A ground system for early forest fire detection based on infrared signal processing

This article presents a ground remote automatic system for forest surveillance based on infrared signal processing applied to early fire detection. Advanced techniques, which are based on infrared signal processing, are used in order to process the captured images. With the aim of determining the presence or absence of fire, the system performs the fusion of different detectors that exploit different expected characteristics of a real fire, such as persistence and increase. Theoretical simulations and practical results are presented to corroborate the control of the probability of false alarm. Results in a real environment are also presented to authenticate the accuracy of the operation of the proposed system. In particular, some experiments have been done to evaluate the delay of the system (tens of seconds on average) in detecting a controlled ground fire in a range of 1-10 km. Moreover, temporary evolution of false alarms and true detections are presented to evaluate the long-term performance of the system in a real environment. We have reached a detection probability of 100% at a false alarm rate of around 1 x 10(-9).This work has been supported by Generalitat Valenciana, under grant GVEMP06/001, and by MEC under the FPU programme.Bosch Roig, I.; Gómez, S.; Vergara Domínguez, L. (2011). A ground system for early forest fire detection based on infrared signal processing. International Journal of Remote Sensing. 32(17):4857-4870. https://doi.org/10.1080/01431161.2010.490245S485748703217Arrue, B. C., Ollero, A., & Matinez de Dios, J. R. (2000). An intelligent system for false alarm reduction in infrared forest-fire detection. IEEE Intelligent Systems, 15(3), 64-73. doi:10.1109/5254.846287Bernabeu, P., Vergara, L., Bosh, I., & Igual, J. (2004). A prediction/detection scheme for automatic forest fire surveillance. Digital Signal Processing, 14(5), 481-507. doi:10.1016/j.dsp.2004.06.003Briz, S. (2003). Reduction of false alarm rate in automatic forest fire infrared surveillance systems. Remote Sensing of Environment, 86(1), 19-29. doi:10.1016/s0034-4257(03)00064-6Pastor, E. (2003). Mathematical models and calculation systems for the study of wildland fire behaviour. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 29(2), 139-153. doi:10.1016/s0360-1285(03)00017-0Vergara, L., & Bernabeu, P. (2000). Automatic signal detection applied to fire control by infrared digital signal processing. Signal Processing, 80(4), 659-669. doi:10.1016/s0165-1684(99)00159-0Vergara, L., & Bernabeu, P. (2001). Simple approach to nonlinear prediction. Electronics Letters, 37(14), 926. doi:10.1049/el:20010616Vicente, J., & Guillemant, P. (2002). An image processing technique for automatically detecting forest fire. International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 41(12), 1113-1120. doi:10.1016/s1290-0729(02)01397-

Electrospun amplified fiber optics

A lot of research is focused on all-optical signal processing, aiming to obtain effective alternatives to existing data transmission platforms. Amplification of light in fiber optics, such as in Erbium-doped fiber amplifiers, is especially important for an efficient signal transmission. However, the complex fabrication methods, involving high-temperature processes performed in highly pure environment, slow down the fabrication and make amplified components expensive with respect to an ideal, high-throughput and room temperature production. Here, we report on near infrared polymer fiber amplifiers, working over a band of about 20 nm. The fibers are cheap, spun with a process entirely carried out at room temperature, and show amplified spontaneous emission with good gain coefficients as well as low optical losses (a few cm^-1). The amplification process is favoured by the high fiber quality and low self-absorption. The found performance metrics promise to be suitable for short-distance operation, and the large variety of commercially-available doping dyes might allow for effective multi-wavelength operation by electrospun amplified fiber optics.Comment: 27 pages, 8 figure

γ-Aminobutyric Acid Transporter 2 Mediates the Hepatic Uptake of Guanidinoacetate, the Creatine Biosynthetic Precursor, in Rats

Guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) is the biosynthetic precursor of creatine which is involved in storage and transmission of phosphate-bound energy. Hepatocytes readily convert GAA to creatine, raising the possibility that the active uptake of GAA by hepatocytes is a regulatory factor. The purpose of this study is to investigate and identify the transporter responsible for GAA uptake by hepatocytes. The characteristics of [14C]GAA uptake by hepatocytes were elucidated using the in vivo liver uptake method, freshly isolated rat hepatocytes, an expression system of Xenopus laevis oocytes, gene knockdown, and an immunohistochemical technique. In vivo injection of [14C]GAA into the rat femoral vein and portal vein results in the rapid uptake of [14C]GAA by the liver. The uptake was markedly inhibited by γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and nipecotinic acid, an inhibitor of GABA transporters (GATs). The characteristics of Na+- and Cl−-dependent [14C]GAA uptake by freshly isolated rat hepatocytes were consistent with those of GAT2. The Km value of the GAA uptake (134 µM) was close to that of GAT2-mediated GAA transport (78.9 µM). GABA caused a marked inhibition with an IC50 value of 8.81 µM. The [14C]GAA uptake exhibited a significant reduction corresponding to the reduction in GAT2 protein expression. GAT2 was localized on the sinusoidal membrane of the hepatocytes predominantly in the periportal region. This distribution pattern was consistent with that of the creatine biosynthetic enzyme, S-adenosylmethionine∶guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase. GAT2 makes a major contribution to the sinusoidal GAA uptake by periportal hepatocytes, thus regulating creatine biosynthesis in the liver

El modelo integrador y de innovación docente del Grado en Veterinaria de Zaragoza: integración en équidos

Desde hace cuatro años se ha comenzado a impartir en la Universidad de Zaragoza el nuevo Grado en Veterinaria, de 300 créditos ECTS distribuidos en 5 cursos. En el diseño de este nuevo Plan de Estudios se ha tratado de dotar a la Titulación de un enfoque basado, fundamentalmente, en las competencias que la profesión exige y la sociedad necesita de un t itulado (graduado) en veterinaria. Tras una formación inicial básica el alumno llega al CUARTO CURSO del grado, en el que las materias se han organizado en asignaturas siguiendo una estructura totalmente novedosa para los estudios de veterinaria en España. Como consecuencia de esta nueva estructura desaparecen como tales muchas de las asignaturas tradicionales que han estado presentes como asignaturas propias (con denominaciones idénticas o similares) en la práctica totalidad de los planes de estudio de veterinaria españoles desde la década de los 70 del siglo pasado. Al cursar estas asignaturas, los alumnos de esos planes, estudiábamos las particularidades de las diferentes especies animales de interés veterinario desde el enfoque, inevitablemente compartimentalizado, de esas asignaturas

Desarrollo de una aplicación informática para aprender clínica y producción equina jugando al Trivial

Introducción/objetivos: esta iniciativa surge de la puesta en común de experiencias docentes en las I Jornadas de Innovación Docente en Medicina y Cirugía Animal (Córdoba, 2011). Allí se presentaron algunas actividades que utilizan el éxito de metodologías basadas en concursos y competiciones, que consiguen que los alumnos las adopten fácilmente como métodos de aprendizaje.La actividad propuesta se basa en el popular juego TRIVIAL™ en el que equipos de alumnos contestan cuestiones de una batería de preguntas sobre veterinaria equina. Las preguntas están agrupadas por sistemas/especialidades.Se persigue crear un sistema de aprendizaje y autoevaluación formativa, que permita la evaluación de conocimientos adaptados al nivel de los alumnos de S~ del Grado en Veterinaria. Además de autoevaluar sus propios conocimientos sin la presión de un examen formal, el alumno practica la dinámica de grupo. La competitividad generada entre equipos estimula el trabajo individual y de grupo (...

La música a la Catedral de Girona durant la primera meitat del segle XIX

Estudi de la capella de música de la catedral de Girona, les places de què constava (mestre de capella, organista, quatre escolans de cor, quatre violins, dues violes, un contrabaix, quatre instrumentistes de vent fusta, dues trompes, dos contralts, dos tenors i quatre xantres), les pautes de funcionament, les actuacions, els músics que hi treballaren (un total de cent cinquanta, amb personatges de renom com: Francesc Juncà, Antoni Guiu, Jaume Joan Lleys, Josep Barba...) i els instruments propietats del capítol (quatre orgues, un manacord, un contrabaix...).Durant el període estudiat es comprova el funcionament a ple rendiment de de la capella durant els primers anys del segle XIX, i els declivi de les activitats musicals que començarà a partir de l'any 1821 (Trienni Liberal), continuant amb les desamortitzacions de Mendizábal.Es realitza un inventari dels manuscrits musicals dels membres de la capella, i l'anàlisi i l'edició crítica de quatre obres instrumentals: "Quatro sonatas" per a forte piano de Miquel Albert; "Sinfonía obligada de órgano" d'Antoni Guiu; "Tema con variciones para el violoncelo" de Jaume Joan Lleys, "Variaciones para piano, flauta y fagote obligados" d'Antoni Guiu. A partir de l'anàlisi musical d'aquestes obres es comprova l'evolució musical des dels models del classicisme vienès cap els del primer romanticisme.A study of the music chapel in the cathedral of Girona, its places (choirmaster, four child chorister, organist, four violins, two violists, a contrabass, four wood winds musicians, two horns, two contraltos, two tenors, and four chanters), the regulation ordinance, public functions, the musicians who worked (a hundred fifty musicians with some prestige ones like Francesc Juncà, Antoni Guiu, Jaume Joan Lleys, Josep Barba...) and its instruments (four pipe organs, a clavichord, a contrabass,...).Throughout the studied time we verify the high efficience of the chapel at the beggining of the nineteenth century, and the reduction of musical activities began during 1821 (Trienni Liberal), with the Mendizábal disentail.The thesis contains a musical manuscript catalogue from the members of the chapel, and musical analysis and a critical edition of four instrumental works: "Quatro sonatas" for a forte piano by Miquel Albert; "Sinfonía obligada de órgano" by Antoni Guiu; "Tema con variciones para el violoncelo" by Jaume Joan Lleys, "Variaciones para piano, flauta y fagote obligados" by Antoni Guiu.In consequence of this analysis we verify a musical evolution from the classical style to the early romanticism