Negro de Los Pedroches, la definición molecular de una nueva variedad de la raza porcina ibérica

Pedroches Valley is one of the most important areas of the traditional pig breeding in Andalusia (Southern Spain). The Iberian pig variety named Negro de Los Pedroches has its origins in this valley. This is an old autochthonous pig population generated after decades of breeding but now in risk of extinction. Breeders consider this Iberian pig strain as an important element of the Andalusian paddock linked to its cultural and biological patrimony. It seems to have excellent productive capabilities that justify its characterisation and conservation. Microsatellites are used to investigate the genetic relationships with other Iberian pig subpopulations, the use of an accurate panel of loci increases the chance of their definition. Genetic distances suggest that the Negro de Los Pedroches must be considered as another variety.La variedad de cerdo Ibérico llamada Negro de Los Pedroches, tiene su origen en el valle de Los Pedroches (Andalucía, sur de España). Es una antigua población autóctona generada después de décadas de cría pero que ahora está en riesgo de extinción. Los criadores consideran a esta estirpe como un elemento importante de la dehesa andaluza ligado a su patrimonio cultural y biológico. Parece tener excelentes capacidades productivas que justifican su caracterización y conservación. Los microsatélites son usados para investigar las relaciones genéticas con otras subpoblaciones del cerdo Ibérico, el uso de un panel efectivo de loci incrementa la oportunidad de su definición. Las distancias genéticas muestran como el Negro de Los Pedroches debe ser considerado como otra variedad de la raza porcina Ibérica

Microscopic dynamics of glycerol in its crystalline and glassy states

The dynamics of crystalline glycerol are studied by means of Raman spectroscopy and lattice dynamics calculations employing a semiflexible model to represent the low-lying molecular vibrations. The latter is validated against structural, thermodynamic, and spectroscopic data. The results serve to set an absolute frequency scale for glassy glycerol, which is also studied by Raman and incoherent inelastic-neutron scattering. Some implications of the present findings regarding ensuing discussions on glassy dynamics are finally commented on.Dirección General de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas PB92- 0114-C0

Evidence for a supercooled plastic-crystal phase in solid ethanol

The existence of an orientationally disordered cubic phase of solid ethanol is revealed by x-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopic measurements. Such a phase, whose existence was postulated some time ago on the basis of specific-heat measurements, is produced by quenching below some 95 K a plastic crystal formed upon melting and subsequent annealing of the topologically disordered (glassy) solid. The relevance of the present findings for current discussions on glassy dynamics is analyzed in some detail.Dirección General de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas PB92-0114-C0

Collective excitations in liquid D2 confined within the mesoscopic pores of a MCM-41 molecular sieve

We present a comparative study of the excitations in bulk and liquid D2 confined within the pores of MCM-41. The material (Mobile Crystalline Material-41) is a silicate obtained by means of a template that yields a partially crystalline structure composed by arrays of nonintersecting hexagonal channels of controlled width having walls made of amorphous SiO2. Its porosity was characterized by means of adsorption isotherms and found to be composed by a regular array of pores having a narrow distribution of sizes with a most probable value of 2.45 nm. The assessment of the precise location of the sample within the pores is carried out by means of pressure isotherms. The study was conducted at two pressures which correspond to pore fillings above the capillary condensation regime. Within the range of wave vectors where collective excitations can be followed up (0.3<Q<3.0 $\AA$&#8722;1), we found confinement brings forward a large shortening of the excitation lifetimes that shifts the characteristic frequencies to higher energies. In addition, the coherent quasielastic scattering shows signatures of reduced diffusivity.Comment: 6 page

Caracterización mecánica de pistas deportivas fabricadas con materiales procedentes de neumáticos fuera de uso (NFU)

Congreso celebrado en la Escuela de Arquitectura de la Universidad de Sevilla desde el 24 hasta el 26 de junio de 2015.The European Framework Directive 2008/98/EC on waste established as priority reuse and recycling before other recovery alternatives. In this normative reference, one the main waste flows identified are the end-of-life tyres, as a material whose mechanical properties could provide advantage in the construction of new structures. This paper presents the mechanical characterization of a layer made with shredded tires out of use, inside a section of a sportive track which included a sand layer. The use of the shredded tires out of use provides special features related with elasticity and damping to the sportive surface. In order to do that, a new test based on UNE-14809 was designed. A number of tests were performed using different configuration of sand and shredded tires. From the results obtained, a numerical model was implemented in FEA software

Entorno de soporte para el autoaprendizaje en el diseño de circuitos digitales

El diseño de circuitos digitales forma parte de las competencias básicas de los nuevos Grados en Ingeniería Informática e Ingeniería de Telecomunicaciones. Un obstáculo importante para el aprendizaje de dichas competencias es que las herramientas académicas existentes para el diseño de circuitos no permiten validar si un diseño se ajusta a la especificación de partida. En este artículo, se describe un entorno de autoaprendizaje para que los estudiantes puedan realizar ejercicios de diseño de circuitos y recibir un feedback continuo.SUMMARY: The design of digital circuits is a basic competence of the new Degrees in Computer Science and Engineering of Telecommunications. An important hindrance in the learning process of these skills is that the existing academic tools for the design of circuits do not allow the student to validate if his design satisfies the specification. In this article, we describe an online environment where the students can verify their designs with an automatic feedback.Peer Reviewe

Zootechnical evolution in the spanish merino in early times and future

The Spanish native Merino sheep breed is perhaps the most important of the Spanish zootechnical successes. The repercussion of this breed has evolved not only the animal production but also other aspects such as laws, language and the history of this country. Over the years the Spanish Merinos have found several difficulties that have produced many oscillations in their census. Among them, undoubtedly the most significative has been the falling down of the wool price in the sixties, which made a change in the productive objectives planned for the breed. Recently the Merinos Association of breeders have developed a programme of selection and improvement, presently in a great level. The philosophy of this programme is based on the improvement of meat characteristics with the selection of direct and maternal additive genotypes, maintaining the morphological characteristics and the rusticity of the breed. In this communication the master lines to design a competitive future for this breed are described.La raza ovina Merino Autóctono Español es, quizás, el más emblemático de los logros de la zootecnia española, es una raza cuya importancia ha arraigado no sólo en la producción animal sino incluso en otros aspectos como la legislación, el léxico y la historia de nuestro país. En el transcurrir de los años diferentes dificultades le han inducido a significativas oscilaciones censales, de entre ellas la más grave ha sido sin duda la caída de los precios de la lana en la década de los sesenta que obligó a un cambio de planteamientos en los objetivos productivos de esta raza. Fue necesaria una transformación urgente de unas poblaciones de doble función lana-carne a otras donde destacaran más los aspectos cárnicos. Recientemente la Asociación de Criadores de Ganado Merino ha implementado un Programa de Selección y Mejora que ya se encuentra a un gran nivel de desarrollo, y cuya filosofía se basa en la mejora de los caracteres cárnicos de esta raza a través de la selección del genotipo directo y materno, manteniendo las características raciales y rusticidad propias de la raza. En esta comunicación también se trazan las líneas para diseñar un futuro competitivo para la raza Merina