TECHNICAL AND STRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SPAIN'S DAIRY SECTOR: IMPLICATIONS FOR ENTRY INTO THE COMMON MARKET

This paper outlines the major trends experienced by Spain's dairy sector in recent decades. It offers tentative explanations of the factors accounting for these observed trends. Implications for the nation's dairy farm sector from entry into the EEC are examined. The paper concludes with some considerations on the possibilities to carry out the necessary technical and structural reforms needed to achieve a viable dairy sector before full application of the mechanisms for the Community's dairy policy takes place.Livestock Production/Industries,

Analyzing First-Person Stories Based on Socializing, Eating and Sedentary Patterns

First-person stories can be analyzed by means of egocentric pictures acquired throughout the whole active day with wearable cameras. This manuscript presents an egocentric dataset with more than 45,000 pictures from four people in different environments such as working or studying. All the images were manually labeled to identify three patterns of interest regarding people's lifestyle: socializing, eating and sedentary. Additionally, two different approaches are proposed to classify egocentric images into one of the 12 target categories defined to characterize these three patterns. The approaches are based on machine learning and deep learning techniques, including traditional classifiers and state-of-art convolutional neural networks. The experimental results obtained when applying these methods to the egocentric dataset demonstrated their adequacy for the problem at hand.Comment: Accepted at First International Workshop on Social Signal Processing and Beyond, 19th International Conference on Image Analysis and Processing (ICIAP), September 201

Microbial competition in environmental nosocomial reservoirs and diffusion capacity of OXA48-Klebsiella pneumoniae: potential impact on patients and possible control methods.

Introduction: We have found clusters of K. pneumoniae with OXA48-carbepenemase cases in some hospital rooms. We decided to investigate whether the bathroom siphons could be a reservoir for OXA48 bacteria by experimental and clinical follow of patients in two clinical Services in a tertiary hospitalMethods: Determination of the âmicrobial competitionâ between strains with OXA48 and VIM carbepenemases,  âdissemination capacityâ of K. pneumoniae with carbepenemase OXA48 or VIM, from hands to standard surfaces and âEpidemiological and microbiological studiesâ of patients and the sink in their rooms, in two Services of our hospital: Traumatology and Oncology.Results and discussion: Microbial competition studies showed that VIM-bacteria are inhibited by OXA-bacteria. We found a grand possibility of diffusion from contaminated hands, but it was more intense in OXA than VIM bacteria. These observations can explain the concentration of cases of OXA48-K. pneumoniae in some rooms in Traumatology and Oncology. The Risk-ratio was >3 between rooms with OXA48-bacteria-contaminated siphons and the other rooms. This risk was lowered after changing or disinfecting (heat plus chlorinated disinfectant) the contaminated siphons.In conclusion, bathroom siphons can be a reservoir of OXA48-K. pneumoniae and lead to outbreaks, which can be controlled by change (or heat plus chemical treatment) of the sink-siphons

A New Intervention Procedure for Improving Classroom Behavior of Neglected Children: Say Do Say Correspondence Training

Although neglect is the most common form of child maltreatment, a review of the literature since 1980 reveals a lack of controlled child neglect intervention programs. The aim of this study is to assess a new intervention program to improve the classroom behavior of children exposed to neglect only, by reducing disruptive conduct and promoting adaptive conduct. Two matched groups were selected with children of the same ages, sex, and social class (cultural and economic level) and with mothers of similar ages. The experimental group comprised of five children suffering from neglect and no other type of maltreatment. The control group had five children not abused or neglected. All the children were in the same class at school. The percentage of time per session that each child spent engaged in disruptive behavior was measured (baseline) and was found significantly higher among neglected children. Say-Do-Say Correspondence Training was applied with the neglected children and a rapid, significant reduction in their disruptive behavior was observed (and statistically confirmed), bringing such behavior down to the level of the control (i.e., non-neglected) children. These results were maintained when the intervention was halted. We concluded that the adaptive and classroom behavior of neglected children can be improved with this non-intrusive intervention

Manufacturing process optimization of an airplane wing rib by using additive manufacturing

Additive manufacturing has become one of the most growing technologies in the world in the last years, especially in industry. That is the reason why aerospace sector, which seeks to be at the forefront of technology, is implementing gradually 3D printed parts to its products. This work looks for weight reduction of airplanes by the optimization of wing ribs manufacturing on the basis of traditional methods. This can be possible due to alternative geometries which can only be fabricated with additive manufacturing. The proposed alternatives are ribs created by a topology optimization tool of Solid Edge software, called generative design. Based on the finite element method, this tool calculates solid parts considering given loads and constrains. Four different geometries are generated modifying their mass reduction percentage. Afterwards, the mentioned parts are 3D printed as 22 cm models at the University Carlos III of Madrid Maker Space with square and triangular filling patterns. In order to determine the new ribs viability, their mechanical properties are evaluated by three-points bending tests in a universal testing machine at the UC3M workshop. One of the tests carried out is a rib based on typical machined ribs used as reference. Results display a clear tendency out of generative designed ribs: rupture load and displacement increase and rigidity decreases as mass is reduced. In addition, the reference rib shows the lowest load resistance in comparison with the optimized designs and triangular filling pattern shows better performance than square pattern.La fabricación aditiva se ha convertido en una de las tecnologías más crecientes en el mundo en los últimos años, especialmente en la industria. Esta razón ha llevado al sector aeroespacial, que busca estar a la vanguardia de la tecnología, a implementar gradualmente piezas impresas en 3D en sus productos. Este trabajo busca la reducción de peso de los aviones mediante la optimización de la fabricación de costillas de alas partiendo de métodos tradicionales. Esto es posible debido a geometrías alternativas que solo pueden ser fabricadas con fabricación aditiva. Las alternativas propuestas son costillas creadas con una herramienta de optimización topológica de Solid Edge, llamada diseño generativo. Basada en el método de elementos finitos, esta herramienta calcula piezas sólidas considerando cargas y restricciones dadas. Cuatro geometrías diferentes son generadas modificando el porcentaje de reducción de masa. A continuación, las piezas mencionadas son impresas en 3D en forma de modelos de 22 cm en el Maker Space de la Universidad Carlos III de Madrid con patrones de relleno cuadrados y triangulares. Para determinar la viabilidad de las nuevas costillas, sus propiedades mecánicas son evaluadas mediante ensayos de flexión de tres puntos en una maquina universal de ensayos en el taller de la UC3M. Uno de los ensayos realizados es una costilla basada en las clásicas costillas mecanizadas usada como referencia. Los resultados muestran una clara tendencia en las costillas de diseño generativo: la carga y el desplazamiento de ruptura aumentan y la rigidez disminuye cuando la masa es reducida. Además, la costilla de referencia muestra la carga de ruptura más baja en comparación con las costillas optimizadas y el patrón de relleno triangular se comporta con mejor rendimiento que el cuadrado.Ingeniería Mecánic

Genome sequence alignment in processing-In-memory architectures

Finalmente, también realizamos un estudio experimental de varias arquitecturas con diferentes tecnologías de memoria (DDR y HBM) y núcleos de procesamiento de distintos tipos, explotando, en algunos casos, procesamiento en la memoria (PIM). La aplicación de referencia es Bowtie2, una aplicación completa para el alineamiento de secuencias en el genoma. La implementación y evaluación de estas arquitecturas se realiza utilizando un simulador arquitectural basado en gem5.La combinación de la aparición de un cuello de botella en el acceso a los datos y la creciente importancia de las aplicaciones de procesamiento intensivo de datos, muy limitadas por el sistema de memoria, crea un importante problema que debe ser abordado. Por ello, en esta tesis nos proponemos afrontar este problema e intentar reducir su efecto en la medida de lo posible. El principal objetivo de esta tesis es el diseño de nuevas soluciones arquitecturales y algorítmicas para superar el problema del cuello de botella conocido como memory-wall y mejorar el rendimiento de aplicaciones con gran uso de memoria que no son capaces de beneficiarse lo suficiente de las jerarquías de memoria actuales. Además, creemos que es esencial centrarse en la eficiencia energética, un factor cuya importancia crece cada día y uno de los factores más limitantes en la computación de alto rendimiento. Las principales contribuciones de esta tesis son: Primero, analizamos el comportamiento de aplicaciones con accesos de memoria aleatorios, que no aprovechan correctamente las nuevas arquitecturas de memoria con jerarquías cache profundas. Específicamente, analizamos la estructura de datos FM-index y un algoritmo de búsqueda de secuencias basado en esa estructura, ampliamente usado en el alineamiento de secuencias en el genoma. Después de este análisis y de obtener un conocimiento más detallado del cuello de botella de la memoria, proponemos una nueva versión de FM-index que permite reducir el consumo de ancho de banda de memoria, de forma que mejora significativamente el rendimiento computacional. Posteriormente, proponemos una nueva arquitectura energéticamente eficiente, basada en un cubo de memoria en 3D (3D-Stacked) al que añadimos unos núcleos sencillos de bajo consumo en su capa lógica. Esta arquitectura permite la ejecución cerca de los datos (near-data-processing

Pion scattering poles and chiral symmetry restoration

Using unitarized Chiral Perturbation Theory methods, we perform a detailed analysis of the $\pi\pi$ scattering poles $f_0(600)$ and $\rho(770)$ behaviour when medium effects such as temperature or density drive the system towards Chiral Symmetry Restoration. In the analysis of real poles below threshold, we show that it is crucial to extend properly the unitarized amplitudes so that they match the perturbative Adler zeros. Our results do not show threshold enhancement effects at finite temperature in the $f_0(600)$ channel, which remains as a pole of broad nature. We also implement T=0 finite density effects related to chiral symmetry restoration, by varying the pole position with the pion decay constant. Although this approach takes into account only a limited class of contributions, we reproduce the expected finite density restoration behaviour, which drives the poles towards the real axis, producing threshold enhancement and $\pi\pi$ bound states. We compare our results with several model approaches and discuss the experimental consequences, both in Relativistic Heavy Ion Collisions and in $\pi\to \pi\pi$ and $\gamma\to \pi\pi$ reactions in nuclei.Comment: 17 pages, 9 figures, final version to appear in Phys.Rev.D, added comments and reference

Perceptual Styles and Cannabis Consumption Prediction in Young People

Given that risk perception has been found to be both a vulnerability and a protective factor with respect to consumption, the objectives of this study were to find out whether there exist specific patterns of risk perception associated with cannabis use and, if so, how they relate to cannabis consumption and to the sources of information on drugs accessed by young people. An ex post facto study was carried out with 1851 young Andalusians aged 18 to 29, using an adaptation of the Andalusian Government “Andalusian Population versus Drugs” survey. For the first objective, a cluster analysis was carried out in which three perceptual style groups were formed: “Strict”, “Permissive-Awareness” and “Lax”. Cannabis use in the “lax” group was found to be 14.31 times more frequent than in the “strict” group and 2.75 times more frequent than in the “permissive-awareness” group. A logistic regression analysis was also performed, which correctly predicted 80.4% of users and non-consumers. Correlation was found between perceptual styles and the sources of information used about drugs. This study identified three different risk perception styles that heavily correlated to cannabis consumption and to the type of sources young Andalusians use to obtain information about drugs, suggesting the need for a change in preventive policy