Introducing probabilistic celular automata. A versatile extension of Game of Live

The "Game of life" model was created in 1970 by the mathematician Jonh Horton Conway using cellular automata. Since then, di erent extensions of these cellular automata have been used in many applications, such as car traffic control or baggage traffic in an airport. These extensions introduce ideas not only from cellular automata models but also from neural networks theory. In this work, we introduce probabilistic cellular automata which include non-deterministic rules for transitions between successive generations of the automaton together with probabilistic decisions about life and death of the cells in next generation of the automaton. This way, more realistic situations can be modeled and the obtained results are also non-deterministic. As an example of use, an implementation of this probabilistic cellular automaton has been developed using it for simulating tissues evolution. The authors are specially interested in simulations of cancerous tissues.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Metabolismo de carbono y flujos de carbono orgánico disuelto (COD) en comunidades de angiospermas marinas: dependencia del estadío de colonización, eutrofización y factores relacionados con el cambio global

Coastal vegetated communities are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth. Their role in the global carbon cycle and how they cope with global change may be more relevant than previously believed. They export large quantities of matter, both in particulate and dissolved forms to adjacent communities. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) flux play a central role in the marine carbon cycle as an important driver of primary production for other compartments of the food web. While there has been extensive research on DOC dynamics in the open ocean, the role of coastal ecosystems in the global DOC cycle is still inadequately understood, even though these habitats tend to accumulate large amounts of DOC. Few studies have examined the DOC fluxes by marine macrophytic communities (macroalgae and seagrasses) under in situ approaches to determine their overall contribution in the whole system and their subsequent exchange with adjacent communities. Moreover, coastal vegetated communities, especially those dominated by seagrasses, are currently considered one of the most threatened ecosystems on Earth because of anthropogenic pressures, including nutrient increase and climate change. Thus, the overall objective of this Thesis was to evaluate the carbon metabolism and DOC fluxes in communities dominated by seagrasses and elucidate the effects of human–induced disturbances on the carbon dynamics of the community. The results of this Thesis showed that macrophytic communities are highly autotrophic, with large and variable contributions of their different components of the community, and a DOC source for the plankton community. Increase in nutrients concentration triggered that the communites dominated by the macroalge Caulerpa prolifera and the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa moved from autotrophy to heterotrophy in certain seasons of the year and could increase or decrease the DOC release. The response of seagrass communities when subjected to a pH decrease was complex and showed to be species-specific. The pH decrease triggered a significant increase in gross primary production (GPP) and community respiration (R) in seagrasses, which was translated into sucrose increase in aboveground tissues rather than a higher DOC release. Water temperature was the stressor that had a higher positive effect on carbon metabolism, yielding higher seagrass productivity, growth and DOC release. A direct relationship between productivity increase and larger DOC release was found in communities dominated by seagrasses. In addition, a high correlation between DOC release and both water temperature and current velocity was found. This Thesis demonstrated that climatic change and to some extent nutrient enrichment in coastal areas may not be so detrimental than previously believed at least for temperate seagrasses, and even may benefit the productivity and resistance of some temperate species (e.g. Cymodocea nodosa) in the future. The results of this Thesis underline the high productivity of vegetated coastal ecosystems at a local level, which support new insights in the role of the marine primary production in the ocean C sink and the role of the carbon coastal cycle in the global carbon cycle. Finally, this Thesis underscores that the role of seagrass meadows in the carbon coastal cycle will be more relevant in the near future, as higher C uptake and DOC release may occur under forecasted global change conditions

Flora liquénica, calcícola del litoral de la provincia de Alicante

Se aportan los primeros resultados del estudio que, sobre flora liquénica calcícola, se está llevando a cabo en el litoral mediterráneo del sureste español.Se citan 120 táxones recolectados en 14 localidades del litoral alicantino. Entre los hallazgos de mayor interés destacamos: Arthonia oligospora, Caloplaca tenuatula, Collemopsis schaereri, Dirina inmersa, Gonohymenia nigritella, Gonohymenia nummularia, Lempholemma elveloideum, Peltula obscuratula, Porina acrocordioides, Psorotichia frustulosa, Psorotichia ocellata, Thyrea plectospora y Verrucaria limborioides.The lichen flora of calcareous rock in the coastal area from Alicante (Spain).First results on the research about lichens flora on calcareous rock in mediterranean seashore from southeastern Spain are commented. 120 taxa, collected in 14 localities from the coastal area of Alicante are listed. The most interesting species are those listed in Spanish summary

Estimation of specific cutting energy in an S235 alloy for multi-directional ultrasonic vibration-assisted machining using the Finite Element Method

The objective of this work is to analyze the influence of the vibration-assisted turning process on the machinability of S235 carbon steel. During the experiments using this vibrational machining process, the vibrational amplitude and frequency of the cutting tool were adjusted to drive the tool tip in an elliptical or linear motion in the feed direction. Furthermore, a finite element analysis was deployed to investigate the mechanical response for different vibration-assisted cutting conditions. The results show how the specific cutting energy and the material’s machinability behave when using different operational cutting parameters, such as vibration frequency and tool tip motion in the x-axis, y-axis, and elliptical (x-y plane) motion. Then, the specific cutting energy and material’s machinability are compared with a conventional turning process, which helps to validate the finite element method (FEM) for the vibration-assisted process. As a result of the operating parameters used, the vibration-assisted machining process leads to a machinability improvement of up to 18% in S235 carbon steel. In particular, higher vibration frequencies were shown to increase the material’s machinability due to the specific cutting energy decrease. Therefore, the finite element method can be used to predict the vibration-assisted cutting and the specific cutting energy, based on predefined cutting parameters.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Patrones de distribución en la flora liquénica xerófila del Sureste de España

A phytogeographic analisis of lichen flora of subarides zones of southeastern Spain, the dryest in Europe, has been carried out. The following xerophilous distribution patterns has been recognized: Xerothermic- Pangaean, Circumtethyan, Mesogean, Mediterranean, West Mediterranean, Iberoafrican, Mediterranean- Southafrican. According to the available data, 6 taxa are endemic in this area. The hipothetic geographical and historical differentiation of each phytogeographycal element is discussed. Maps of some representative species belonging to each distribution pattern are presented.Se hace un análisis fitogeográfico de la flora liquénica de zonas subáridas del sureste de España, la más seca de Europa. Se han distinguido los patrones de distribución siguientes: Xerotérmico-Pangeico, Circumtético, Mesogeo, Mediterráneo, Oeste Mediterráneo-Macaronésico, Iberoafricano, Mediterráneo-Sudafricano. 6 taxones son, según los datos que disponemos en la actualidad, endémicos del área considerada. Se comenta la posible diferenciación geográfica e histórica de cada elemento y se presentan mapas de distribución con algunas de las especies más representativas de cada grupo

Líquenes epifíticos de algunas localidades costeras de Marruecos

Líquenes epifíticos de algunas localidades costeras de Marruecos. Estudio florístico de los líquenes epifíticos recolectados en varias localidades costeras de Marruecos. Se citan 61 taxones de los cuales son nuevas citas para Marruecos: Arthothelium sardoum, Bacidia igniarii, B. laurocerasi, Bacidina phacodes, Bactrospora patellarioides var. convexa, Cladonia coniocraea, Lecanora horiza, Pertusaria coccodes, Physconia enteroxantha, Rinodina anomala y R.oleae

La eficacia de la Política Monetaria durante la Gran Recesión

El presente trabajo resume las aportaciones referidas a la eficacia de las medidas de política monetaria adoptadas por la Reserva Federal-FED, el Banco Central Europeo-ECB, el Banco de Japón-BoJ y el Banco de Inglaterra-BoE durante la crisis económica y financiera. Las principales conclusiones que obtenemos de la revisión de la literatura son que para las medidas de liquidez existe cierta discrepancia, en especial en el caso de las medidas de la FED, en relación a su eficacia mientras que para las medidas de expansión cuantitativa los estudios referidos a los dos países donde estas medidas han alcanzado un importante tamaño, USA y Gran Bretaña, concluyen que son eficaces para aumentar la producción y el empleo

Water management assessment in a historic garden: the case study of the Real Alcazar (Seville, Spain)

Irrigation plays a very important role in a Mediterranean garden. In spite of this, there are not many studies assessing irrigation water management of landscapes. Moreover, historic gardens represent a special challenge due to their unique characteristics. The aim of this work is the characterization and evaluation of water management in a historic garden. For that, the gardens of The Real Alcazar of Seville were used as a case study. They comprise a total of 20 gardens of different styles with a total area of nearly 7 ha. Landscape water requirements and irrigation volume applied were estimated and used in conjunction with other descriptive and financial variables to calculate 6 performance indicators. Only 20% of gardens showed adequate irrigation in the spring-autumn period, being 10% during summer. However, the two well-watered gardens represent 30% of the total irrigated area. Management, operation and maintenance costs are 0.63 €·m−2 representing 0.58 € per volume of irrigation water used (m−3). Results obtained support the need of improving irrigation management. For that, simple solutions such as installing metering devices, calculating actual water requirements or optimizing irrigation schedules can be implemented. Other more complex actions such as modifying the irrigation network or creating hydrozones might also be explored

La oleicultura en las Denominación de Origen Protegida 'Aceite del Bajo Aragón' ¿es sostenible?

La Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) Aceite del Bajo Aragón ocupa unas 22.000 ha inscritas de olivar, a caballo entre las provincias de Zaragoza y Teruel. Su producción calificada oscila entre el millón y los dos millones de litros, según campañas. Alberga unas explotaciones tradicionales, mayoritariamente en secano, en un territorio aterrazado con escasas pendientes y distribuido entre 77 pequeños municipios. La oleicultura en esta DOP produce distintas externalidades según que el sistema de cultivo sea convencional, integrado, ecológico o se abandone por falta de rentabilidad. El trabajo tiene como objetivos identificar y valorar estas externalidades y determinar qué sistema productivo las maximiza. El análisis se ha hecho mediante encuesta a expertos analizada mediante un Proceso Analítico de Red (ANP). Los primeros resultados indican que lo cultivos ecológico e integrado son los que maximizan la sostenibilidad en esta DOP.Publishe

Aprendizaje basado en proyectos y trabajo en equipo: experiencia de innovación docente en hidráulica para graduados en Ingeniería Agrícola

En este trabajo se describe un proyecto de innovación docente para la mejora de los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje de Hidráulica en el Grado de Ingeniería Agrícola. El proyecto consistió en plantear, en dos etapas diferenciadas, metodologías de aprendizaje basadas en proyectos y en el trabajo en equipo. En la primera etapa, un estudiante de último curso de titulación diseñó, construyó y validó la funcionalidad de dos bancos didácticos de ensayo de bombas centrífugas. Este trabajo le permitió alcanzar un nivel avanzado de conocimientos teórico-prácticos de Hidráulica así como la realización de su Proyecto Fin de Carrera. En una segunda etapa, los bancos didácticos de ensayo de bombas fueron utilizados en la docencia de la asignatura de Grado en la que se imparte Hidráulica. Los profesores propusieron a los estudiantes diversas actividades prácticas de trabajo en grupo en las que debían utilizar los bancos de ensayo. En estas actividades los estudiantes debían resolver empíricamente (i.e. utilizando los bancos) problemas planteados previamente por los profesores y comparar dichos resultados con los obtenidos de forma analítica de acuerdo a los contenidos teóricos explicados en las clases de aula. Los resultados de un único curso académico indican que la utilización y manipulación por parte de los estudiantes de sistemas de impulsión reales no incrementó el grado de adquisición de competencias específicas relacionadas con los sistemas hidráulicos de impulsión frente al resto de competencias específicas de la asignatura