Temperature measurements on ES steel sheets subjected to perforation by hemispherical projectiles

In this paper is reported a study on the behaviour of ES mild steel sheets subjected to perforation by hemispherical projectiles. Experiments have been conducted using a pneumatic cannon within the range of impact velocities 5m/s<=V0<=60m/s. The experimental setup allowed evaluating initial velocity, failure mode and post-mortem deflection of the plates. The tests have been recorded using high speed infrared camera. It made possible to obtain temperature contours of the specimen during impact. Thus, special attention is focussed on the thermal softening of the material which is responsible for instabilities and failure. Assuming adiabatic conditions of deformation, the increase of temperature may be related to the plastic deformation. The critical strain leading to target-failure is evaluated coupling temperature measurements with numerical simulations and with analytical predictions obtained by means of the Rusinek-Klepaczko constitutive relation [Rusinek, A., Klepaczko, J.R. Shear testing of sheet steel at wide range of strain rates and a constitutive relation with strain rate and temperature dependence of the flow stress. Int J Plasticity. 2001; 17, 87-115]. It has been estimated that the process of localization of plastic deformation which leads to target-failure involves local values close to for the boundary value problem approached. Subsequently, this failure strain level has been applied to simulate the perforation process and the numerical results obtained show satisfactory agreement with the experiments in terms of ballistic limit, temperature increase and failure mode of the target.The researchers of the University Carlos III of Madrid are indebted to the Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (Project CCG08 UC3M/MAT 4464) and to the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España (Project DPI/2008 06408)Publicad

On the control of optical transmission of aluminosilicate glasses manufactured by the laser floating zone process

In this work, a detailed study of the properties of aluminosilicate glass rods manufactured by means of the laser floating zone (LFZ) technique is presented. Samples fabrication was carried out in controlled atmosphere using air, nitrogen, and oxygen. Transmission spectra showed that glasses manufactured in oxygen presented high optical transmission in the visible spectral range compared to those manufactured in other environments, thus allowing us to tune their optical behavior between transparent and nearly opaque through the control of the surrounding atmosphere. Microstructure and thermo- mechanical properties were also assessed, showing similar hardness, toughness, flexural strength and glass transition temperature values, and in the same range as other aluminosilicate glasses. Compositional and structural characterization in terms of energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) allowed us to determine the origin of optical transmission dependence on the fabrication atmosphere

Three Decades of progress in Artificial Insemination in Rabbit Farming: a Review

[EN] The commercial use of artificial insemination (AI) in rabbit farming is relatively recent, especially when compared to other species such as cattle or swine, in which AI has been used for more than 60 years. The large-scale use of AI in rabbit farming dates back to the late 80s. However, despite its short journey, it has not stopped evolving. Although there have been numerous changes, in this review article we aim to highlight two important milestones in optimisation of this technique: the introduction of biostimulation and the addition of Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues to the seminal dose to induce ovulation. In the former case, by means of different methods of biostimulation, such as feed and light flushing and/or separation of the litter in the days prior to AI, the use of hormones to synchronise heat with the moment of AI was practically eliminated. Nowadays, the possibility of using pheromones with the same objective is under research, even to increase ovulation rate or improve semen production. Although there are pheromones on the market labelled for use in other species, in the case of rabbit the knowledge of them is limited. Nevertheless, given the verified effects that pheromones produce in other animals, expectations are high. In the latter case, after several attempts by using other methods, the technique commonly used to induce ovulation was the intramuscular administration of GnRH or its synthetic analogues. However, in recent years, it has been proven that administration of GnRH through the vagina is possible, added to the seminal dose, which offers numerous advantages regarding health, animal welfare and the workforce needed. Recently, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved this practice, so in the near future it will probably become the most widely used method. Even so, there is still room for improvement, as the dosage of GnRH needed is higher than the one administered intramuscularly. Research on this topic allows us to predict that this problem should be solved in the coming years. Other alternatives such as the ?-Nerve Growth Factor need further research to become a feasible option.The study was supported by the Xunta de Galicia (Plan Gallego de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Proyectos Ref. 1999/CG321; Ref. 2000/CG3452) and the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica, Técnica y de Innovación, Proyecto Ref. PID2021-127814OB-I00). The co-authors Yáñez U. and Villamayor P. were funded by Xunta de Galicia (Predoctoral Contract Ref. 2020/122 and ED481A-2020/491430 respectively). We also thank COGAL SL (Pontevedra, Spain) for providing the facilities and animals used in this study, as well as technical support.Quintela Arias, LÁ.; Becerra González, JJ.; Peña Martínez, AI.; Yáñez Ramíl, U.; Rodríguez Villamayor, PR.; Sánchez-Quinteiro, P.; Martínez Portela, P.... (2023). Three Decades of progress in Artificial Insemination in Rabbit Farming: a Review. World Rabbit Science. 31(2):93-107. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2023.186619310731

Afectividad y sexualidad en personas con discapacidad intelectual. Una propuesta de trabajo

Las personas con discapacidad intelectual han pertenecido a una de las minorías a las que se le ha negado toda posibilidad de satisfacer sus necesidades afectivas y sexuales. Sin embargo, desde la óptica de la normalización e integración como principios básicos desde los que plantear la educación y forma de vida en nuestra sociedad de las personas con discapacidad intelectual, es necesario trabajar el tema de la sexualidad y relaciones interpersonales, ya que es un derecho que dichas personas tienen y del que nadie debe privarles. En este artículo se presenta una propuesta de intervención dirigida a personas con discapacidad intelectual, incluyéndose un trabajo previo tanto con profesionales como con familias, todo ello bajo el marco del modelo biográfico-profesional. El trabajo con profesionales consta de dos partes: (a) formación y (b) trabajo en grupo; el trabajo con familias se desarrolla a lo largo de 10 sesiones; y, el trabajo con personas con discapacidad intelectual abarca 35 sesiones (de las que se incluye el desarrollo completo de una sesión-tipo)

Evaluación de la Calidad en Registros Electrocardiográficos Procedentes de Pacientes con Fibrilación Auricular Mediante una Red Neuronal Convolucional

[ES] La fibrilacion auricular (FA) es la arritmia cardiaca mas comun en la practica clinica. Su aparicion se asocia con un mayor riesgo de eventos cardiovasculares, siendo su deteccion temprana un reto todavia sin resolver. Esta arritmia suele comenzar con episodios asintomaticos y muy breves, necesitandose por tanto para su deteccion sistemas de registro electrocardiografico (ECG) con capacidad para la monitorizacion de largos periodos de tiempo. El principal problema que presentan estos sistemas es su fuerte exposicion al ruido, por ser adquiridos en entornos no controlados. Por lo tanto, es necesario disponer de sistemas automaticos que evaluen la calidad del registro de ECG adquirido, como primer paso para una deteccion precisa y temprana de la FA. Asi pues, en este trabajo se introduce un algoritmo basado en aprendizaje profundo, con el objetivo de discernir entre segmentos ECG de alta y baja calidad en registros de ECG de una sola derivacion, adquiridos en pacientes con FA. El metodo se basa en la alta capacidad de aprendizaje de una red neuronal convolucional, la cual se ha entrenado con senales de ECG sin preprocesar convertidas a imagen. Los resultados muestran una gran capacidad del metodo para discernir entre los segmentos de ECG de alta y baja calidad, alcanzando una exactitud del 95 %. Ademas, el metodo solo confunde el 6 % de los segmentos con FA como intervalos de baja calidad. Estos resultados mejoran en mas de un 20 % el rendimiento de la mayoria de los algoritmos previamente publicados para la evaluacion de la calidad del ECG que tambien tratan con señales de FA.Este trabajo ha sido cofinanciado por los proyectos de investigación competitiva DPI2017-83952-C3 de MINECO-AEI-FEDER-UE, SBPLY/17/180501/000411 de la JCCLM, AICO/2019/036 de la GVA y FEDER 2018/11744.Huerta Herraiz, A.; Martínez Rodrigo, A.; Arias Palomares, M.; Langley, P.; Rieta, JJ.; Alcaraz Martínez, R. (2020). Evaluación de la Calidad en Registros Electrocardiográficos Procedentes de Pacientes con Fibrilación Auricular Mediante una Red Neuronal Convolucional. Sociedad Española de Ingeniería Biomédica. 335-338. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/178265S33533