Stretching and contraction of extensional basins with pre-rift salt: a numerical modelling approach

We present a series of 2D thermo-mechanical numerical experiments of thick-skinned crustal extension including a pre-rift salt horizon and subsequent thin-, thick-skinned, or mixed styles of convergence accompanied by surface processes. Extension localization along steep basement faults produces half-graben structures and leads to variations in the original distribution of pre-rift salt. Thick-skinned extension rate and salt rheology control hanging wall accommodation space as well as the locus and timing of minibasin grounding. Upon shortening, extension-related basement steps hinder forward propagation of evolving shallow thrust systems; conversely, if full basin inversion takes place along every individual fault, the regional salt layer is placed back to its pre-extensional configuration, constituting a regionally continuous décollement. Continued shortening and basement involvement deform the shallow fold-thrust structures and locally breaches the shallow décollement. We aim at obtaining a series of structural, stratigraphic and kinematic templates of fold-and-thrust belts involving rift basins with an intervening pre-rift salt horizon. Numerical results are compared to natural cases of salt-related inversion tectonics to better understand their structural evolution

Optimizing the Transmission of Multimedia Content over Vehicular Networks

The multi channel operation mechanism of the IEEE 1609.4 protocol, used in vehicular networks, may impact network performance if applications do not care about its details. Packets delivered from the application layer to the MAC layer during a Control Channel time slot have to wait to be transmitted until the following Service Channel time slot arrives. The accumulation of packets at the beginning of this time slot may introduce additional delays and higher collision rates when packets are transmitted. In this work we propose a method, which we call SkipCCH, that deals with this issue in order to make a better use of the wireless channel and, as a consequence, increase the overall network performance. With our proposal, streaming video in vehicular networks will provide better reconstructed quality at the receiver side under the same network conditions. Furthermore, this method has particularly proven its benefits when working with QoS techniques, not only by increasing the received video quality, but also because it avoids starvation of the lower priority traffic

Deformation pattern around the conejera fault blocks (asturian basin, north iberian margin)

The Asturian Basin is located on the coastline of the North Iberian Margin. This basin is dissected by long-lived E-, NE- and NW-striking faults that delineate a series of extensional fault blocks that became shortened during the Upper Cretaceous to Cenozoic Alpine convergence. In the Conejera cove, the NE-striking and SE-dipping Conejera Fault displays a remarkable example of contractional deformation, promoted by the mechanical contrast within the Lower to Middle Jurassic stratigraphic series. Field observations and structural analysis carried out in this study reveal: i) a first system of orthogonal cross-joints oblique to the Conejera Fault and other major onshore boundary faults, ii) a second system of meso-extensional faults parallel to the Conejera Fault, and developed by the reactivation and linkage of the orthogonal cross-joints and iii) a series of contractional folds, thrusts and pressure solution with a predominant NE to ENE trend. Observed relationships and structural analysis suggest an obliquity between the here inferred direction of the Late Jurassic-Early Cretaceous stretching (i.e. about N015E) and the onshore boundary faults, whereas the contractional structures are broadly parallel to the NE-striking Conejera Fault and suggest a roughly SSE- to SE-oriented Alpine convergence

3D reconstruction of syn-tectonic strata deposited during the inversion of salt-related structures : insights from the Llert syncline (South-central Pyrenees)

The Llert syncline is located in the South-central Pyrenees, between the eastern termination of the EW-trending Cotiella Basin and the north-western limb of the NS-trending Turbón-Serrado fold system. The Cotiella Basin is an inverted upper Coniacian-lower Santonian salt-floored post-rift extensional basin developed along the northern Iberian rift system. The Turbón-Serrado fold system consists of upper Santonian - Maastrichtian contractional salt-cored anticlines developed along an inverted transfer zone of the Pyrenean rift system. Based on field research, this paper presents a 3D reconstruction of the Llert syncline in order to further constrain the transition between these oblique salt-related structures. Our results suggest that the evolution of the Llert syncline was mainly controlled by tectonic shortening related to the tectonic inversion of the Cotiella Basin synchronously to the growth of the Turbón-Serrado detachment anticline, and by the pre-compressional structural framework of the Pyrenean rift system. Our contribution provides new insight into the geometric and kinematic relationships of structures developed during the inversion of passive margins involving salt

Rate-control algorithms for non-embedded wavelet-based image coding

During the last decade, there has been an increasing interest in the design of very fast wavelet image encoders focused on specific applications like interactive real-time image and video systems, running on power-constrained devices such as digital cameras, mobile phones where coding delay and/or available computing resources (working memory and power processing) are critical for proper operation. In order to reduce complexity, most of these fast wavelet image encoders are non-(SNR)-embedded and as a consequence, precise rate control is not supported. In this work, we propose some simple rate control algorithms for these kind of encoders and we analyze their impact to determine if, despite their inclusion, the global encoder is still competitive with respect to popular embedded encoders like SPIHT and JPEG2000. In this study we focus on the non-embedded LTW encoder, showing that the increase in complexity due to the rate control algorithm inclusion, maintains LTW competitive with respect to SPIHT and JPEG2000 in terms of R/D performance, coding delay and memory consumption. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011This work was funded by Spanish Ministry of education and Science under grant DPI2007-66796-C03-03.Lopez Granado, OM.; Onofre Martinez-Rach, M.; Pinol Peral, P.; Oliver Gil, JS.; Perez Malumbres, MJ. (2012). Rate-control algorithms for non-embedded wavelet-based image coding. Journal of Signal Processing Systems. 68(2):203-216. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11265-011-0598-6S203216682Antonini, M., Barlaud, M., Mathieu, P., & Daubechies, I. (1992). Image coding using wavelet transform. IEEE Transaction on Image Processing, 1(2), 205–220.Cho, Y., & Pearlman, W.A. (2007). Hierarchical dynamic range coding of wavelet subbands for fast and efficient image compression. IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, 16, 2005–2015.Chrysafis, C., Said, A., Drukarev, A., Islam, A., & Pearlman, W. (2000). SBHP—A low complexity wavelet coder. In IEEE international conference on acoustics, speech and signal processing.CIPR: http://www.cipr.rpi.edu/resource/stills/kodak.html . Center for Image Processing Research.Davis, P. J. (1975) Interpolation and approximation. Dover Publications.Grottke, S., Richter, T., & Seiler, R. (2006). Apriori rate allocation in wavelet-based image compression. In Second international conference on automated production of cross media content for multi-channel distribution, 2006. AXMEDIS ’06 (pp. 329–336). doi: 10.1109/AXMEDIS.2006.12 .Guo, J., Mitra, S., Nutter, B., & Karp, T. (2006). Backward coding of wavelet trees with fine-grained bitrate control. Journal of Computers, 1(4), 1–7. doi: 10.4304/jcp.1.4.1-7 .ISO/IEC 10918-1/ITU-T Recommendation T.81 (1992). Digital compression and coding of continuous-tone still image.ISO/IEC 15444-1 (2000). JPEG2000 image coding system.Kakadu, S. (2006). http://www.kakadusoftware.com .Kasner, J., Marcellin, M., & Hunt, B. (1999). Universal trellis coded quantization. IEEE Transactions on Image Processing, 8(12), 1677–1687. doi: 10.1109/83.806615 .Lancaster, P. (1986). Curve and surface fitting: An introduction. Academic Press.Oliver, J., & Malumbres, M. (2001). A new fast lower-tree wavelet image encoder. In Proceedings of international conference on image processing, 2001 (Vol. 3, pp. 780–783). doi: 10.1109/ICIP.2001.958236 .Oliver, J., & Malumbres, M. P. (2006). Low-complexity multiresolution image compression using wavelet lower trees. IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems for Video Technology, 16(11), 1437–1444.Pearlman, W. A. (2001). Trends of tree-based, set partitioning compression techniques in still and moving image systems. In Picture coding symposium.Said, A., & Pearlman, A. (1996). A new, fast and efficient image codec based on set partitioning in hierarchical trees. IEEE Transactions on Circuits, Systems and Video Technology, 6(3), 243–250.Table Curve 3D 3.0 (1998). http://www.systat.com. Systat Software Inc.Wu, X. (2001). The transform and data compression handbook, chap. Compression of wavelet transform coefficients, (pp. 347–378). CRC Press.Zhidkov, N., & Kobelkov, G. (1987). Numerical methods. Moscow: Nauka

Genetic analyses of aplastic anemia and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis patients with short telomeres, possible implication of DNA-repair genes

Background: Telomeres are nucleoprotein structures present at the terminal region of the chromosomes. Mutations in genes coding for proteins involved in telomere maintenance are causative of a number of disorders known as telomeropathies. The genetic origin of these diseases is heterogeneous and has not been determined for a significant proportion of patients. Methods: This article describes the genetic characterization of a cohort of patients. Telomere length was determined by Southern blot and quantitative PCR. Nucleotide variants were analyzed either by high-resolution melting analysis and Sanger sequencing of selected exons or by massive sequencing of a panel of genes. Results: Forty-seven patients with telomere length below the 10% of normal population, affected with three telomeropathies: dyskeratosis congenita (4), aplastic anemia (22) or pulmonary fibrosis (21) were analyzed. Eighteen of these patients presented known pathogenic or novel possibly pathogenic variants in the telomere-related genes TERT, TERC, RTEL1, CTC1 and ACD. In addition, the analyses of a panel of 188 genes related to haematological disorders indicated that a relevant proportion of the patients (up to 35%) presented rare variants in genes related to DNA repair or in genes coding for proteins involved in the resolution of complex DNA structures, that participate in telomere replication. Mutations in some of these genes are causative of several syndromes previously associated to telomere shortening

Precariedad, exclusión social y diversidad funcional (discapacidad): lógicas y efectos subjetivos del sufrimiento social contemporáneo (III). Innovación docente en Filosofía

El PIMCD Precariedad, exclusión social y diversidad funcional (discapacidad): lógicas y efectos subjetivos del sufrimiento social contemporáneo (III). Innovación docente en Filosofía se ocupa de conceptos que generalmente han tendido a ser eludidos en la enseñanza académica de filosofía. Se trata de la tercera edición de un PIMCD que ha venido recibiendo financiación en las últimas convocatorias PIMCD UCM, de los que se han derivado publicaciones colectivas publicadas por Ediciones Complutense y Siglo XXI

Precariedad, exclusión social y diversidad funcional (discapacidad): lógicas y efectos subjetivos del sufrimiento social contemporáneo (II). Innovación docente en Filosofía

El PIMCD "Precariedad, exclusión social y diversidad funcional (discapacidad): lógicas y efectos subjetivos del sufrimiento social contemporáneo (II). Innovación docente en Filosofía" se ocupa de conceptos generalmente eludidos por la tradición teórica (contando como núcleos aglutinantes los de la precariedad laboral, la exclusión social y diversidad funcional o discapacidad), cuyo análisis propicia nuevas prácticas en la enseñanza universitaria de filosofía, adoptando como meta principal el aprendizaje centrado en el estudiantado, el diseño de nuevas herramientas de enseñanza y el fomento de una universidad inclusiva. El proyecto cuenta con 26 docentes de la UCM y otros 28 docentes de otras 17 universidades españolas (UV, UNED, UGR, UNIZAR, UAH, UC3M, UCA, UNIOVI, ULL, EHU/UPV, UA, UAM, Deusto, IFS/CSIC, UCJC, URJC y Univ. Pontificia de Comillas), que permitirán dotar a las actividades programadas de un alcance idóneo para consolidar la adquisición de competencias argumentativas y dialécticas por parte de lxs estudiantes implicados en el marco de los seminarios previstos. Se integrarán en el PIMCD, aparte de PDI, al menos 26 estudiantes de máster y doctorado de la Facultad de Filosofía, a lxs que acompañarán durante el desarrollo del PIMCD 4 Alumni de la Facultad de Filosofía de la UCM, actualmente investigadores post-doc y profesorxs de IES, cuya experiencia será beneficiosa para su introducción en la investigación. Asimismo, el equipo cuenta con el apoyo de varixs profesorxs asociadxs, que en algunos casos son también profesores de IES. Varixs docentes externos a la UCM participantes en el PIMCD poseen una dilatada experiencia en la coordinación de proyectos de innovación de otras universidades, lo que redundará en beneficio de las actividades a desarrollar. La coordinadora y otrxs miembros del PIMCD pertenecen a la Red de Innovación Docente en Filosofia (RIEF), puesta en marcha desde la Universitat de València (http://rief.blogs.uv.es/encuentros-de-la-rief/), a la que mantendremos informada de las actividades realizadas en el proyecto. Asimismo, lxs 6 miembros del PAS permitirán difundir debidamente las actividades realizadas en el PIMCD entre lxs estudiantes Erasmus IN del curso 2019/20 en la Facultad de Filosofía, de la misma manera que orientar en las tareas de maquetación y edición que puedan ser necesarias de cara a la publicación de lxs resultados del PIMCD y en las tareas de pesquisa bibliográfica necesarias para el desarrollo de los objetivos propuestos. Han manifestado su interés en los resultados derivados del PIMCD editoriales especializadas en la difusión de investigaciones predoctorales como Ápeiron y CTK E-Books

Higher COVID-19 pneumonia risk associated with anti-IFN-α than with anti-IFN-ω auto-Abs in children

We found that 19 (10.4%) of 183 unvaccinated children hospitalized for COVID-19 pneumonia had autoantibodies (auto-Abs) neutralizing type I IFNs (IFN-alpha 2 in 10 patients: IFN-alpha 2 only in three, IFN-alpha 2 plus IFN-omega in five, and IFN-alpha 2, IFN-omega plus IFN-beta in two; IFN-omega only in nine patients). Seven children (3.8%) had Abs neutralizing at least 10 ng/ml of one IFN, whereas the other 12 (6.6%) had Abs neutralizing only 100 pg/ml. The auto-Abs neutralized both unglycosylated and glycosylated IFNs. We also detected auto-Abs neutralizing 100 pg/ml IFN-alpha 2 in 4 of 2,267 uninfected children (0.2%) and auto-Abs neutralizing IFN-omega in 45 children (2%). The odds ratios (ORs) for life-threatening COVID-19 pneumonia were, therefore, higher for auto-Abs neutralizing IFN-alpha 2 only (OR [95% CI] = 67.6 [5.7-9,196.6]) than for auto-Abs neutralizing IFN-. only (OR [95% CI] = 2.6 [1.2-5.3]). ORs were also higher for auto-Abs neutralizing high concentrations (OR [95% CI] = 12.9 [4.6-35.9]) than for those neutralizing low concentrations (OR [95% CI] = 5.5 [3.1-9.6]) of IFN-omega and/or IFN-alpha 2

Inversion Tectonics in the Alpine Foreland, Eastern Alps (Austria)

[eng] In this thesis, the 3D structure and kinematics of the locally and mildly inverted Lower Austria Mesozoic Basin beneath the Alpine-Carpathian fold-and-thrust belt is described. This study has been carried out by the integrative interpretation of 2D and 3D seismic surveys, well and geophysical logs data and gravity maps. A basin-scale, 3D structural model has been carried out, focused on the sub-thrust and foreland zones. The Late Eocene to Early Miocene Alpine–Carpathian fold-and-thrust belt resulted from the subduction of the European plate beneath the Adriatic one, and the subsequent continental collision between both plates. The Alpine–Carpathian foredeep and fold-and-thrust belt recorded the long-lasting involvement of the European crystalline basement in several deformation events: from late Variscan transtension, to Jurassic rifting, and Cretaceous to Neogene shortening. In this thesis, two additional basement fault reactivation events have been defined in relation to the Alpine-Carpathian Cenozoic shortening: an extensional reactivation event related to the bending of the European plate coeval with Egerian to Karpatian (ca. 28–16 Ma) thin-skinned thrusting; followed by the selective positive inversion of the basement faults in the sub-thrust and in the foreland during Karpatian to Badenian times (ca. 16-12.5 Ma). The flexural bending of the European plate and the associated extensional fault reactivation were promoted by high lateral gradients of lithospheric strength in addition to the slab pull forces associated with subduction. Delamination of the European lithosphere during the final stages of collision around Karpatian times (ca. 16 Ma) promoted a large-wavelength uplift and an excessive topographic load. This topographic load was compensated by broadening the orogenic wedge through the compressional reactivation of the inherited fault array in the Euroepan plate beneath and ahead of the thin-skinned thrust system. Ultimately, collapse and deep burial of the Alpine-Carpathian tectonic wedge took place by the formation of the Pannonian basins system. To gain further insights in the deformational processes in sub-thrust and foreland settings, sandbox analogue models of brittle and brittle-viscous sand wedges have been carried out. The models aimed testing the influence of different topographic loads (i.e., thrust wedges) on the sub-thrust inversion of extensional basins, as well as the influence of the initial orientation of the extensional basins, and the presence or absence of weak detachment layers. Segmented half-graben basins -striking at 90º, 45º and 15º to the extension direction- were created first, and then shortened using different angles for the basal detachment and topographic slope. A shallow layer of viscous polymer over the half- graben basin was included in one of the models. The experiments were analysed using time-lapse photography, topography laser scans and image-based 3D voxels. The modelling results indicate a deformation sequence characterised by layer-parallel compaction, fault reactivation, thrust propagation and related folding. Fault reactivation and basin inversion were associated with layer-parallel compaction accomplished by slip along the basal detachment, prior to and in between pulses of thrusting. The results of the sandbox analogue models reveal a fundamental control imposed by the vertical load of the tectonic wedge and its integrated strength profile in the inversion of sub-thrust basins. Small vertical loads or strong gradients of vertical load have revealed as fundamental factors aiding in the inversion of buried, sub-thrust basins. The integrated strength profile resulted from the combination of inherited, strain-softened fault zones, as well as the presence or absence and distribution of weak, viscous horizons. The results of the sandbox models carried out indicate that the vertical load, its gradient over the sub-thrust basins and the inherited, strain-softened faults, are more important than the obliquity between the direction of shortening and the orientation of pre-existing fault systems. As indicated by the results of sandbox analogue models, the recurrent and long-lasting frictional reactivation of the Lower Austria basement fault array may have been favoured by fault-weakening mechanisms, as well as by steep gradients of vertical loads generated by thin-skinned out- of-sequence stacking of the Rhenodanubian Flysch located south of the inverted basement fault arra