Sistema de comunicación acústica para redes de sensores inalámbricas subacuáticas en aguas someras

Las Redes de Sensores Inalámbricas Subacuáticas es una tecnología que generará un gran impacto en cantidad de áreas de trabajo como la acuicultura, la explotación de recursos lejos de la costa, la monitorización biológica, así como el control de la contaminación, de la actividad sísmica y las corrientes marinas. La implementación de las redes necesarias para este tipo de aplicaciones requiere de la instalación de un número importante de nodos, facilitando la monitorización ambiental por medio de la adquisición de datos. Por tanto, supone un reto tecnológico desarrollar módems con arquitecturas sencillas y robustas con un precio reducido, pero con alta eficiencia. Esta tesis se centra en el diseño de la capa física de un módem acústico integrable en una Red Acústica Subacuática. Como punto de partida, se define una arquitectura que incluye, como principal novedad, un sistema de activación remota asíncrono optimizado para la comunicación acústica de ultra bajo consumo energético. Esta base permite plataformas con un reducido consumo en periodos de inactividad (10 µW). Para enfrentarse con este reto y proporcionar la base para diseños futuros, se ha creado una nueva metodología de trabajo para el modelado, la simulación y la experimentación de campo: IUmote. La propuesta se basa en un módem especial, con la arquitectura presentada, y el uso de herramientas de simulación y modelos para cada uno de los elementos relacionados con la comunicación: medio acústico subacuático, transductores, circuitos electrónicos y software de procesado de la señal. La metodología presentada se basa en la re-utilización de los diferentes bloques ya que se pueden intercambiar bloques de manera inmediata y mezclar elementos de simulación y hardware real. Para extender la vida útil de los nodos subacuáticos, esta tesis también se centra en la recolección de energía en redes inalámbricas de sensores. Para permitir el diseño integral en las primeras etapas, se ha creado un nuevo modelo numérico para la simulación de redes de sensores con capacidad de recolección de energía: SIVEH. Gracias a este modelo se pueden simular de manera rápida largos periodos de tiempo -días, semanas, meses o incluso años- utilizando valores reales de energía renovable disponibles en bases de datos, tales como irradiación solar, velocidad del viento o de la corriente marina, etc. El resultado final no es únicamente la implementación concreta de un módem para Redes Acústicas Subacuáticas con un bajo consumo y unas prestaciones medias al que se le ha incorporado un módulo de recolección de energía, el módem ITACA; sino una metodología de diseño para desarrollar nuevos sistemas para Redes Acústicas Subacuáticas de manera eficiente en el futuro.Sánchez Matías, AM. (2014). Sistema de comunicación acústica para redes de sensores inalámbricas subacuáticas en aguas someras [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/35326TESI

From local monitoring to a broad-scale viability assessment: a case study for the Bonelli’s Eagle in western Europe

Population viability analysis (PVA) has become a basic tool of current conservation practice. However, if not accounted for properly, the uncertainties inherent to PVA predictions can decrease the reliability of this type of analysis. In the present study, we performed a PVA of the whole western European population (France, Portugal, and Spain) of the endangered Bonelli's Eagle (Aquila fasciata), in which we thoroughly explored the consequences of uncertainty in population processes and parameters on PVA predictions. First, we estimated key vital rates (survival, fertility, recruitment, and dispersal rates) using monitoring, ringing, and bibliographic data from the period 1990-2009 from 12 populations found throughout the studied geographic range. Second, we evaluated the uncertainty about model structure (i.e., the assumed processes that govern individual fates and population dynamics) by comparing the observed growth rates of the studied populations with model predictions for the same period. Third, using the model structures suggested in the previous step, we assessed the viability of both the local populations and the overall population. Finally, we analyzed the effects of model and parameter uncertainty on PVA predictions. Our results strongly support the idea that all local populations in western Europe belong to a single, spatially structured population operating as a source-sink system, whereby the populations in the south of the Iberian Peninsula act as sources and, thanks to dispersal, sustain all other local populations, which would otherwise decline. Predictions regarding population dynamics varied considerably, and models assuming more constrained dispersal predicted more pessimistic population trends than models assuming greater dispersal. Model predictions accounting for parameter uncertainty revealed a marked increase in the risk of population declines over the next 50 years. Sensitivity analyses indicated that adult and pre-adult survival are the chief vital rates regulating these populations, and thus, the conservation efforts aimed at improving these survival rates should be strengthened in order to guarantee the long-term viability of the European populations of this endangered species. Overall, the study provides a framework for the implementation of multi-site PVAs and highlights the importance of dispersal processes in shaping the population dynamics of long-lived birds distributed across heterogeneous landscapes.Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia CGL200-64805/BOS CGL2010-17056 SAB-2006-0014/Roge

An Acoustic Modem Featuring a Multi-Receiver and Ultra-Low Power

[EN] Wireless technology for underwater communication possesses a wide range of potential application, but it is still a relatively unexplored area in many aspects concerning modems physical design. A step towards future deployment of underwater networks is the reduction of power consumption. Therefore, asynchronous wakeup systems need to be integrated within the physical layer design while avoiding the use of additional transducers. This paper offers a practical and generic solution to adapt data reception and transmission together with asynchronous wakeup sub-systems in acoustic underwater modem architectures using a low power and low cost solution. The proposal has been implemented in a real prototype with success.The translation of this paper was funded by the Universitat Politècnica de València, Spain.The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support from the CICYT. ANDREA: Automated Inspection and Remote Performance of Marine Fish Farms (CTM2011-29691-C02-01) and RIDeWAN: Research on Improvement of the Dependability of WSN-based Applications by Developing a Hybrid Monitoring Platform. (TIN2011-28435-C03-01).Sánchez Matías, AM.; Blanc Clavero, S.; Yuste Pérez, P.; Perles Ivars, A.; Serrano Martín, JJ. (2015). An Acoustic Modem Featuring a Multi-Receiver and Ultra-Low Power. Circuits and Systems. 6(1):1-12. https://doi.org/10.4236/cs.2015.61001S1126

Advanced Acoustic Wake-Up System for Underwater Sensor Networks

[EN] This paper presents a low-cost and low-power consumption asynchronous Wake-Up (WU) development to Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSN). An asynchronous WU offers important advantages for energyaware network polices, however it needs some specific hardware, an optimal configuration of system facilities and the interconnection with a core control unit. This proposed WU implementation has been specifically designed to be used in acoustic underwater modems, able to react to external acoustic stimuli. Both the modem and the Wake-Up system use a unique piezoelectric transducer dissipating, to our knowledge, the lowest power published until now. Moreover, the system is able to detect both simple tones and predefined bit patterns, being able to wake up a network node UWSN individually or even to different nodes at the same time.This work was supported in part by the Spanish Government: Project funds of SABINA CTM2011-29691-C02-01 (SENSORIZACIÓN AMBIENTAL SUBACUÁTICA PARA LA INSPECCIÓN Y MONITORIZACIÓN DE EXPLOTACIONES DE ACUICULTURA MARIAN) AND RIDEWAN TIN2011-28435-C03-01 (INVESTIGACIÓN EN LA MEJORA DE LA CONFIABILIDAD DE APLICACIONES BASADAS EN WSN MEDIANTE EL DESARROLLO DE UNA PLATAFORMA HIBRIDA DE MONITORIZACIÓN)Sánchez Matías, AM.; Blanc Clavero, S.; Yuste Pérez, P.; Piqueras Gozalbes, IR.; Serrano Martín, JJ. (2012). Advanced Acoustic Wake-Up System for Underwater Sensor Networks. Communications in information science and management engineering. 2(2):1-10. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/36744S1102

Successful development and clinical translation of a novel anterior lamellar artificial cornea

We thank the Andalusian Public Foundation Progress and Health, through the Andalusian Initiative for Advanced Therapies, for assuming the roles and responsibilities of sponsoring this clinical trial. We thank Dr. Manuel de la Rosa and Dr. Salvador Arias Santiago for providing insight and expertise that assisted the research.The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available in the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) public repository, ref. GSE86584 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/query/acc.cgi?acc=GSE86584Blindness due to corneal diseases is a common pathology affecting up to 23 million individuals worldwide. The tissue‐engineered anterior human cornea, which is currently being tested in a Phase I/II clinical trial to treat severe corneal trophic ulcers with preliminary good feasibility and safety results. This bioartificial cornea is based on a nanostructured fibrin–agarose biomaterial containing human allogeneic stromal keratocytes and cornea epithelial cells, mimicking the human native anterior cornea in terms of optical, mechanical, and biological behavior. This product is manufactured as a clinical‐grade tissue engineering product, fulfilling European requirements and regulations. The clinical translation process included several phases: an initial in vitro and in vivo preclinical research plan, including preclinical advice from the Spanish Medicines Agency followed by additional preclinical development, the adaptation of the biofabrication protocols to a good manufacturing practice manufacturing process, including all quality controls required, and the design of an advanced therapy clinical trial. The experimental development and successful translation of advanced therapy medicinal products for clinical application has to overcome many obstacles, especially when undertaken by academia or SMEs. We expect that our experience and research strategy may help future researchers to efficiently transfer their preclinical results into the clinical settings.This study was supported by the Spanish National Plan for Scientific and Technical Research and Innovation (I + D + I) from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Carlos III Institute of Health), grants FIS PI14/0955 and FIS PI17/0391 (both cofinanced by ERDF‐FEDER, European Union); by the Spanish Ministry of Health, Social Policy and Equity, grant EC10‐285; and by preclinical research funds from the Regional Ministry of Health through the Andalusian Initiative for Advanced Therapies

Understanding 6He induced reactions at energies around the Coulomb barrier

Recent developments aimed to understand the observed features arising in the scattering of the Borromean nucleus 6He on heavy targets are discussed and compared with recent data for 6He+208Pb measured at the RIB facility at Louvain-la-Neuve at energies around the Coulomb barrier. The analysis of the elastic scattering data in terms of the optical model, reveals the presence of a long range absorption mechanism, that manifests in the form of a large value of the imaginary diffuseness parameter. The elastic data have been also compared with three–body CDCC calculations, based on a di-neutron model of 6He, and four–body CDCC calculations, based on a more realistic three-body model of this nucleus. Finally, the angular and energy distribution of a particles emitted at backward angles are discussed and compared with different theoretical approaches.We find that these a particles are produced mainly by a two-neutron transfer mechanism to very excited states in the residual nucleus

11Li structural information from inclusive break-up measurements

IWM-EC 2014 – International Workshop on Multi facets of EoS and ClusteringStructure information of 11Li halo nucleus has been obtained from the inclusive break-up measurements of the 11Li+208Pb reactions at energies around the Coulomb barrier (Elab = 24.3 and 29.8 MeV). The effective break-up energy and the slope of B(E1) distribution close to the threshold have been extracted from the experimental dat

Cuantificación de la actividad específica de lectina en teosinte Zea diploperennis

Objetivo. Evaluar la actividad específica de lectina en teosinte Zea diploperennis sano e infectado con Ustilago maydis. Materiales y métodos-. Plántulas de Zea diploperennis de 6 días de crecimiento fueron inoculadas con Ustilago maydis. Se evaluó la concentración de proteínas totales y la actividad hemaglutinante de extractos crudos de teosinte sano e infectado en placas de microtitulación con eritrocitos tipo O al 3% siguiendo la técnica de diluciones dobles seriadas durante 6 días. Resultados. La concentración de proteínas totales se incrementa en coleoptilo sano durante cada día de su crecimiento. No así en teosinte infectado donde la curva presenta una tendencia a la baja desde el momento de la inoculación. La actividad específica de lectina disminuye en ambos casos desde el primer día de cuantificación. Conclusiones. La evidente reducción en la actividad de lectina en teosinte infectado en comparación con teosinte sano podría explicar la susceptibilidad de este teosinte a dicho fitopatógeno. Si bien, la participación de las lectinas de teosinte y maíz en el mecanismo de defensa a Ustilago maydis todavía no ha sido esclarecida, los resultados obtenidos contribuyen a la comprensión del efecto que puede tener la concentración de lectina y proteína sobre la resistencia en teosinte

Study of the scattering of halo nuclei around the Coulomb barrier

During the past ten years the present collaboration has carried out several experiments related with the study of radioactive nuclei. One of the topics in which we have centered our research, is the scattering of halo nuclei at energies around the Coulomb barrier. As part of this study, we present in this work a review of the results obtained from the scattering of 6He, 11Be and 11Li. The presence of a "halo" in these exotic nuclei is found to have a striking effect on the dynamics of these reactions, making their study an interesting experimental problem and a challenge for existing reaction theories.Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología FPA2005-04460, FPA2005-02379, FPA-2000-1592-C03-02, FPA2003-05958, FPA2002- 04181-C04-02/03, FPA2006-13807-c02-0, FPA2009- 07653Programa Español Consolider-Ingenio 2010 CSD2007-0004