The implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive: Shortcomings and limitations from the Spanish point of view.

The Marine Strategy Framework (Directive 2008/56/EC, MSFD) came into force in 2008, confirming the increased political interest in the oceans observed in recent years, and the change in the philosophy of environmental management, which has resulted in the development of many initiatives to guide the conservation, protection and sustainable management of marine ecosystems. This Directive is the key environmental instrument of the European Union (EU) maritime policy, and establishes that Member States shall adopt the necessary measures to achieve or maintain the Good Environmental Status of the marine environment by 2020. The central part of the MSFD is formed by the ‘marine strategies’, which have to be developed by the Member States for the marine waters under their jurisdiction. The implementation of the MSFD represents a demanding task in the integrative assessment of marine ecosystems. Here we describe the implementation process, and we discuss the institutional framework and the main difficulties and challenges encountered so far, with emphasis on the Spanish context.Post-print1,86

Further improvements in the sea urchin embryo cryopreservation protocol (Paracentrotus lividus)

Post-print2,06

Achieving Balanced Energetics through Cocrystallization

Achieving energetic materials with a balanced ratio of oxidant to fuel is a challenge that has been difficult to meet through molecular synthesis. The alternative approach, composite formulation, fails to achieve intimate association of the components to the detriment of performance. Herein, the energetic oxidizer ammonium dinitramide (ADN) is combined with fuel‐rich pyrazine‐1,4‐dioxide via cocrystallization. The result is a material with a balanced oxidant/fuel ratio in which the components maintain intimate association. The material exhibits desirable physical and energetic properties which are much improved over ADN and comparable to contemporary energetics.Balanceakt: Eine neu entwickelte Methode ermöglicht die Herstellung von sauerstoffbalancierten energetischen Materialien durch Kokristallisation. Sie vermeidet die Risiken der molekularen Synthese und erreicht eine innige Verbindung von oxidierenden und Brennstoffgruppen. Angewendet auf Ammoniumdinitramid macht die Methode ein energetisches Material mit verbesserten physikalischen und energetischen Eigenschaften zugänglich.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/152711/1/ange201908709-sup-0001-misc_information.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/152711/2/ange201908709.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/152711/3/ange201908709_am.pd

Robobo: la siguiente generación de robot educativo

[Resumen] Las carreras universitarias de informática e ingeniería han estado utilizando robots móviles en diferentes asignaturas desde hace mucho tiempo. Hasta el momento, debido principalmente a limitaciones económicas, estos robots educativos han sido bastante simples en términos tecnológicos. Esto no era un gran problema porque la robótica no se consideraba un mercado real en la industria, por lo que los robots se usaban en las clases como prototipos, sin una expectativa de aplicación a la realidad. Pero como todos sabemos, la situación actual, y el futuro cercano, hacen que la robótica sea un mercado clave para los ingenieros y los informáticos que se forman en las universidades. Como consecuencia, los robots utilizados en las aulas universitarias deben ser actualizados para adecuarlos a la realidad tecnológica que se maneja en el mundo industrial. Este artículo presenta Robobo, un robot móvil educativo de bajo costo desarrollado en la Universidade da Coruña. Robobo combina una base con ruedas simple con un teléfono inteligente, que proporciona la última tecnología al robot. Con Robobo, los estudiantes pueden desarrollar sus propios proyectos usando cámaras, micrófonos o pantallas de alta resolución, acercando la enseñanza universitaria al mercado real que encontrarán cuando finalicen sus estudios.[Abstract] Computer science and engineering majors have been using mobile robots in different subjects for a long time. So far, due primarily to economic constraints, these educational robots have been quite simple in technological terms. This was not a big problem because robotics was not considered a real market in the industry, so robots were used in classes as prototypes, without an expectation of application to reality. But as we all know, the current situation, and the near future, make robotics a key market for engineers and IT graduates in universities. As a consequence, the robots used in the university classrooms must be updated to adapt them to the technological reality that is handled in the industrial world. This article presents Robobo, a low cost educational mobile robot developed at the University of Coruña. Robobo combines a simple wheeled base with a smartphone, which provides the latest technology to the robot. With Robobo, students can develop their own projects using cameras, microphones or highresolution displays, bringing university education closer to the real market they will find when they finish their studies

A perspective on lifelong open-ended learning autonomy for robotics through cognitive architectures

[Abstract]: This paper addresses the problem of achieving lifelong open-ended learning autonomy in robotics, and how different cognitive architectures provide functionalities that support it. To this end, we analyze a set of well-known cognitive architectures in the literature considering the different components they address and how they implement them. Among the main functionalities that are taken as relevant for lifelong open-ended learning autonomy are the fact that architectures must contemplate learning, and the availability of contextual memory systems, motivations or attention. Additionally, we try to establish which of them were actually applied to real robot scenarios. It transpires that in their current form, none of them are completely ready to address this challenge, but some of them do provide some indications on the paths to follow in some of the aspects they contemplate. It can be gleaned that for lifelong open-ended learning autonomy, motivational systems that allow finding domain-dependent goals from general internal drives, contextual long-term memory systems that all allow for associative learning and retrieval of knowledge, and robust learning systems would be the main components required. Nevertheless, other components, such as attention mechanisms or representation management systems, would greatly facilitate operation in complex domains.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; PID2021-126220OB-I00Xunta de Galicia; EDC431C-2021/39Consellería de Cultura, Educación, Formación Profesional e Universidades; ED431G 2019/0

Artificial Intelligence in Pre-University Education: What and How to Teach

This article belongs to the Proceedings of 3rd XoveTIC Conference[Abstract] The present paper is part of the European Erasmus+ project on educational innovation led by the UDC and entitled “AI+: Developing an Artificial Intelligence Curriculum adapted to European High School”. In this paper, the progress achieved during the first year of the project will be presented. Mainly, the definition of the methodological approach for this future subject has been defined, and the AI topics to be dealt with at this age have been established. It has been a great effort to select the most appropriate focus for this subject considering the students’ and teachers’ technical background and the schools’ equipment.European Commission; 2019-1-ES01-KA201-06574

Impact of microplastics and ocean acidification on critical stages of sea urchin (Paracentrotus lividus) early development

Una de las principales consecuencias del aumento del CO2 atmosférico es el fenómeno conocido como acidificación oceánica. Esta alteración de la química del agua puede modular el impacto sobre los organismos marinos de otros agentes estresantes también presentes en el medio ambiente, como los microplásticos (MP). El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar el impacto combinado de la contaminación por MP y la acidificación de los océanos, en el desarrollo temprano del erizo de mar Paracentrotus lividus. Para estudiar el impacto de múltiples factores de estrés en el desarrollo P. lividus se utilizó el bioensayo con embriones de erizo de mar. Embriones recién fertilizados de P. lividus fueron expuestos a un tratamiento de control (agua de mar natural filtrada), MP (3000 partículas/mL), agua de mar acidificada (pH = 7,6), y una combinación de MP y acidificación (3000 partículas/mL + pH = 7,6). Se tomaron medidas de crecimiento y parámetros morfométricos de las larvas a las 48, 72 y 96 h de exposición. Los resultados mostraron que la acidificación oceánica y los MP provocan alteraciones en el crecimiento y la morfología larvaria tanto antes como después de que las larvas comiencen a alimentarse exógenamente. La exposición a MP en condiciones de acidificación no produjo ningún efecto adicional sobre el crecimiento, pero se observaron diferencias a nivel morfológico relacionadas con una disminución en el ancho de larvas a las 48 h. En general, los cambios en la forma de las larvas observados en tres puntos clave de su desarrollo podrían modificar su flotabilidad afectando a su capacidad para obtener e ingerir alimentos. Por lo tanto, la acidificación oceánica y la contaminación por MP podría comprometer la supervivencia de larvas de P. lividus en escenarios futuros del cambio global.Versión del editor3,20

Comparative cryopreservation study of trochophore larvae from two species of bivalves: Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) and Blue mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis)

Oysters and mussels are among the most farmed species in aquaculture industry around the world. The aim of this study was to test the toxicity of cryoprotective agents to trochophore larvae from two different species of bivalves and develop an improved cryopreservation protocol to ensure greater efficiency in the development of cryopreserved trochophores (14 h old oyster larvae and 20 h old mussel larvae) to normal D-larvae for future developments of hatchery spat production. The cryopreservation protocol producing the best results for oyster trochophores (60.0 ± 6.7% normal D-larvae) was obtained by holding at 0 °C for 5 min then cooling at 1 °C min(-1) to -10 °C and holding for 5 min before cooling at 0.5 °C to -35 °C, holding 5 min and then plunging into liquid nitrogen (LN), using 10% ethylene glycol. For mussel experiments, no significant differences were found when cooling at 0.5 °C min(-1) or at 1 °C min(-1) for CPA combinations with 10% ethylene glycol and at 0.5 °C min(-1). Using these combinations, around half of trochophores were able to develop to normal D-larvae post-thawing (48.9 ± 7.6% normal D-larvae).Post-print