Análisis de envejecimiento en paneles sándwich de madera/ Ageing tests study on wood-based sandwich panels

Los paneles sándwich de madera son un producto de creciente aplicación en la edificación de nuestro país. Este ascendente uso del material debe estar acompañado de las garantías necesarias avaladas por un estudio previo de sus prestaciones. Como es preceptivo y entre otros, se evalúa su durabilidad frente a las condiciones climatológicas, clave en los productos derivados de la madera, acorde a la normativa actual definida con tal fin, la Guía ETAG 016. Sin embargo, debido a la clase de uso del material, se ha detectado que dicha normativa tal y como está concebida no es capaz de valorar su envejecimiento adecuadamente. En este trabajo se proponen ensayos alternativos al establecido tras exhaustivos aná- lisis que recrean las condiciones reales de uso y más acordes a los productos de madera. Se concluye que la incorporación de una lámina impermeable, pero permeable al vapor de agua hacia el exterior, como las utilizadas en el montaje, aportan el mejor procedimiento de ensayo. Composite lightweight wood panels are being increasingly used in construction in Spain. Their growing use should be accompanied by necessary guarantees based on studies of their properties. As it is prescriptive and in addition to others tests, in the present work is examinated the durability of these panels when exposed to the climatic conditions, a characteristic of great importance for wood products, according to Guide ETAG 016, the current standard defining the ageing tests to be used. However, due to the use class of this material, there are indications that the testing outlined in this Guide is inappropriate for assessing the ageing of wood-based sandwich panels. Alternative tests are here proposed that recreate rather better the real conditions under which these products are used. Covering the samples in a waterproof sheeting permeable to the outward movement of water vapour, which is in fact used in the installation, provided the best procedure for testing these panels

Effect of various dietary regimens on oral challenge with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in a rabbit model

Rabbits are susceptible to infection by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) in both wildlife and experimental conditions. Under the hypotheses that nutrient balance might influence the establishment of infection, we designed an experiment where MAP intestinal colonization was assessed under three dietary regimens: high fiber, high protein, and regular diet in New Zealand white rabbits submitted to oral challenge with MAP.Lowest weight gain (F=5.17, p=0.024), higher tissue culture positivity rates (X2=7.43, p=0.024) and especially extended MAP-compatible lesions (F=5.78, p=0.017) were detected in the regular diet.Taken altogether, results indicate that paratuberculosis infection was achieved affecting mostly regular diet animals and showing that dietary changes may modulate the course of the infection

Orographic Effects on Berry Morphology and Chemical Composition of Carignan and Grenache Noir Grapes

A variation in the climatic parameters of an orographic vineyard influences the growth and developmentof vines and grapes. Understanding the effects of this is highly beneficial in determining how viticulturepractices can be modified to enhance grape quality. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of in-rowgrape position, altitude and vigour on berry morphology and grape maturity. The effects of vigour, altitudeand in-row grape position on berry weight and diameter, titratable acidity, pH and sugar concentrationof Carignan and Grenache noir grapes grown in a vineyard located in Priorat were investigated in the2021 vintage. The results show that Carignan grapes with a lower vigour demonstrated a higher sugarconcentration, berry weight and diameter, as well as lower titratable acidity, while the Grenache noirgrapes with a lower vigour achieved only a higher sugar concentration. The grapes at high altitude had ahigher sugar concentration in Carignan and higher titratable acidity in Grenache noir. Outer-row grapesof Carignan were characterised by lower titratable acidity and a higher sugar concentration, berry weightand diameter, while the outer-row grapes of Grenache noir displayed lower berry diameter, and a higherpH and sugar concentration. Vigour and in-row grape position have stronger effects on berry morphologyand chemical composition than altitude. Sugar concentration is more susceptible than other parameters tobe influenced by variability in the vineyard conditions

La eficiencia en los mercados financieros: una introducción a la cuestión

El artículo analiza los antecedentes y condicionantes actuales de la eficiencia de los mercados financieros. Se empieza por realizar una aproximación a la naturaleza y función de los mercados por parte de la doctrina económica, investigando los diversos conceptos de eficiencia. A continuación se realiza una exposición descriptiva de la eficiencia informativa empírica o hipótesis de los mercados eficientes; por último se pasa revista a la crítica, haciendo hincapié en la desarrollada desde el punto de vista de las finanzas del comportamiento o behavioral finance. También se expone el punto de vista de la llamada "nueva economía clásica" sobre la hipótesis de los mercados eficientes.-----This paper examines the previous and current conditionings of the Efficient Markets Hypothesis (EMH). We review the markets essence and operations through the academic economic theories in the period 1750-2009, and explore the different concepts of efficiency and particularly a plain descriptive disclose of the empirical Informational Efficiency or Efficient Markets Hypothesis. The paper exposes the different criticisms to the EMH specially those referred to behavioural finance. It also explains the view points on the EMH from the New Classical Economists

Double balloon catheter for induction of labour in women with a previous cesarean section, could it be the best choice?

Introduction: We analysed the efficacy and safety of double-balloon catheter for cervical ripening in women with a previous cesarean section and which were the most important variables associated with an increased risk of repeated cesarean delivery. Materials and methods: We designed an observational retrospective study of 418 women with unfavourable cervices (Bishop Score <5), a prior cesarean delivery, and induction of labour with a double-balloon catheter. Baseline maternal data and perinatal outcomes were recorded for a descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analysis. A p value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Most women improved their initial Bishop Score (89.5%) although only a 20.8% of them went into spontaneous active labour. Finally, 51.4% of the women achieved a vaginal delivery. Five cases of intrapartum uterine rupture (1.2%) occurred. After multivariate analysis, main risk factors for repeated cesarean section were dystocia in the previous pregnancy (OR 1.744; CI 95% 1.066–2.846), the absence of previous vaginal delivery (OR 2.590; CI 95% 1.066–6.290), suspected fetal macrosomia (OR 2.410; CI 95% 0.959–6.054), and duration of oxytocin induction period (OR 1.005; CI 95% 1.004–1.006). The area under the curve was 0.789 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Double-balloon catheter seems to be safe and effective for cervical ripening in women with a previous cesarean delivery and unfavourable cervix. In our study, most women could have a vaginal delivery in spite of their risk factors for cesarean delivery. A multivariate model based on some clinical variables has moderate predictive value for intrapartum cesarean section

Deformation of polycrystalline TRIP stainless steel micropillars

The deformation mechanisms of the metastable austenite phase of a transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) stainless steel, AISI 301LN, have been investigated by compression of multicrystalline micropillars of different crystallographic orientations, with particular attention on the strain-induced phase transformation from austenite to martensite. Intergranular shearing and twinning were observed to be the primary deformation mechanisms, with a predominant orientation developed in the austenitic phase, combined with limited planar slip within single grains of austenite. The phase transformation from austenite to ¿ and ¿’-martensite was clearly observed adjacent to the sheared regions using TEM-EBSD techniques. The ¿-martensite phase was found to be preferentially located in the regions near the grain boundaries which experienced higher shear stresses during compression.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Intrinsic hardness of constitutive phases in WC–Co composites:Nanoindentation testing, statistical analysis, WC crystal orientation effectsand flow stress for the constrained metallic binder

The intrinsic hardness of the constitutive phases in WC–Co composites is investigated by combining experimental and statistical analysis nanoindentation techniques. It is done on the basis of considering the cemented carbide material as effectively heterogeneous at the microstructure scale, i.e. consisting of three phases defined by either different chemical nature (carbides and binder) or distinct carbide crystal orientation (i.e. with surface normal perpendicular to either basal or prismatic planes). As main outcome, experimentally measured and statistically significant intrinsic hardness values for the defined phases (WC and constrained metallic binder) are analyzed and determined. Besides the evidence of crystal anisotropy for the WC phase, they permit to identify and account the expected strengthening of the plastic-constrained metallic binder, a critical input parameter for hardness and toughness modelling as well as for microstructural design optimization of ceramic composites reinforced by ductile metallic ligamentsPeer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Functional traits driving species role in the structure of terrestrial vertebrate scavenger networks

Species assemblages often have a non-random nested organization, which in vertebrate scavenger (carrion-consuming) assemblages is thought to be driven by facilitation in competitive environments. However, not all scavenger species play the same role in maintaining assemblage structure, as some species are obligate scavengers (i.e., vultures) and others are facultative, scavenging opportunistically. We used a database with 177 vertebrate scavenger species from 53 assemblages in 22 countries across five continents to identify which functional traits of scavenger species are key to maintaining the scavenging network structure. We used network analyses to relate ten traits hypothesized to affect assemblage structure with the “role” of each species in the scavenging assemblage in which it appeared. We characterized the role of a species in terms of both the proportion of monitored carcasses on which that species scavenged, or scavenging breadth (i.e., the species “normalized degree”), and the role of that species in the nested structure of the assemblage (i.e., the species “paired nested degree”), therefore identifying possible facilitative interactions among species. We found that species with high olfactory acuity, social foragers, and obligate scavengers had the widest scavenging breadth. We also found that social foragers had a large paired nested degree in scavenger assemblages, probably because their presence is easier to detect by other species to signal carcass occurrence. Our study highlights differences in the functional roles of scavenger species and can be used to identify key species for targeted conservation to maintain the ecological function of scavenger assemblages.Generalitat Valenciana SEJI/2018/024, APOSTD/2019/016, CIDEGENT/ 2020/030, ACIF/2019/056Ministerio de Educación y Cultura CI-2017-32149, FJCI-2015-25632, IJC2018-036642-I, YC-2019-027216-I, RYC-2015-19231, RYC-2017-2273, GL2012-40013-C02-01/02, CGL2015- 66966-C2-1-R, CGL2015-66966-C2-1-R2, CGL2017-89905-R, RTI2018-099609-B-C21, RTI2018-099609-B-C22Govern de les Illes Balears PD/039/201National Science Centre in Poland 2013/08/M/ NZ9/00469, 2016/22/Z/NZ8/00Slovenian Research Agency P4-0059US Department of Energy DE- EM000439USA National Science Foundation #1255913California Department of Fish & Wildlife P0880013Junta de Andalucía RNM-192

Plataforma de tutorización on line: SOAT

La adaptaci&oacute;n de nuestro modelo educativo a la nueva normativa sobre el Espacio Europeo de Educaci&oacute;n Superior (EEES) con la implantaci&oacute;n del Cr&eacute;dito Europeo (ECTS) conlleva, necesariamente, un cambio sustancial en la pr&aacute;ctica docente universitaria. La necesidad de valorar el esfuerzo y el trabajo personal de los estudiantes obliga al profesorado a llevar un control m&aacute;s personalizado e individualizado del trabajo realizado por aquellos. En tal sentido, la acci&oacute;n tutorial individualizada y en peque&ntilde;os grupos constituye, sin duda, uno de los pilares en los que se fundamentar&aacute; nuestra pr&aacute;ctica educativa. En este sentido, se pretende aprovechar las posibilidades que ofrecen las nuevas tecnolog&iacute;as a trav&eacute;s de la WEB para la atenci&oacute;n tuto-rial de nuestros alumnos. La plataforma SOAT (Sistema Online de Apoyo a las Tutor&iacute;as) constituye una herramienta que facilita esta tarea