Idoneidad de la iluminación con led y oled de estado sólido para el cultivo del azafrán (Croccus Sativus l.) en invernaderos

Cormos de azafrán (Croccus sativus L.) fueron analizados morfológicamente y se cultivaron de forma hidropónica a 16 - 21 ºC. Con el fin de estudiar el efecto de la radiación electromagnética de color azul (435 nm), roja (660 nm) y del rojo lejano (730 nm) sobre la fotosíntesis y la morfogénesis del azafrán, se utilizaron diodos emisores de luz (LED) fabricados por PHILIPS (mod. GreenPower LED High Flux). La intensidad de iluminación que recibió el cultivo se ajustó a la que recibiría en condiciones naturales mediante un sistema electrónico de control, en el que se utilizan dimmers para el control del flujo luminoso. Los resultados obtenidos hasta este momento permiten señalar que, tanto la iluminación con luz azul y roja estimulan de forma significativa el crecimiento de los vástagos (parte aérea) frente a los cormos testigo (iluminación natural), si bien en ninguno de los tratamientos se ha producido la inducción floral que cabía esperar. Como una alternativa viable a los tradicionales LEDs inorgánicos, algunos de los nuevos experimentos utilizarán diodos orgánicos emisores de luz (OLED), basados en nuevos complejos de erbio octocoordinados y con emisiones en las regiones del rojo y del infrarrojo cercano

Non-linear classifiers applied to EEG analysis for epilepsy seizure detection

This work presents a novel approach for automatic epilepsy seizure detection based on EEG analysis that exploits the underlying non-linear nature of EEG data. In this paper, two main contributions are presented and validated: the use of non-linear classifiers through the so-called kernel trick and the proposal of a Bag-of-Words model for extracting a non-linear feature representation of the input data in an unsupervised manner. The performance of the resulting system is validated with public datasets, previously processed to remove artifacts or external disturbances, but also with private datasets recorded under realistic and non-ideal operating conditions. The use of public datasets caters for comparison purposes whereas the private one shows the performance of the system under realistic circumstances of noise, artifacts, and signals of different amplitudes. Moreover, the proposed solution has been compared to state-of-the-art works not only for pre-processed and public datasets but also with the private datasets. The mean F1-measure shows a 10% improvement over the second-best ranked method including cross-dataset experiments. The obtained results prove the robustness of the proposed solution to more realistic and variable conditions. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Nuevos métodos de obtención de bioqueroseno a partir de extractos de algas

A partir de biomasa de algas en forma de pasta y procedente de su centrifugación (Nanochloropsis gaditana, Ascophyllum Nodosum y Laminaria Digitata) se elabora por procedimiento de solvólisis un biodiesel susceptible de hidrogenación en bioquioqueroseno y para su posterior uso como combustible de aviones. Este trabajo investiga la composición de las algas en ácido algínico y en sus unidades constituyentes o ácidos manurónico y gulurónico, y el contenido en alginato de sodio sobre algas secas. La valorización de residuos procedentes de centrifugados de algas con bajo contenido en aceite, se ha mostrado útil para la extracción de los mismos, y posterior solvolisis ácida y extracción con disolventes (acetilacetona y el etilenglicol). Especialmente la espectroscopía 1 HNMR y 13 CNMR se ha mostrado útil para identificar en los aceites, ácidos grasos próximos al ácido cis-cis-9,12- octadecadienoico. Por esterificación y subsiguiente hidrogenación se produce el bioqueroseno objeto de estudi

Injecting domain knowledge in multi-objective optimization problems: A semantic approach

In the field of complex problem optimization with me-taheuristics, semantics has been used for modeling different aspects, such as: problem characterization, parameters, decision-maker's preferences, or algorithms. However, there is a lack of approaches where ontologies are ap-plied in a direct way into the optimization process, with the aim of enhancing it by allowing the systematic incorporation of additional domain knowledge. This is due to the high level of abstraction of ontologies, which makes them difficult to be mapped into the code implementing the problems and/or the specific operators of metaheuristics. In this paper, we present a strategy to inject domain knowledge (by reusing existing ontologies or creating a new one) into a problem implementation that will be optimized using a metaheu-ristic. Thus, this approach based on accepted ontologies enables building and exploiting complex computing systems in optimization problems. We describe a methodology to automatically induce user choices (taken from the ontology) into the problem implementations provided by the jMetal op-timization framework. With the aim of illustrating our proposal, we focus on the urban domain. Concretely, We start from defining an ontology repre-senting the domain semantics for a city (e.g., building, bridges, point of inte-rest, routes, etc.) that allows defining a-priori preferences by a decision ma-ker in a standard, reusable, and formal (logic-based) way. We validate our proposal with several instances of two use cases, consisting in bi-objective formulations of the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) and the Radio Net-work Design problem (RND), both in the context of an urban scenario. The results of the experiments conducted show how the semantic specification of domain constraints are effectively mapped into feasible solutions of the tackled TSP and RND scenarios. TUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Live Attenuated African Swine Fever Viruses as Ideal Tools to Dissect the Mechanisms Involved in Cross-Protection

African swine fever (ASF) has become the major threat for the global swine industry. Furthermore, the epidemiological situation of African swine fever virus (ASFV) in some endemic regions of Sub-Saharan Africa is worse than ever, with multiple virus strains and genotypes currently circulating in a given area. Despite the recent advances on ASF vaccine development, there are no commercial vaccines yet, and most of the promising vaccine prototypes available today have been specifically designed to fight the genotype II strains currently circulating in Europe, Asia, and Oceania. Previous results from our laboratory have demonstrated the ability of BA71∆CD2, a recombinant LAV lacking CD2v, to confer protection against homologous (BA71) and heterologous genotype I (E75) and genotype II (Georgia2007/01) ASFV strains, both belonging to same clade (clade C). Here, we extend these results using BA71∆CD2 as a tool trying to understand ASFV cross-protection, using phylogenetically distant ASFV strains. We first observed that five out of six (83.3%) of the pigs immunized once with 106 PFU of BA71∆CD2 survived the tick-bite challenge using Ornithodoros sp. soft ticks naturally infected with RSA/11/2017 strain (genotype XIX, clade D). Second, only two out of six (33.3%) survived the challenge with Ken06.Bus (genotype IX, clade A), which is phylogenetically more distant to BA71∆CD2 than the RSA/11/2017 strain. On the other hand, homologous prime-boosting with BA71∆CD2 only improved the survival rate to 50% after Ken06.Bus challenge, all suffering mild ASF-compatible clinical signs, while 100% of the pigs immunized with BA71∆CD2 and boosted with the parental BA71 virulent strain survived the lethal challenge with Ken06.Bus, without almost no clinical signs of the disease. Our results confirm that cross-protection is a multifactorial phenomenon that not only depends on sequence similarity. We believe that understanding this complex phenomenon will be useful for designing future vaccines for ASF-endemic areas.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Coordinación de casos prácticos en asignaturas del área de conocimiento “Gestión de la Información” según modelo curricular de informática de la ACM/IEEE 2013

Este artículo presenta el estado de desarrollo y resultados preliminares del proyecto de innovación docente de la Universidad de Málaga (PIE15-183): Coor-dinación de casos prácticos en asignaturas del área de conocimiento “Gestión de la Información” según modelo curricular de informática de la ACM/IEEE 2013.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Analysis of biophysical variables in an onion crop (Allium cepa L.) with nitrogen fertilization by sentinel-2 observations

The production of onions bulbs (Allium cepa L.) requires a high amount of nitrogen. Ac cording to the demand of sustainable agriculture, the information-development and communication technologies allow for improving the efficiency of nitrogen fertilization. In the south of the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina, between 8000 and 10,000 hectares per year−1 are cultivated in the districts of Villarino and Patagones. This work aimed to analyze the relationship of biophysical variables: leaf area index (LAI), canopy chlorophyll content (CCC), and canopy cover factor (fCOVER), with the nitrogen fertilization of an intermediate cycle onion crop and its effects on yield. A field trial study with different doses of granulated urea and granulated urea was carried out, where biophysical char acteristics were evaluated in the field and in Sentinel-2 satellite observations. Field data correlated well with satellite data, with an R2 of 0.91, 0.96, and 0.85 for LAI, fCOVER, and CCC, respectively. The application of nitrogen in all its doses produced significantly higher yields than the control. The LAI and CCC variables had a positive correlation with yield in the months of November and December. A significant difference was observed between U250 (62 Mg ha−1) and the other treatments. The U500 dose led to a yield increase of 27% compared to U250, while the difference between U750 and U500 was 6%.Fil: Casella, Alejandra. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Clima y Agua; ArgentinaFil: Orden, Luciano. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Hilario Ascasubi; Argentina. Universidad Miguel Hernández. Centro de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental. GIAAMA Reseach Group; EspañaFil: Pezzola, Alejandro. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Hilario Ascasubi; ArgentinaFil: Bellaccomo, Maria Carolina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Hilario Ascasubi; ArgentinaFil: Winschel, Cristina Ines. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Hilario Ascasubi; ArgentinaFil: Caballero, Gabriel. Technological University of Uruguay. Departamento de Montevideo, UruguayFil: Delegido, Jesús. Universidad de Valencia. Image Processing Laboratory (IPL); EspañaFil: Navas Gracia, Luis Manuel. Universidad de Valladolid. Departamento de Ingenieria Agrícola y Forestal; EspañaFil: Verrelst, Jochem. Universidad de Valencia. Image Processing Laboratory (IPL); Españ

Fecal microbiota transplantation from warthog to pig confirms the influence of the gut microbiota on African swine fever susceptibility

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is the causative agent of a devastating hemorrhagic disease (ASF) that affects both domestic pigs and wild boars. Conversely, ASFV circulates in a subclinical manner in African wild pigs, including warthogs, the natural reservoir for ASFV. Together with genetic differences, other factors might be involved in the differential susceptibility to ASF observed among Eurasian suids (Sus scrofa) and African warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus). Preliminary evidence obtained in our laboratory and others, seems to confirm the effect that environmental factors might have on ASF infection. Thus, domestic pigs raised in specific pathogen-free (SPF) facilities were extremely susceptible to highly attenuated ASFV strains that were innocuous to genetically identical domestic pigs grown on conventional farms. Since gut microbiota plays important roles in maintaining intestinal homeostasis, regulating immune system maturation and the functionality of the innate/adaptive immune responses, we decided to examine whether warthog fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to domestic pigs affects host susceptibility to ASFV. The present work demonstrates that warthog FMT is not harmful for domestic weaned piglets, while it modifies their gut microbiota; and that FMT from warthogs to pigs confers partial protection against attenuated ASFV strains. Future work is needed to elucidate the protective mechanisms exerted by warthog FMT.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

TITAN: A knowledge-based platform for Big Data workflow management

Modern applications of Big Data are transcending from being scalable solutions of data processing and analysis, to now provide advanced functionalities with the ability to exploit and understand the underpinning knowledge. This change is promoting the development of tools in the intersection of data processing, data analysis, knowledge extraction and management. In this paper, we propose TITAN, a software platform for managing all the life cycle of science workflows from deployment to execution in the context of Big Data applications. This platform is characterised by a design and operation mode driven by semantics at different levels: data sources, problem domain and workflow components. The proposed platform is developed upon an ontological framework of meta-data consistently managing processes and models and taking advantage of domain knowledge. TITAN comprises a well-grounded stack of Big Data technologies including Apache Kafka for inter-component communication, Apache Avro for data serialisation and Apache Spark for data analytics. A series of use cases are conducted for validation, which comprises workflow composition and semantic meta-data management in academic and real-world fields of human activity recognition and land use monitoring from satellite images.Universidad de Málaga. Andalucía TECH

Fecal microbiota transplantation from warthog to pig confirms the influence of the gut microbiota on African swine fever susceptibility

African swine fever virus (ASFV) is the causative agent of a devastating hemorrhagic disease (ASF) that affects both domestic pigs and wild boars. Conversely, ASFV circulates in a subclinical manner in African wild pigs, including warthogs, the natural reservoir for ASFV. Together with genetic differences, other factors might be involved in the differential susceptibility to ASF observed among Eurasian suids (Sus scrofa) and African warthogs (Phacochoerus africanus). Preliminary evidence obtained in our laboratory and others, seems to confirm the effect that environmental factors might have on ASF infection. Thus, domestic pigs raised in specific pathogen-free (SPF) facilities were extremely susceptible to highly attenuated ASFV strains that were innocuous to genetically identical domestic pigs grown on conventional farms. Since gut microbiota plays important roles in maintaining intestinal homeostasis, regulating immune system maturation and the functionality of the innate/adaptive immune responses, we decided to examine whether warthog fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to domestic pigs affects host susceptibility to ASFV. The present work demonstrates that warthog FMT is not harmful for domestic weaned piglets, while it modifies their gut microbiota; and that FMT from warthogs to pigs confers partial protection against attenuated ASFV strains. Future work is needed to elucidate the protective mechanisms exerted by warthog FMT