The Acoustics of the Choir in Spanish Cathedrals

One of the most significant enclosures in worship spaces is that of the choir. Generally, from a historical point of view, the choir is a semi-enclosed and privileged area reserved for the clergy, whose position and configuration gives it a private character. Regarding the generation and transformation of ecclesial interior spaces, the choir commands a role of the first magnitude. Its shape and location produce, on occasions, major modifications that significantly affect the acoustics of these indoor spaces. In the case of Spanish cathedrals, whose design responds to the so-called “Spanish type”, the central position of the choir, enclosed by high stonework walls on three of its sides and with numerous wooden stalls inside, breaks up the space in the main nave, thereby generating other new spaces, such as the trascoro. The aim of this work was to analyse the acoustic evolution of the choir as one of the main elements that configure the sound space of Spanish cathedrals. By means of in situ measurements and simulation models, the main acoustic parameters were evaluated, both in their current state and in their original configurations that have since disappeared. This analysis enabled the various acoustic conditions existing between the choir itself and the area of the faithful to be verified, and the significant improvement of the acoustic quality in the choir space to become apparent. The effect on the acoustic parameters is highly significant, with slight differences in the choir, where the values are appropriate for Gregorian chants, and suitable intelligibility of sung text. High values are also obtained in the area of the faithful, which lacked specific acoustic requirements at the time of construction

Segregación sexual de la avutarda común (Otis tarda) en verano

El dimorfismo sexual en tamaño corporal determina la segregación sexual de especies gregarias; los machos y las hembras de la misma especie viven por separado y sólo conviven en la estación reproductiva. El tamaño corporal afecta a la termorregulación y explicaría en parte la segregación de machos y hembras en condiciones de estrés térmico (hipótesis de la sensibilidad térmica). Las avutardas viven en grupo (gregarismo), los machos son mayores que las hembras (dimorfismo sexual) y sólo se reúnen para la cópula (segregación sexual). En verano, los machos migran al norte y en altura, a un ambiente más fresco. Las hembras permanecen en el área de reproducción. Pero la migración estival de los machos es parcial. ¿Cómo soporta la población residente las altas temperaturas? Mediante el seguimiento de bandos de hembras y machos sedentarios se estudian las diferencias en el patrón de actividad y la preferencia de hábitat. La cobertura vegetal leñosa y de algunas herbáceas de gran porte define el hábitat estival de los machos, que se guarecen a la sombra antes de la subida de las temperaturas al mediodía. La segregación de machos y hembras en verano es espacial (por migración a las áreas estivales) y de hábitat (por uso de los elementos del paisaje). Las medidas de mejora del hábitat estival son el mantenimiento de los cultivos de leñosas de secano (olivar, Olea europaea; viña, Vitis vinifera; almendral; Prunus dulcis), las dehesas (Quercus sp.), el arbolado disperso y en hilera, e incluso los bosquetes de galería. También el cultivo de herbáceas como el girasol (Helianthus annuus). El manejo del hábitat podría reforzar la población residente y reducir la mortalidad de los machos (la principal causa de mortalidad no natural de la avutarda es la colisión contra el tendido eléctrico) e incluso mitigar posibles efectos del cambio climático.Peer reviewe

Situational-Context: A Unified View of Everything Involved at a Particular Situation

As the interest in the Web of Things increases, specially for the general population, the barriers to entry for the use of these technologies should decrease. Current applications can be developed to adapt their behaviour to predefined conditions and users preferences, facilitating their use. In the future,Web of Things software should be able to automatically adjust its behaviour to non-predefined preferences or context of its users. In this vision paper we define the Situational-Context as the combination of the virtual profiles of the entities (things or people) that concur at a particular place and time. The computation of the Situational-Context allow us to predict the expected system behaviour and the required interaction between devices to meet the entities’ goals, achieving a better adjustment of the system to variable contexts.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Interferometric temperature sensor based on a water-filled suspended-core fiber

The performance of water-filled suspended-core fibers as key components of interferometric temperature sensors has been analyzed. Use of water is motivated by simplicity of use and by its thermo-optic and thermal expansion coefficients, which provide a good balance between sensitivity and wide temperature range (limited by the free spectral range of the interferometer). Two suspended core fibers have been tested. With one of them, the sensitivity observed is slightly better than the ones of most interferometers based on liquid-filled photonic crystal fibers, with a linear temperature range of 25ºC. With regard to the other one, its most remarkable feature is its temperature range, not limited by any interferometric property but by water melting and boiling temperatures, as its quotient between free spectral range and sensitivity is higher than 100ºC

Assessing the extinction risk of the great bustard Otis tarda in Africa

We studied the dynamics and trend of the last extant population of great bustards Otis tarda in Africa. Moroccan great bustards are the southernmost population of this species, and thus show the characteristics of a peripheral population: small size, isolation and low gene flow. Available counts indicate a severe population decline (62% in the last 15 yr), as well as a contraction of the species' distribution. We used a population viability analysis (PVA) to evaluate the quasi-extinction risk and to identify the most important threats. The estimated geometric growth rate of the more realistic of a set of possible scenarios was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.85, 0.89). This implies a 13% annual decline over 50 yr. However, projections derived from these results should be interpreted with caution, because models have a great deal of uncertainty and vital rates from Iberian populations may be different from those of the Moroccan population. PVA showed the negative consequence of human-induced mortality. According to the model that best fits our census data and if present threats remain in the coming years, this peripheral population could go extinct in ca. yr. Agricultural intensification, infrastructure developments and new power lines in rural areas where the species occurs are causing habitat destruction and fragmentation and increasing artificial mortality. Urgent conservation measures, especially to reduce human-induced mortality, are needed to save African great bustards from extinction. We suggest that these findings can be generalized to other peripheral great bustard populations living in highly humanized landscapes.Peer Reviewe

Temperatura corporal y temperatura de calentamiento en el cuidado de pacientes grandes quemados

Objectives: To describe the heating methods and their application to maintain body temperature in majors burn patients.Methodology: Bibliographic review carried out between September 2019 and February 2020 about the thermoregulation and heating of the burn patient in the CINHAL, CUIDEN, PUBMED, MEDES and WOS databases in Spanish and English, documents from the last 10 years, from which 26 were analyzed.Results: Hypermetabolic response and hypothalamic reprogramming cause an increase in basal temperature in burn patients between 37 and 38.5ºC without infectious origin. To decrease the energy expenditure at rest and the hypermetabolic response, it is possible to act through a high ambient temperature between 28 and 32ºC as passive external heating. Discussion: Other external heating methods can achieve this goal such as convective air blankets, heating plates, or surface systems.Conclusions: The recommendation of warming by means of high ambient temperature, which creates hostile environments for workers and patients, should be reviewed through the study of the inclusion of active external warming methods.Objetivos: El objetivo es describir los métodos de calentamiento y su aplicación para el mantenimiento de la temperatura corporal en el paciente gran quemado.Metodología: Revisión bibliográfica realizada entre septiembre de 2019 y febrero de 2020 acerca de la termorregulación y calentamiento del paciente quemado en las bases de datos CINAHL, CUIDEN, PUBMED, MEDES y WOS en español e inglés, de los últimos 10 años, de los cuales fueron analizados 24 documentos.Resultados: La respuesta hipermetabólica y la reprogramación hipotalámica provocan un aumento de la temperatura basal en los pacientes quemados, entre 37 y 38,5ºC sin origen infeccioso. Para disminuir el gasto energético en reposo y la repuesta hipermetabólica se puede aplicar una temperatura ambiental elevada, como calentamiento externo pasivo, entre 28 y 32ºC. Discusión: Existen otros métodos de calentamiento externo activo que pueden conseguir el mismo objetivo como las mantas de aire convectivo, placas térmicas o sistemas de superficie.Conclusión: Debe revisarse la recomendación de calentamiento mediante temperatura ambiental elevada, que crea ambientes hostiles para los trabajadores y los pacientes, a través del estudio de la inclusión de métodos de calentamiento externo activo

An Expert System to Improve the Energy Efficiency of the Reaction Zone of a Petrochemical Plant

Energy is the most important cost factor in the petrochemical industry. Thus, energy efficiency improvement is an important way to reduce these costs and to increase predictable earnings, especially in times of high energy price volatility. This work describes the development of an expert system for the improvement of this efficiency of the reaction zone of a petrochemical plant. This system has been developed after a data mining process of the variables registered in the plant. Besides, a kernel of neural networks has been embedded in the expert system. A graphical environment integrating the proposed system was developed in order to test the system. With the application of the expert system, the energy saving on the applied zone would have been about 20%.Junta de Andalucía TIC-570

La interactividad revoluciona la ficción televisiva

Las plataformas de contenidos audiovisuales bajo demanda han revolucionado el mercado seriéfilo a nivel mundial, hasta el punto de haber cerrado 2018 con 160 series originales producidas para su visualización en distintas plataformas digitales, de ellas, casi la mitad estuvieron producidas por Netflix. La competencia imperante y la necesidad de ofrecer nuevos formatos y alternativas han potenciado que las narraciones de ficción se expandan entre las diversas plataformas de difusión y las propias audiencias, las cuales influyen directamente en el proceso de construcción y desarrollo de las mismas. Esta interacción entre medios y usuarios se da a todos los niveles de consumo, resultando especialmente interesante en el contexto de la ficción televisiva, ya que este tipo de producciones quedan subordinadas al papel activo de las audiencias, las cuales son capaces de influir en la construcción de la narración e incluso sugerir cambios en su evolución. Siguiendo la estela de la Rayuela de Cortázar, la ficción audiovisual comienza a alejarse de los cánones tradicionales para abrir las puertas a innumerables interpretaciones y análisis, permitiendo que la audiencia responda, cree y expanda las ficciones. Con objeto de estudiar cómo funciona la interactividad y transmedialidad en producciones audiovisuales recientes, a lo largo del presente capítulo vamos a analizar cinco series estrenadas durante 2018: tres infantiles de Netflix (El Gato con Botas: Atrapado en un cuento épico; Buddy Thunderstruck: La lista de quizá y Stretch Armstrong: The Breakout), la webserie española Inhibidos y Si Fueras Tú, la primera serie transmedia interactiva producida en España y emitida por la plataforma de RTVE Playz. A través del estudio analítico de las series mencionadas evidenciaremos cómo la construcción de este mapa de recursos interactivos alrededor de la ficción las posiciona como un producto narrativo de éxito atendiendo a los índices de audiencia tanto televisiva como social

3D-form metrology of arbitrary optical surfaces by absorption in fluids

We present an imaging technique for the 3D-form metrology of optical surfaces. It is based on the optical absorption in fluids situated between the surface and a reference. An improved setup with a bi-chromatic light source is fundamental to obtain reliable topographic maps. It is able to measure any surface finish (rough or polished), form and slope and independently of scale. We present results focused on flat and spherical optical surfaces, arrays of lenses and with different surface finish (rough-polished). We achieve form accuracies from several nanometers to sub-lambda for sag departures from tens to hundred of microns. Therefore, it seems suitable for the quality control in the production of precision aspheric, freeform lenses and other complex shapes on transparent substrates, independently of the surface finish