New Lower Devonian Polygnathids (Conodonta) from the Spanish Central Pyrenees, with comments on the early radiation of the group

The comprehensive study of six Pragian-lower Emsian (Lower Devonian) sections from the Spanish Central Pyrenees has yielded a rich assemblage of conodont faunas, highlighting an important succession of Polygnathus species. Among them, the presence of the biostrati­graphical markers P. pireneae, P. kitabicus, P. excavatus excavatus and P. exc. 114 stands out. This conodont succession allows the identification of the Pragian/Emsian boundary and the early Emsian zones and subzones: the kitabicus Zone and the Lower and Middle excavatus subzones. It is also remarkable the presence of three new polygnathid species: P. aragonensis n. sp., P. carlsi n. sp. and P. ramoni n. sp. Additionally, P. pannonicus and P. sokolovi are also reported for first time in the Iberian Peninsula. According to all these records, the abundance and diversity of these species suggest that during this time interval an evolutionary radiation of the group took place, identifying two pulses during the early radiation of the group. The first one during the pireneae-kitabicus Zone, and a second one during the Lower excavatus Zone. The new data presented herein increase considerably the known paleobiodiversity of the genus dur­ing the Pragian-early Emsian interval in the Spanish Central Pyrenees and corroborates the presences of the most important early Emsian conodont markers used in other regions such us Europe, North Africa, Central Asia, Australia, and North America. ozonas Dc, E y F asociados al evento de enfriamiento global del Mioceno medio.El estudio en profundidad de seis secciones de edad Emsiense (Devónico Inferior) del Pirineo Central español ha proporcionado una rica asociación de conodontos, destacando una importante sucesión de especies del género Polygnathus. Entre ellos, resalta la presencia de los marcadores bioestratigráficos P. pireneae, P. kitabicus, P. excavatus excavatus y P. exc. 114. Esta sucesión de conodontos per­mite la identificación del límite Praguiense/Emsiense, así como de las principales zonas del Emsiense temprano: la Zona kitabicus y las subzonas excavatus Inferior y Media. También es destacable la presencia de tres nuevas especies de polygnátidos: P. aragonensis n. sp., P. carlsi n. sp. y P. ramoni n. sp.; junto con la primera referencia en la Península Ibérica de las especies P. pannonicus y P. sokolovi. De acuerdo con estos resultados, la abundancia y diversidad de estas especies sugiere que durante este intervalo temporal se produjo una radiación evolutiva del grupo, identificando dos momentos de la misma durante la evolución temprana del grupo. El primero durante el intervalo pireneae-kitabicus, y el segundo durante la Zona excavatus Inferior. Los nuevos datos presentados en este trabajo incrementan considerablemente la paleobiodiversidad conocida del género durante el Praguiense final y comienzos del Emsiense en el Pirineo Cen­tral español, y corrobora la presencia de los principales marcadores biostratigráficos del Emsiense inferior registrados en otras regiones como Europa, norte de África, Asia Central, Australia y América del Norte

On the use of sniffers for spectrum occupancy measurements of Bluetooth low energy primary channels

The methods usually employed to measure channel occupancy show limitations in the context of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) advertisements. We propose and analyze the use of BLE sniffers as light and portable low-cost spectrum occupancy meters to be used in scenarios where real time signal analyzers are not adequate. For the measurement technique to be successful, several low-level effects must be considered. The paper argues about on-air time, receiving blind times due to processing and intra system interference, buffer saturation and frequency anchoring. Hence, a compensation procedure based on collision rate estimation is proposed. Results with the refined method show that occupancies of 40% can be measured with an overestimation error whose percentile 95% is 5 percentage points. This is reduced to 1.9 points when the occupancy is 15%. The sniffers perform in real time and are shown to correctly track short term load variations. The strategy has been successfully used to characterize occupancy in highly variable and loaded scenarios such as subway platforms and a shopping mall. Values up to 25% have been observed, which implies a relevant packet error rate. Hence, the tool can be used to make agile audits and configure the parameters that control communication redundancy in new or existing networks

Disaster Response Project Scheduling Problem: A Resolution Method based on a Game-Theoretical Model

International audienceWe present a particular disaster response project scheduling problem (DRPSP) motivated by Fukushima's nuclear accident of Japan in 2011. We describe the problem as $MPS;R,N \vert prec, d_n \vert \sum c_k f(r_k (S))$ by using Hartmann and Briskorn scheme and formulate a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model. Due to the NP-hardness of the problem, we propose a resolution method based on game theory. This method associates the DRPSP to a non-cooperative game model, such that game solution is a feasible solution of the problem. In order to explore the potential of the proposed model and the performance of the resolution method, computational experiments are carried out. The results of resolution method show on average, that the method finds a feasible solution with a difference of 15.44% with respect to optimal solution within one percent of the time required by the MILP over GAMS 22.7.2/CPLEX 11.0

Signos neuromusculares anormales tras la anestesia con romifidina-propofol-halotano en dos algas

Dos galgas (ASA I, con edades de 1.5 y 8 años) incluídas en un estudio anestésico experimental, mostraron signos de una reacción neuromuscular epileptiforme con mioclonías, movimientos natatorios de las extremidades anteriores y opistótonos, durante el inicio de la recuperación anestésica en varios procedimientos anestésicos. Ninguna tenía antecedentes de epilepsia. Las dos fueron anestesiadas con los siguientes protocolos anestésicos: 1. Romifidina (ROM) Ilvl-Atropina (ATR)- Propofol (PRO)-Halotano (HAL), 2. ROM IV-ATRPRO-HAL. 3. Xilacina (XIL)-ATR-PRO-HAL, 4. Medetomidina (MED)-ATR-PRO-HAL y 5. ROMATR-Tiopental sódico (TIO)-HAL. Las perras no fueron sometidas a ninguna intervención quirúrgica. La anestesia se mantuvo durante 60 minutos en todos los casos. Las variables anestésicas y los parámetros sanguíneos estudiados se mantuvieron dentro de los rangos normales. La galga mayor mostró el cuadro descrito en los protocolos 1, 2 y 3 (más marcado en el 2), mientras que la más joven sólo los presentó en el 2, y con una menor intensidad en los signos clínicos. En todos los casos, éstos aparecieron de 2 a 5 minutos después de terminar la administración de halotano, y tras 15 minutos, y adoptar las pacientes el decúbito esternal, los signos cesaron. No fue necesario administrar ningún fármaco para aliviar el cuadro convulsivo. A partir de entonces, la recuperación fue normal y las pacientes no mostraron posteriormente síntomas nerviosos.Two female Greyhounds (ASA I, aged 1.5 and 8 years) showed signs of a neuromuscular epileptiforrn activity, with paddling, opisthotonus and shivering, during the anaesthetic recovery in some anaesthetic protocols. No epilepsy history was registered befare in any patient. The dogs were anaesthetized with the following procedures: 1. Romifidine (ROM) IMAtropine (ATR)-Propofol (PRO)-Halothane (HAL), 2. ROM IV-ATR-PRO-HAL. 3. Xylazine (XIL)-ATR-PROHAL, 4. Medetomidine (MED)-ATR-PRO-HAL y 5. ROM-ATR-Thiopentone (TIO)-HAL. The older Greyhound showed an epileptiforrn activity in the protocols 1, 2 and 3 (more intense in 2), however the younger one only exhibited these signs in the protocol 2. The older one suffered excitatory phenomena deeper than the other one. In all cases, signs began 2-5 minutes after the end of the halothane administration, and after 15 minutes, when the patients adopted the sternal recumbency the signs disappeared. Anaesthetic variables and haematological values were within normal limits. No drug was administered for treating the excitatory phenomena. The recovery was normal and the dogs did not exhibite nervous signs later

Antiarrhythmic agents

Los fármacos antiarritmicos son un grupo heterogéneo de sustancias que constituyen, junto con la estimulación eléctrica programada, la implantación de marcapasos, la cirugía y la fulguración, la base de la terapéutica antiarritmica actual. La mayor parte de las arritmias observadas en la práctica clinica son debidas al fenómeno de reentrada, que representa una alteración en la conducción del impulso cardiaco. Para que se produzca una arritmia por reentrada debe: a) existir un obstáculo anatómico o funcional que defina el circuito de reentrada, b) existir un área de bloqueo unidireccional y c) el tiempo que el impulso tarda en recorrer el circuito debe ser mayor que el período refractario. Teóricamente, estas arritmias pueden ser tratadas mediante dos tipos diferentes de maniobras: 1) disminuyendo la velocidad de conducción, de tal manera que convirtamos el área de bloqueo unidireccional en bidireccional. Los fánnacos antiarritmicos que producen este efecto son aquellos que actúan inhibiendo la corriente rápida de entrada de sodio (INa), o fánnacos antiarritmicos del grupo 1. 2) Prolongando el período refractario, de tal modo que el frente de onda del circuito se encuentre con tejido inexcitable. Recientes estudios clínicos (CAST, 1989) han puesto en tela de juicio la eficacia de los fánnacos antiarrítmicos del grupo 1, dado que dos de los fánnacos más potentes de este grupo (flecainida y encainida) no sólo no disminuyeron, sino que aumentaron la mortalidad en pacientes con infarto de miocardio previo y que presentaban más de 7 extrasístoles ventriculares tempranos. Estos resultados obligaron a un replanteamiento en la terapéutica antiarritmica, y condujo a diferentes grupos de investigación a la síntesis y caracterización de nuevos fármacos capaces de prolongar el periodo refractario, o fármacos antiarritmicos del grupo m. El fármaco antiarritmico "ideal" de este grupo sería aquél que produjera una mayor prolongación del período refractario a frecuencias de estimulación más rápidas (más efectivo en taquicardia). Sin embargo, ningún fármaco antiarritmico del grupo m presenta este perfil farmacológico. Por el contrario, son más eficaces a frecuencias lentas (durante la bradiacardia) que a frecuencias rápidas. La excepción es la arniodarona (el primer fánnaco antiarritmico de este grupo, con propie dades antiarritmicas del grupo 1, B-bloqueantes y antagonistas del calcio) que prolonga el período refractario a cualquier frecuencia de estimulación: es independiente de la frecuencia. La utilización de técnicas de Biología Molecular que nos permitan conocer la estructura de los canales iónicos involucrados en la r epolarización del potencial de acción, así como estudios realizados en miocitos cardiacos humanos nos proporcionarán una gran ayuda para diseñar nuevos fánnacos antiarritmicos sobre bases más racionales.Antiarchythmic agents are a very hoterogenous group of drugs which, together with programmed electrical stimulation, pacemaker implantation, ablation and surgery, constitute the basis of the antiarrhythmic therapy. Most clinical arrhythmias are due to reentry, which represents an alteration of the cardiac impulse. The basis for reentry are: a) an anatornical or functional obstacle which defines the circus movement, b) an area of unidirectional block, and c) the length of path must exceed the wave length deterrnined by effective refractoriness. Theoretically, reentrant arrhythmias can be suppressed by: 1) decreasing the conduction velocity, so that the area of unidirectional block becomes an area or bidirectional block. Antiaarrhythmic drugs acting by this mechanism include those that decrease the fast inward sodium current (INal), the so-caHed class 1 antiarrythmic drugs. 2) Lengthenin of the effective refractory period, in such a way that the wavefront encroaches in its own refractory period and the cardiac impulse cannot be propagated anymore. Drugs that selectively prolonged the effective refractory period are included as class III antiarrhytmics. Recent clinical studies (CAST, 1989) have warned the scientific community about the effectiveness and safety of class 1 antiarrhythmic drugs, since two of them (flecainide and encainide) did not de crease, but increased mortality in patients which previous myocardial infarction and asymptomatic ventricular extrasystoles. These results led numerous work groups and pharmaceutical companies to develop new class III antiarrhythmic drugs. The "ideal" class III antiarrhythmic drug would be that which produced rninirnal effect in sinus rhythm but produced a marked prolongationof the effective refractory period when the heart rate increased (i.e. during tachycardia). However, none of the available class III antiarrhythmic drugs exhibit this pharrnacological profile. On the contrary, they prolonged cardiac refractoriness more at low frequencies of stimulation (bradycardia) than at higher stimulation rates. Only arniodarone, the first class ID antiarrhythmic drug, which exhibits class 1, 11 (B-adrenoceptor blockade) and IV (calcium antagonist) properties produced a prolongation of the effective refractory period at aH cardiac rates, i.e. its effect is frequency-independent. The use of Molecular Biology techniques which allow us to determine the structure of the ionic channels involved in the repolarization of the cardiac action potential, as well as the studies performed in isolated human cardiac myocytes will afford the basis for a more rational design of new antiarrhythmic drugs

Sucesión de Polygnátidos (Conodontos) del Emsiense (Devónico Inferior) en los Pirineos Centrales Españoles

A comprehensive conodont study of five sections of Emsian age, carried out in the Spanish Central Pyrenees, has revealed an important succession of polygnathids that can be used for identifying basal boundaries of globally recognized biozones. This succession consists of Polygnathus excavatus excavatus, Po. gronbergi, Po. nothoperbonus, Po. mashkovae, Po. laticostatus, and the new species Polygnathus luciae that allows the identification of the excavatus, nothoperbonus and laticostatus Zones. The nothoperbonus Zone is further subdivided into Lower and Upper nothoperbonus subzones, relying upon the lowest occurrence of Po. mashkovae. These biostratigraphic data from the Spanish Central Pyrenees corroborate the succession of conodont indexes in other regions of Europe (north-western France and southern Italy), North Africa (Morocco), Central Asia, Australia, and North America (Alaska, Nevada and Canada).El estudio exhaustivo de cinco secciones de edad Emsiense en el Pirineo Central Español ha proporcionado una importante sucesión de especies de conodontos del género Polygnathus que puede usarse para reconocer los límites de diferentes biozonas de aplicación global. Esta sucesión consiste en Polygnathus excavatus excavatus, Po. gronbergi, Po. nothoperbonus, Po. mashkovae, Po. laticostatus y la nueva especie Polygnathus luciae, lo que permite identificar las biozonas excavatus, nothoperbonus y laticostatus. Además, el primer registro de Po. mashkovae se usa para subdividir la Zona nothoperbonus en las Subzonas nothoperbonus Inferior y Superior. Estos datos corroboran la sucesión de los índices de conodontos registrada en otras regiones de Europa (noroeste de Francia y sur de Italia), norte de África (Marruecos), Asia central, Australia y Norte América (Alaska, Nevada y Canadá)

PSM-DMO: power save mode and discontinuous BLE mesh operation

The Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mesh profile, standardized by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG), has an increasing interest in IoT solutions. However, the standard assumes that relay and friend nodes should be continuously scanning the channel awaiting any incoming transmissions. This could be very inefficient in terms of energy consumption, particularly in application scenarios where the backbone of the mesh network cannot be powered and traffic is infrequent. Hence, we present a novel strategy, named PSM-DMO, that minimizes the scan periods and thus, significantly reduces the overall energy consumption of the mesh network. PSM-DMO is defined as a new and optional feature for the currently published BLE mesh specifications, coexists with the standard operation, and is implemented without modifying the core of the specification. The proposal, that ensures the reliability of the mesh operation, can be used in BLE sensor networks that can tolerate a certain transmission delay. PSM-DMO replaces the continuous scan by a periodic but asynchronous polling process whereby the relay and sink nodes interrogate their neighbors about the existence of data to receive or to retransmit through the network. Nodes only go into scan mode during the period of time the mesh network will be involved in the transmission and dissemination. This period is estimated by the node which is the source of data, it is announced to its neighbors and it is propagated consecutively by all the relay nodes until the destination. PSM-DMO allows a theoretical reduction in the energy consumption of relay nodes up to 99.24 %

Complicaciones en la anestesia general del perro : revisión de 265 casos

Un total de 265 perros fueron anestesiados por diferentes motivos diagnósticos y terapéuticos en los Servicios Clínicos de la Facultad de Veterinaria de Córdoba,siguiendo diversos protocolos anestésicos