A Methodology for Assessing the Urban Supply of On-street Delivery Bays

The loading and unloading operations carried out by transport and logistics operators have a strong impact on city mobility if they are not performed correctly. If loading/unloading bays, i.e., delivery bays (DB), are not available for freight vehicle operations, operators may opt to double park or park on the sidewalk where there is no strong enforcement of these laws, with significant impact on congestion. This paper proposes a methodology for verifying and designing the number of delivery bays needed for freight vehicles for not interfere with cars or pedestrians. The methodology consists of two stages: in the first stage, an initial estimation is made using queueing theory. Subsequently, in the second stage, using such tentative scenario, in order to take into account the system stochasticity involving different entities, a discrete event simulation is performed to more realistically verify and upgrade (if necessary) the number of delivery bays to obtain the expected outcomes. The methodology was applied in the inner area of Santander (Spain). The study area was subdivided into 29 zones where the methodology was applied individually. The results indicated that none of these zones currently have an optimal number of delivery bays to satisfy demand. In some zones, there is an excess of delivery bays, although in most of them, there is a deficit which can cause significant impacts on traffic. The method proposed can be an effective tool to be used by city planners for improving freight operations in urban areas limiting the negative impacts produced in terms of internal and external costs

Controls on space–time distribution of soft-sediment deformation structures: Applying palaeomagnetic dating to approach the apparent recurrence period of paleoseisms at the Concud Fault (eastern Spain)

This work describes soft-sediment deformation structures (clastic dykes, load structures, diapirs, slumps, nodulizations or mudcracks) identified in three sections (Concud, Ramblillas and Masada Cociero) in the Iberian Range, Spain. These sections were logged from boreholes and outcrops in Upper Pliocene-Lower Pleistocene deposits of the Teruel-Concud Residual Basin, close to de Concud normal fault. Timing of the succession and hence of seismic and non-seismic SSDSs, covering a time span between ~ 3.6 and ~ 1.9 Ma, has been constrained from previous biostratigraphic and magnetostratigraphic information, then substantially refined from a new magnetostratigraphic study at Masada Cociero profile. Non-seismic SSDSs are relatively well-correlated between sections, while seismic ones are poorly correlated except for several clusters of structures. Between 29 and 35 seismic deformed levels have been computed for the overall stratigraphic succession. Factors controlling the lateral and vertical distribution of SSDSs are their seismic or non-seismic origin, the distance to the seismogenic source (Concud Fault), the sedimentary facies involved in deformation and the observation conditions (borehole core vs. natural outcrop). In the overall stratigraphic section, seismites show an apparent recurrence period of 56 to 108 ka. Clustering of seismic SSDSs levels within a 91-ka-long interval records a period of high paleoseismic activity with an apparent recurrence time of 4.8 to 6.1 ka, associated with increasing sedimentation rate and fault activity. Such activity pattern of the Concud Fault for the Late Pliocene-Early Pliocene, with alternating periods of faster and slower slip, is similar to that for the most recent Quaternary (last ca. 74 ka BP). Concerning the research methods, time occurrence patterns recognized for peaks of paleoseismic activity from SSDSs in boreholes are similar to those inferred from primary evidence in trenches. Consequently, apparent recurrence periods calculated from SSDS inventories collected in borehole logs close to seismogenic faults are comparable to actual recurrence times of large paleoearthquakes

Chebyshev-like methods and quadratic equations

Not available

Decreased Alertness Reconfigures Cognitive Control Networks

Humans' remarkable capacity to flexibly adapt their behavior based on rapid situational changes is termed cognitive control. Intuitively, cognitive control is thought to be affected by the state of alertness; for example, when drowsy, we feel less capable of adequately implementing effortful cognitive tasks. Although scientific investigations have focused on the effects of sleep deprivation and circadian time, little is known about how natural daily fluctuations in alertness in the regular awake state affect cognitive control. Here we combined a conflict task in the auditory domain with EEG neurodynamics to test how neural and behavioral markers of conflict processing are affected by fluctuations in alertness. Using a novel computational method, we segregated alert and drowsy trials from two testing sessions and observed that, although participants (both sexes) were generally sluggish, the typical conflict effect reflected in slower responses to conflicting information compared with nonconflicting information, as well as the moderating effect of previous conflict (conflict adaptation), were still intact. However, the typical neural markers of cognitive control—local midfrontal theta-band power changes—that participants show during full alertness were no longer noticeable when alertness decreased. Instead, when drowsy, we found an increase in long-range information sharing (connectivity) between brain regions in the same frequency band. These results show the resilience of the human cognitive control system when affected by internal fluctuations of alertness and suggest that there are neural compensatory mechanisms at play in response to physiological pressure during diminished alertness

A Comparative Analysis of 2D and 3D Tasks for Virtual Reality Therapies Based on Robotic-Assisted Neurorehabilitation for Post-stroke Patients

Post-stroke neurorehabilitation based on virtual therapies are performed completing repetitive exercises shown in visual electronic devices, whose content represents imaginary or daily life tasks. Currently, there are two ways of visualization of these task. 3D virtual environments are used to get a three dimensional space that represents the real world with a high level of detail, whose realism is determinated by the resolucion and fidelity of the objects of the task. Furthermore, 2D virtual environments are used to represent the tasks with a low degree of realism using techniques of bidimensional graphics. However, the type of visualization can influence the quality of perception of the task, affecting the patient's sensorimotor performance. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate if there were differences in patterns of kinematic movements when post-stroke patients performed a reach task viewing a virtual therapeutic game with two different type of visualization of virtual environment: 2D and 3D. Nine post-stroke patients have participated in the study receiving a virtual therapy assisted by PUPArm rehabilitation robot. Horizontal movements of the upper limb were performed to complete the aim of the tasks, which consist in reaching peripheral or perspective targets depending on the virtual environment shown. Various parameter types such as the maximum speed, reaction time, path length, or initial movement are analyzed from the data acquired objectively by the robotic device to evaluate the influence of the task visualization. At the end of the study, a usability survey was provided to each patient to analysis his/her satisfaction level. For all patients, the movement trajectories were enhanced when they completed the therapy. This fact suggests that patient's motor recovery was increased. Despite of the similarity in majority of the kinematic parameters, differences in reaction time and path length were higher using the 3D task. Regarding the success rates were very similar. In conclusion, the using of 2D environments in virtual therapy may be a more appropriate and comfortable way to perform tasks for upper limb rehabilitation of post-stroke patients, in terms of accuracy in order to effectuate optimal kinematic trajectories

On the p-length of some finite p-soluble groups

The main aim of this paper is to give structural information of a finite group of minimal order belonging to a subgroup-closed class of finite groups and whose p-length is greater than 1, p a prime number. Alternative proofs and improvements of recent results about the influence of minimal p-subgroups on the p-nilpotence and p-length of a finite group arise as consequences of our study

Stakeholders’ Perspective on Groundwater Management in Four Water-Stressed Mediterranean Areas: Priorities and Challenges

Recent studies highlight the fragility of the Mediterranean basin against climate stresses and the difficulties of managing the sustainable development of groundwater resources. In this work, the main issues related to groundwater management have been identified from the stake-holder’s perspective in the following four representative water-stressed Mediterranean areas: the coastal aquifer of Comacchio (Italy), the Alto Guadalentín aquifer (Spain), the alluvial aquifer of the Gediz River basin (Turkey), and the Azraq aquifer (Azraq Wetland Reserve, Jordan). This has been achieved by designing a methodology to involve and engage a representative set of stakeholders, including a questionnaire to learn their point of view concerning the current management of aquifer systems and their experience with the already available tools for groundwater resource manage-ment, such as monitoring networks and numerical models. The outcome of the survey has allowed us to identify both particular and common challenges among the four study sites and among the various groups of stakeholders. This information provides valuable insights to improve the transfer of scientific knowledge from the research centers to the authorities managing the groundwater resources and it will help to plan more effective research activities on aquifer management. The proposed methodology could be applied in other aquifers facing similar problems

p38γ and p38δ as biomarkers in the interplay of colon cancer and inflammatory bowel diseases

descripción no proporcionada por scopusThis research was funded by the MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (PID2019-108349RB100 and SAF2016-79792R) to AC and JJSE; Villum Foundation, grant no. 13152 to KA; by Agencia Estatal de Investigación (PID2019-104867RBI00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) and the Instituto de Salud Carlos III- Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (CIBERONC/CB16/12/00273 and ICI20/00057) to AM and AB. PF received MCIN FPI fellowship (BES-2017-080139)