Comparative study of simulation methods for the quantification of the acoustic insulation provided by periodic structures

[EN] Nowadays there are different available methods to perform simulations in acoustics. The suitability of them strongly depends on the system studied in each case. In the present work, a comparison between different methods (Multiple Scattering, Finite Elements Method and Finite Difference Time Domain) is carried out particularized to the quantification of the isolation provided by periodic structures (Sonic crystals). It has been considered a systematic study about computational time, precision and computational cost.[ES] Actualmente existen diferentes métodos para realizar simulaciones acústicas. La conveniencia de utilizar un método u otro depende del sistema que se estudia en cada caso. En este trabajo se realiza una comparativa entre diferentes métodos (Múltiple Scattering, Método de Elementos Finitos y Método de Diferencias Finitas en el Dominio del Tiempo) aplicados a la cuantificación del aislamiento proporcionado por estructuras periódicas (cristales de sonido). Se considera un estudio sistemático sobre tiempo computacional, la precisión y el coste computacional.This work was partially supported by the Spanish “MINISTERIO DE ECONOMIA, INDUSTRIA Y COMPETITIVIDAD” under the project TEC2015-68076-R.Parrilla-Navarro, MJ.; Redondo, J.; Sánchez Pérez, JV.; Peiró-Torres, MDP. (2018). Comparative study of simulation methods for the quantification of the acoustic insulation provided by periodic structures. Revista de Acústica. 49(1-2):3-10. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/112955S310491-

Embedded neural network for real-time animal behavior classification

Recent biological studies have focused on understanding animal interactions and welfare. To help biolo- gists to obtain animals’ behavior information, resources like wireless sensor networks are needed. More- over, large amounts of obtained data have to be processed off-line in order to classify different behaviors.There are recent research projects focused on designing monitoring systems capable of measuring someanimals’ parameters in order to recognize and monitor their gaits or behaviors. However, network unre- liability and high power consumption have limited their applicability.In this work, we present an animal behavior recognition, classification and monitoring system based ona wireless sensor network and a smart collar device, provided with inertial sensors and an embeddedmulti-layer perceptron-based feed-forward neural network, to classify the different gaits or behaviorsbased on the collected information. In similar works, classification mechanisms are implemented in aserver (or base station). The main novelty of this work is the full implementation of a reconfigurableneural network embedded into the animal’s collar, which allows a real-time behavior classification andenables its local storage in SD memory. Moreover, this approach reduces the amount of data transmittedto the base station (and its periodicity), achieving a significantly improving battery life. The system hasbeen simulated and tested in a real scenario for three different horse gaits, using different heuristics andsensors to improve the accuracy of behavior recognition, achieving a maximum of 81%.Junta de Andalucía P12-TIC-130

Sensoring a Generative System to Create User-Controlled Melodies

[EN] The automatic generation of music is an emergent field of research that has attracted the attention of countless researchers. As a result, there is a broad spectrum of state of the art research in this field. Many systems have been designed to facilitate collaboration between humans and machines in the generation of valuable music. This research proposes an intelligent system that generates melodies under the supervision of a user, who guides the process through a mechanical device. The mechanical device is able to capture the movements of the user and translate them into a melody. The system is based on a Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) architecture, enabling it to learn from previous compositions and to improve its performance over time. The user uses a device that allows them to adapt the composition to their preferences by adjusting the pace of a melody to a specific context or generating more serious or acute notes. Additionally, the device can automatically resist some of the user’s movements, this way the user learns how they can create a good melody. Several experiments were conducted to analyze the quality of the system and the melodies it generates. According to the users’ validation, the proposed system can generate music that follows a concrete style. Most of them also believed that the partial control of the device was essential for the quality of the generated music

Une réduction éléctroquimique de colorants sulfureux. Des voies de processus.

Los colorantes sulfurosos, utilizados en la tintura del algodón, precisan de la adición de agentes reductores, para su solubilización, que impiden la reutilización del baño tintóreo y elevan los contenidos contaminantes. Este estudio pretende analizar la viabilidad de sustituir los reactivos reductores por un proceso electródico. Los resultados son positivos, aunque aún se debe completar el estudio antes de pasar a escala industrial.The sulphurous dyes used in the dyeing of the cotton, need addition of reducer agents, for its solubilization, which prevent the reutilization of the dyeing bath and raise pollutants contents. This study tries to analyze the viability of replacing the reducer reagents by an electrodic process The results are positive, though it is necessary to complete the study before going on to industrial scale.Les colorants sulfureux, utilisés dans la teinture en coton, ont besoin de l'ajout d'agents réducteurs, pour son solubilization, lesquels empêchent la réutilisation du bain et élèvent les contenus polluants. Cette étude essaie d'analyser la viabilité de remplacer les réactifs réducteurs par un processus electrodique Les résultats sont positifs, bien qu’encore il faille compléter l'étude avant de passer à une échelle industriell

3GPP QoS-based scheduling framework for LTE

This paper proposes the design of a scheduling framework for the downlink of the Long Term Evolution (LTE) system with the objective of meeting the Quality of Service (QoS) requirements as defined by the QoS architecture of the 3G Partnership Project (3GPP) specifications. We carry out a thorough review of 3GPP specifications analyzing the requirements of the 3GPP QoS architecture. LTE bearers may be associated with a Guaranteed Bit Rate (i.e., GBR bearers) or not (i.e., non-GBR bearers). Additionally, the specifications establish a Packet Delay Budget (PDB) to limit the maximum packet transfer delay. To achieve our goal, we design a channel-aware service discipline for GBR bearers which is able to fulfill not only the GBR but also the PDB. Additionally, we also design an algorithm for prioritizing GBR and non-GBR bearers from different QoS Class Identifiers (QCIs) following 3GPP QoS rules. We compare the proposed framework with two reference schedulers by means of network-level simulations. The results will show the ability of the proposed framework to address the QoS requirements from 3GPP specifications while providing an interesting performance from a spectral efficiency viewpoint.This work is partially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the European Regional Development Fund (project TIN2013-46223-P)

Molecular recognition in the interaction of chloroplast 2-Cys peroxiredoxin with NADPH-thioredoxin reductase C (NTRC) and thioredoxin x

In addition to the standard NADPH thioredoxin reductases (NTRs), plants hold a plastidic NTR (NTRC), with a thioredoxin module fused at the C-terminus. NTRC is an efficient reductant of 2-Cys peroxiredoxins (2-Cys Prxs). The interaction of NTRC and chloroplastic thioredoxin x with 2-Cys Prxs has been confirmed in vivo, by bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays, and in vitro, by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) experiments. In comparison with thioredoxin x, NTRC interacts with 2-Cys Prx with higher affinity, both the thioredoxin and NTR domains of NTRC contributing significantly to this interaction, as demonstrated by using the NTR and thioredoxin modules of the enzyme expressed separately. The presence of the thioredoxin domain seems to prevent the interaction of NTRC with thioredoxin x.Junta de Andalucía BIO-022, CVI-4528, BIO-182, CVI-5919Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación BIO2010-15430, BFU2010-1945

Experimentación comercial para la mejora del SEO local de una cadena de distribución alimentaria

Hoy en día es muy importante que las empresas trabajen sus sitios web en busca de mejorar su posición en los buscadores (Google, Yahoo, etc.), para ello emplean una serie de técnicas y herramientas que aumentan la visibilidad del establecimiento o negocio según su situación geográfica (SEO local). El objetivo del trabajo es realizar un experimento para observar la evolución del SEO local de las ubicaciones de una cadena de supermercados en la ciudad de València en los servicios de búsqueda y mapas de Google. Para ello se seleccionaron 53 supermercados de los que Google no disponía fotografías propias y se creó un grupo control al que no se les aplicó ningún tratamiento. Este grupo estaba formado por 14 supermercados, seleccionados en base a criterios geográficos (distritos de la ciudad de València), características propias de los locales (metros cuadrados, parking propio) y densidad comercial. Como indicadores de evolución se usaron las visualizaciones (de la búsqueda o de Maps), las búsquedas (directas e indirectas) y acciones (llamada, visita al sitio web y solicitud de indicaciones). Se observó una mejora en los tres indicadores con una repercusión de 3.5 millones de visualizaciones, 3,3 millones de búsquedas y 1,9 millones de acciones de los usuarios más que en 2019

Sonic Crystals Acoustic Screens and Diffusers

[EN] This article presents the use of advanced tools applied to the design of devices that can solve specific acoustic problems, improving the already existing devices based on classic technologies. Specifically, we have used two different configurations of a material called Sonic Crystals, which is formed by arrays of acoustic scatterers, to obtain acoustic screens with high diffusion properties by means of an optimization process. This design procedure has been carried out using a multiobjective evolutionary algorithm along to an acoustic simulation model developed with the numerical method called Finite Difference Time Domain. The results obtained are discussed in terms of both the acoustic performance and the robustness of the devices achieved.This work was partially supported by the Spanish "Ministerio de Economia y Competitividad" under the project TEC2015-68076-R.Peiró-Torres, MDP.; Parrilla-Navarro, MJ.; Ferri García, M.; Bravo, JM.; Sánchez Pérez, JV.; Redondo, J. (2019). Sonic Crystals Acoustic Screens and Diffusers. Applied Acoustics. 148:399-408. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2019.01.004S39940814

Coastal Management Activities in Valdevaqueros Dune Area (Tarifa, SW Spain)

Valdevaqueros dune area is located in the SW of Spain (Tarifa, Cádiz) and represents an important recreational zone. However, after Spanish Shore Act approbation in 1988, sand extractions were prohibited and the system began to loose stability producing the dune invasion landwards. The main objective of this paper is to present an integrated study of alternatives for Valdevaqueros dune area, considering all the problems involved: dune degradation, invasion of Punta Paloma road by the mobile dune, excessive recreational pressure on the dune area and adjacent lagoon, parking lots resettlements, and undesirable land uses in the surroundings, among the most important problems found in that area. In particular, a cost-benefit analysis for different alternatives was carried out regarding the road-dune interaction