An Approach for Constraint Based Heuristic Method of Generating Houses and Building Blueprints for Real-time Applications

Most city-generation computer graphic algorithmsare focused on creating exteriors by extruding some randomshapes. The problem with this approach is that the interiors areignored. This paper presents a series of algorithms and heuristicsto generate building blueprints of single or multi-floor houses.The type and cost of the building establish the lot space availablefor it. In the case of a single floor, rooms with their correspondingdoors and windows will be placed on the space randomly byfollowing a set of conditions that dictate where the rooms canbe placed with respect to each other. In the case of multiplefloors, the first floor contains public rooms only; the upper floorscontain private rooms. The algorithm’s output consists of a twodimensionaldrawing of the floor plans and a three-dimensionalmodel of the generated house. The experiments show that thisalgorithm can generate a large number of houses in a shortperiod of time

Determinación de la capacidad de regulación hídrica de un Typic Hapludands mediante las curvas de retención de humedad y la modelación de sus propiedades hidrofísicas.

(Eng) In the watershed Centella , located in the upper river basin of the Dagua - Valle del Cauca, in nine farms with association coffee - banana, coffee - guamo, cane panelera and pastures, the water regulation capacity of the soil was studied by means of humidity retention curves obtained in the laboratory and by modeling its hydrophysical properties in Hydrus 2D. Properties such as texture, bulk density, porosity, organic matter, hydraulic conductivity, infiltration and humidity were determined. Subsequently, moisture retention curves were simulated using the hydraulic models of Van Genuchten, Brooks and Corey, Van Genuchten modified and Kosugi, evaluating the average errors and the dispersion of the data. Agreed to the results it is possible to point out that the soil under study has a high capacity for moisture retention ( > 18%), consequence of the high content of clays ( > 41%) and organic matter ( > 5%), characteristics of the Andisols of the Valle del Cauca. Finally, the best fitting model was compared statistically with the data of the curves obtained in the laboratory, finding that Van Genuchten and Van Genuchten models modified, are the most appropriate for obtaining the retention curves from the hydrophysical properties since they presented a lower mean error (ME) with a value not higher than -0.11 cm 3 / cm 3 and a value of the square root of the mean square error (RMSE) less than 0.11 cm 3 / cm 3 .(Spa) En la microcuenca Centella, ubicada en la cuenca alta del río Dagua - Valle del Cauca, en nueve fincas con asociación café – pláta - no, café - guamo, caña panelera y pastos, se estudió la capacidad de regulación hídrica del suelo mediante curvas de retención de humedad obtenidas en laboratorio y por modelación de sus propiedades hidrofísicas, en Hydrus 2D. Se determin ó textura, densidad aparente, porosidad, materia orgánica, conductividad hidr áulica, infiltración y humedad del suelo . Posteriormente, se simularon las curvas de retención de humedad mediante los modelos hidráulicos de Van Genuchten, Brooks y Corey, Van Genuchten modificado y Kosugi, evaluando los errores medios y la dispersión de los datos. De acuerdo a los resultados es posible señalar que el suelo en estudio tiene una alta capacidad de retención de humedad ( > 18 % ), debido a los altos contenidos de arcilla ( > 41 %) y materia or - gánica ( > 5%) , característico de los Andisoles presentes en el Valle del Cauca. Finalmente, se comparó estadísticamente el modelo de mejor ajuste con los datos de las curvas obtenidas en laboratorio, encontrando que los modelos Van Genuchten y Van Genuchten modificado, son los más apropiados para la obtención de las curvas de retención a partir de propiedades hidrofísicas dado que pre - sentaron un menor error medio (ME) con un valor no superior a -0.11 cm 3 /cm 3 y un valor de la raíz cuadrada del error cuadrático medio (RMSE) menor de 0.11 cm 3 /cm 3

Pan, cereales integrales y salud

El pan es un elemento básico en la alimentación de los seres humanos y constituye la columna vertebradora de la dieta mediterránea. Su relación con la salud es importante, ya que contribuye a satisfacer las necesidades energéticas y puede disminuir factores de riesgo de ciertas patologías crónicas no transmisibles, especialmente cuando el trigo es de grano entero. Esta acción preventiva favorable se ha relacionado con la enfermedad cardiovascular, la diabetes, la obesidad, el cáncer de colon y la diverticulosis intestinal. En esta revisión se analizan los efectos beneficiosos y perjudiciales para la salud de este alimento. Bread is a basic food item for humans, constituting the backbone of the Mediterranean diet. Its relation to health is important, as it helps to meet energy needs and may reduce risk factors for certain chronic noncommunicable diseases, especially when wheat is whole grain. This favorable preventative action has been linked to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, colon cancer and intestinal diverticulosis. This review analyzes the beneficial and detrimental effects on health

Robustness of Cooperation in the Evolutionary Prisoner's Dilemma on Complex Networks

Recent studies on the evolutionary dynamics of the Prisoner's Dilemma game in scale-free networks have demonstrated that the heterogeneity of the network interconnections enhances the evolutionary success of cooperation. In this paper we address the issue of how the characterization of the asymptotic states of the evolutionary dynamics depends on the initial concentration of cooperators. We find that the measure and the connectedness properties of the set of nodes where cooperation reaches fixation is largely independent of initial conditions, in contrast with the behavior of both the set of nodes where defection is fixed, and the fluctuating nodes. We also check for the robustness of these results when varying the degree heterogeneity along a one-parametric family of networks interpolating between the class of Erdos-Renyi graphs and the Barabasi-Albert networks.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figures, revised version accepted for publication in New Journal of Physics (2007

Extraction of the antioxidant phytocomplex from wine-making by-products and sustainable loading in phospholipid vesicles specifically tailored for skin protection

The present study is aimed at valorizing grape pomace, one of the most abundant winery-making by-products of the Mediterranean area, through the extraction of the main bioactive compounds from the skin of grape pomace and using them to manufacture innovative nanoformulations capable of both avoiding skin damages and promoting skincare. The phytochemicals were recovered through maceration in hydroethanolic solution. Catechin, quercetin, fisetin and gallic acid, which are known for their antioxidant power, were detected as the main compounds of the extract. Liposomes and phospholipid vesicles modified with glycerol or Montanov 82® or a combination of both, were used as carriers for the extract. The vesicles were small (~183 nm), slightly polydispersed (PI ≥ 0.28), and highly negatively charged (~−50 mV). The extract was loaded in high amounts in all vesicles (~100%) irrespective of their composition. The antioxidant activity of the extract, measured by using the DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) test, was 84 ± 1%, and slightly increased when loaded into the vesicles (~89%, P < 0.05). The grape pomace extract loaded vesicles were highly biocompatible and able to protect fibroblasts (3T3) from the oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide

Incorporation of lippia citriodora microwave extract into total-green biogelatin-phospholipid vesicles to improve its antioxidant activity

Phytochemicals from Lippia citriodora leaves were extracted by applying an innovative technology based on the use of microwaves, which represents an alternative method to extract bioactive substances. The obtained extract was incorporated into phospholipid vesicles in order to promote the antioxidant effect of the bioactive molecules present in L. citriodora extract. The extract was analyzed by High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to Time-Of-Flight mass spectrometer by electrospray (HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS) and different phytochemicals were detected and quantified. The whole extract was incorporated in liposomes, glycerosomes (liposomes modified with glycerol) and propylene glycol-containing vesicles (PG-PEVs). Moreover, a biopolymer obtained from fish by-product, that is Thunnus albacares skin, was added to improve the bioactivity of the formulations. The in vitro biocompatibility and the antioxidant efficacy of the extract in solution or loaded in the vesicles were tested in primary mouse embryonic fibroblasts (3T3). The results showed the superior bioactivity of the vesicle formulations over the aqueous solution of the extract, which points to an interesting strategy for the treatment of skin disorders

Human-carnivore relations: conflicts, tolerance and coexistence in the American West

Carnivore and humans live in proximity due to carnivore recovery efforts and ongoing human encroachment into carnivore habitats globally. The American West is a region that uniquely exemplifies these human-carnivore dynamics, however, it is unclear how the research community here integrates social and ecological factors to examine human-carnivore relations. Therefore, strategies promoting human-carnivore coexistence are urgently needed. We conducted a systematic review on human-carnivore relations in the American West covering studies between 2000 and 2018. We first characterized human-carnivore relations across states of the American West. Second, we analyzed similarities and dissimilarities across states in terms of coexistence, tolerance, number of ecosystem services and conflicts mentioned in literature. Third, we used Bayesian modeling to quantify the effect of social and ecological factors influencing the scientific interest on coexistence, tolerance, ecosystem services and conflicts. Results revealed some underlying biases in human-carnivore relations research. Colorado and Montana were the states where the highest proportion of studies were conducted with bears and wolves the most studied species. Non-lethal management was the most common strategy to mitigate conflicts. Overall, conflicts with carnivores were much more frequently mentioned than benefits. We found similarities among Arizona, California, Utah, and New Mexico according to how coexistence, tolerance, services and conflicts are addressed in literature. We identified percentage of federal/private land, carnivore family, social actors, and management actions, as factors explaining how coexistence, tolerance, conflicts and services are addressed in literature. We provide a roadmap to foster tolerance towards carnivores and successful coexistence strategies in the American West based on four main domains, (1) the dual role of carnivores as providers of both beneficial and detrimental contributions to people, (2) social-ecological factors underpinning the provision of beneficial and detrimental contributions, (3) the inclusion of diverse actors, and (4) cross-state collaborative management