Killing by lung cancer or by diabetes? The trade-off between smoking and obesity

As the prevalence of smoking has decreased to below 20%, health practitioners interest has shifted towards the prevalence of obesity, and reducing it is one of the major health challenges in decades to come. In this paper we study the impact that the final product of the anti-smoking campaign, that is, smokers quitting the habit, had on average weight in the population. To these ends, we use data from the Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System, a large series of independent representative cross-sectional surveys. We construct a synthetic panel that allows us to control for unobserved heterogeneity and we exploit the exogenous changes in taxes and regulations to instrument the endogenous decision to give up the habit of smoking. Our estimates, are very close to estimates issued in the ’90s by the US Department of Health, and indicate that a 10% decrease in the incidence of smoking leads to an average weight increase of 2.2 to 3 pounds, depending on choice of specification. In addition, we find evidence that the effect overshoots in the short run, although a significant part remains even after two years. However, when we split the sample between men and women, we only find a significant effect for men. Finally, the implicit elasticity of quitting smoking to the probability of becoming obese is calculated at 0.58. This implies that the net benefit from reducing the incidence of smoking by 1% is positive even though the cost to society is $0.6 billions.

An AER handshake-less modular infrastructure PCB with x8 2.5Gbps LVDS serial links

Nowadays spike-based brain processing emulation is taking off. Several EU and others worldwide projects are demonstrating this, like SpiNNaker, BrainScaleS, FACETS, or NeuroGrid. The larger the brain process emulation on silicon is, the higher the communication performance of the hosting platforms has to be. Many times the bottleneck of these system implementations is not on the performance inside a chip or a board, but in the communication between boards. This paper describes a novel modular Address-Event-Representation (AER) FPGA-based (Spartan6) infrastructure PCB (the AER-Node board) with 2.5Gbps LVDS high speed serial links over SATA cables that offers a peak performance of 32-bit 62.5Meps (Mega events per second) on board-to-board communications. The board allows back compatibility with parallel AER devices supporting up to x2 28-bit parallel data with asynchronous handshake. These boards also allow modular expansion functionality through several daughter boards. The paper is focused on describing in detail the LVDS serial interface and presenting its performance.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación TEC2009-10639-C04-02/01Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TEC2012-37868-C04-02/01Junta de Andalucía TIC-6091Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad PRI-PIMCHI-2011-076

New challenges in international economics and finance

This Special Issue brings together 13 papers that examine a variety of central topics in the field of international economics and finance. These papers were presented at the 23rd Conference on International Economics held in Málaga (Spain) on 16th–17th June 2022. The conference was organised by the Spanish Association of International Economics and Finance (AEEFI) and the University of Málaga. The selected papers make up an interesting and revealing set of information to study the new challenges of the international economics and finance in a context especially marked by the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, the climate change, the challenge posed by the COVID-19 crisis and the instability unleashed after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. From different perspectives, the papers analyse how events that have particularly affected the evolution of the world economy have substantially altered the rules of international trade, foreign direct investment, as well as monetary, fiscal or sectoral policy. The conference included two keynote lectures by Per Krusell (Institute for International Economic Studies, Stockholm University) and Fabio Canova (Norwegian Business School and Budapest School for Central Banking Studies), as well as 97 selected contributions

Hydration of clinker phases in alkaline conditions

This research is focused on the individual behaviour of calcium silicates (C3S and C2S) and tricalcium aluminate (C3A) when hydrated with water, but in the presence of 4 wt% Na2SO4. Two- and 28‑day mechanical strength of pastes were determined and the reaction products were identified by means of XRD, SEM/EDX and 29Si and 27 Al MAS NMR. Analysis of C3A revealed that hydration was favoured in the presence of Na2SO4. This salt governed hydration kinetics while providing the alkalinity required to induce the joint precipitation of carbonated and calcium sulfoaluminate hydrate reaction product, both observed to contribute to the mechanical strength of the resulting material. In both silicates (C3S and C2S), the findings showed that the presence of Na2SO4 stimulated mechanical strength development. The synergy among all chemical reactions taking place during the hydration of these calcium silicates favoured a substantial rise in the alkalinity of the pastes formed. In addition, the anion SO42- induced the precipitation of cementitious gels with a high percentage of Q2 units, which leads to a significant increase in the mechanical strength of the materials at 28 day

Controlador difuso para problemas de navegación en presencia de obstáculos fijos

En esta comunicación se describe un sistema de control difuso para aplicaciones de navegación de robots móviles autónomos en presencia de obstáculos fijos. Las herramientas de CAD del entorno Xfuzzy 3, desarrollado en el IMSE, han facilitado el diseño del controlador. En la comunicación se procede a la verificación del controlador diseñado operando en un lazo cerrado con el modelo del robot móvil autónomo eléctrico Romeo 4R, diseñado y construido en la Escuela Superior de Ingenieros de la Universidad de Sevilla. Las simulaciones realizadas demuestran la eficiencia del controlador desarrollado.Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología TEC2005-04359/MICJunta de Andalucía DPI2005-0229

El Instituto Universitario de Urbanística (1991-2021): construcción de una cultura de investigación

[EN] The Instituto Universitario de Urbanística (IUU) (University Institute of Urban Planning) of the Universidad de Valladolid was founded in 1991 and it is the only one of its kind in the Spanish territory. Throughout those three decades of existence, the research group Planificación territorial y urbanística (IUU_Lab) (Territorial and Urban Planning) has developed, as the driving force of the institute, a very diversified activity that this article seeks to analyse and show synthetically, inserted in the urban development in Spain since the 1980s. The study of the scientific production that has marked the group s trajectory as well as the disciplinary influences it has received, allows the authors to characterise four main fields of knowledge construction and disciplinary reflection: reformist urban planning, urban-territorial planning, urban regeneration, and rural environment. The whole analysis developed reveals, on the one hand, some links established between certain problems of Spanish urbanism and research in Urban and Territorial Planning; and, on the other hand, the validity of an epistemological vision of Urban Planning understood as a knowledge of interdisciplinary nature and practical orientation, nurtured by a historical conscience.[ES] El Instituto Universitario de Urbanística (IUU) de la Universidad de Valladolid, único en su género en el territorio español, fue fundado en 1991. En esas tres décadas de existencia, el grupo de investigación Planificación territorial y urbanística (IUU_Lab) ha desarrollado, como motor del instituto, una actividad muy diversificada que este artículo busca analizar y mostrar sintéticamente, inserta en el devenir urbanístico en España desde la década de 1980. El estudio de la producción científica que ha jalonado la trayectoria del grupo y de las influencias disciplinares que ha recibido permite a los autores caracterizar cuatro campos principales de construcción de conocimiento y reflexión disciplinar: la Urbanística reformista, la planificación urbanoterritorial,la regeneración urbana, y el medio rural. Del conjunto del análisis desarrollado se desprenden, por un lado, algunos vínculos establecidos entre determinados problemas del urbanismo español y la investigación en Urbanística y Ordenación del Territorio; y, por otro lado, la vigencia de una visión epistemológica de la Urbanística entendida como un saber de naturaleza interdisciplinar y orientación práctica, nutrida por una consciencia histórica.Castrillo Romón, MA.; Jiménez Jiménez, M.; De Las Rivas Sanz, JL. (2022). The Instituto Universitario de Urbanística (1991-2021): building a research culture. VLC arquitectura. Research Journal. 9(2):217-248. https://doi.org/10.4995/vlc.2022.177642172489

Deactivation, reactivation and memoryeffect on Co–B catalyst for sodium borohydride hydrolysis operating in high conversion conditions

9 páginasA system with a continuous reactor to produce hydrogen by sodium borohydride hydrolysis was designed and built. The purpose was to test a supported Co–B catalyst durability upon cycling and long life experiments in high conversion conditions. A Stainless Steel monolith was built and calcined to improve adherence. For comparison a Ru–B catalyst was tested upon cycling. Both Co–B and Ru–B catalysts are durable during 6 cycles and then deactivate. A known reactivation procedure has proven to be more effective for the Co–B than for the Ru–B catalyst. This is related to stronger adsorption of B–O based compounds on the Co–B catalyst which is reversible upon acid washing. For the Ru–B catalyst deactivation may be more related to particle agglomeration than to the adsorption of B–O based species. The continuous system enlarges the catalysts durability because of the continuous borate elimination at elevated temperatures.Financial support from Abengoa Hidrógeno S.A., MICINN (Project CTQ2009-13440), “Junta de Andalucía” (TEP217) and the EC (CT-REGPOT-2011-1-285895, AL-NANOFUNC) is acknowledged. We thank to Dr. Angel Justo for the XRD measurementsPeer reviewe

An automated design flow from linguistic models to piecewise polynomial digital circuits

This paper describes how the different CAD tools of the environment Xfuzzy 3, developed in Microelectronics Institute of Seville and University of Seville, allow to translate expressive linguistic models into mathematical ones, in particular, into a combination of piecewise polynomial systems that can be implemented efficiently in hardware. The new synthesis tool of Xfuzzy 3 automates communication with Xilinx System Generator in Matlab, thus facilitating implementation of the linguistic model into an FPGA from Xilinx. This is illustrated with the design of a navigation controller for an autonomous robot.Comunidad Europea FP7-IST-248858Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TEC2008-04920Junta de Andalucía P08-TIC-0367

“Zombie attack” a new way to teach Chemistry

The Higher Education requires new models which allow training people able to adapt and survive in changing environments. It is based on the use of technologies and the adaptation of knowledge to people. It is about an education according to circumstances, which is adapted to context and virtual behaviour of people. One of the main difficulties that lecturers find in the classroom is how to maintain students' attention and interest in their subject, especially when students also think that the subject is not important for their training. In order to motivate these students, innovation in educational techniques and methodologies, such as experiential learning, are progressively being imposed to and/or coordinated with the traditional ones. Escape Room is a very modern concept in education, based on the development of mental skills for the solution of enigmas and problems. It is a tool to develop the cooperative, cognitive, deductive and logical reasoning skills of the students. In this work, an educational gamification experience based on the escape room concept is presented. The students have 1 hour and 30 minutes to carry out this activity. They will have to solve four puzzles and enigmas that will give them the key to open a treasure chest and finally let them escape from the classroom. Logic, ingenuity and teamwork will allow participants to develop not only chemical competence, but also other basic skills. The story that is told throughout the escape room is a zombie attack: the city has been infected (with a virus) and only the occupants of the room where the activity takes place have not been infected. In addition, they can all protect themselves if they are able to open the chest where the antidote is located. The aim of this activity is to enhance the knowledge acquired throughout the semester as well as the development of skills.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Propiedades acústicas de los paneles de carrizo

Reed is a plant species very similar to common cane which is widespread all over the Earth. It is an ecological and sustainable material which is low-cost, aesthetically attractive, easy to obtain and install, and can be used in different construction systems.
 
 This work analyses the acoustic properties of reed panels from the point of view of sound absorption and sound insulation against airborne noise, according to the corresponding EN ISO standards. The experimental results obtained point to the conclusion that reed panels are suitable construction systems for controlling reverberant sound within a space, and that the sound reduction index values for different thicknesses of reed panels, or reed panels used in combination with wood particle boards, demonstrate the possibility of using them in construction as an element on the facades and roofs of buildings and for interior partitions.<br><br>El carrizo es una especie vegetal, parecida a la caña común, que se encuentra ampliamente distribuida en la superficie terrestre. Es un material ecológico y sostenible de bajo coste, estéticamente aceptable, fácil de obtener y colocar, que permite generar diferentes sistemas constructivos.
 
 En este trabajo se analizan las propiedades acústicas de los paneles de carrizo en lo referente a la absorción acústica y al aislamiento acústico a ruido aéreo, para ello se han aplicado los procedimientos de las normas EN ISO correspondientes. De los resultados experimentales obtenidos se concluye que los paneles de carrizo son unos sistemas constructivos adecuados para el control del sonido reverberante en un recinto y que los valores del índice de reducción acústica de paneles de diferentes espesores o en combinación con tableros de partículas de madera muestran la posibilidad de utilizarlos en la edificación como elemento de fachada, en cubiertas de edificios y particiones interiores