% degradation efficiency has been achieved, since it has been possible to decrease from 20 ppm to 2 ppm.Authors would like to show their gratitude for the financial support to the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (Project code: PID2019105844RB-I00) in the acquisition of Laser Raman Microscope (UPOV083E-012) and for the co-finance by the European Social Fund. Authors would also want to express thanks the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades (Project Code: CTQ2017-90659-REDT) and the Generalitat Valenciana for its support in the Atomic Force Microscope and UHPLC-Q-TOF/MS purchase (IDIFEDER/2018/044). Ramon M. Fernandez Domene also express gratitude to the Universitat Politecnica de Valencia (UPV) for the post-doctoral granting (PAID-10-17) and Gemma Rosello Marquez also thanks the Generalitat Valenciana for the pre-doctoral granting (ACIF/2018/159).Roselló-Márquez, G.; Fernández-Domene, RM.; Sánchez-Tovar, R.; Cifre-Herrando, M.; Garcia-Anton, J. (2021). Degradation of Diazinon based on photoelectrocatalytic technique using enhanced WO3 nanostructures: Mechanism and pathway. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering. 9(4):1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2021.105371S1129