Functional anatomy of non-REM sleep

The state of non-REM sleep (NREM), or slow wave sleep, is associated with a synchronized EEG pattern in which sleep spindles and/or K complexes and high-voltage slow wave activity (SWA) can be recorded over the entire cortical surface. In humans, NREM is subdivided into stages 2 and 3–4 (presently named N3) depending on the proportions of each of these polygraphic events. NREM is necessary for normal physical and intellectual performance and behavior. An overview of the brain structures involved in NREM generation shows that the thalamus and the cerebral cortex are absolutely necessary for the most significant bioelectric and behavioral events of NREM to be expressed; other structures like the basal forebrain, anterior hypothalamus, cerebellum, caudal brain stem, spinal cord and peripheral nerves contribute to NREM regulation and modulation. In NREM stage 2, sustained hyperpolarized membrane potential levels resulting from interaction between thalamic reticular and projection neurons gives rise to spindle oscillations in the membrane potential; the initiation and termination of individual spindle sequences depends on corticothalamic activities. Cortical and thalamic mechanisms are also involved in the generation of EEG delta SWA that appears in deep stage 3–4 (N3) NREM; the cortex has classically been considered to be the structure that generates this activity, but delta oscillations can also be generated in thalamocortical neurons. NREM is probably necessary to normalize synapses to a sustainable basal condition that can ensure cellular homeostasis. Sleep homeostasis depends not only on the duration of prior wakefulness but also on its intensity, and sleep need increases when wakefulness is associated with learning. NREM seems to ensure cell homeostasis by reducing the number of synaptic connections to a basic level; based on simple energy demands, cerebral energy economizing during NREM sleep is one of the prevalent hypotheses to explain NREM homeostasis.Grant BFU2009-06991/BFI from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation supported this wor

An Old World Yet to Discover? European Studies in the Latin American Southern Cone

In spite of the strong historical links that connect Europe with South America, EU studies are underdeveloped in the latter region. This article takes stock of how European politics in general, and European integration in particular, are studied and taught in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay in order to assess such paradox and evaluate its prospects

PI-based controller for low-power distributed inverters to maximise reactive current injection while avoiding over voltage during voltage sags

This paper is a postprint of a paper submitted to and accepted for publication in IET Power Electronics and is subject to Institution of Engineering and Technology Copyright. The copy of record is available at the IET Digital Library.In the recently deregulated power system scenario, the growing number of distributed generation sources should be considered as an opportunity to improve stability and power quality along the grid. To make progress in this direction, this work proposes a reactive current injection control scheme for distributed inverters under voltage sags. During the sag, the inverter injects, at least, the minimum amount of reactive current required by the grid code. The flexible reactive power injection ensures that one phase current is maintained at its maximum rated value, providing maximum support to the most faulted phase voltage. In addition, active power curtailment occurs only to satisfy the grid code reactive current requirements. As well as, a voltage control loop is implemented to avoid overvoltage in non-faulty phases, which otherwise would probably occur due to the injection of reactive current into an inductive grid. The controller is proposed for low-power rating distributed inverters where conventional voltage support provided by large power plants is not available. The implementation of the controller provides a low computational burden because conventional PI-based control loops may apply. Selected experimental results are reported in order to validate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.Peer ReviewedPostprint (updated version

El enfoque de la Escuela de Desarrollo a Escala Humana aplicado a la satisfacción de las necesidades de hábitat de los ciudadanos desfavorecidos de África subsahariana

Muchas investigaciones se preguntan cómo apoyar los esfuerzos que hacen los ciudadanos desfavorecidos para satisfacer sus necesidades de hábitat en un contexto nacional y supranacional adverso. En este sentido, ésta investigación se propone analizar la realización de las necesidades de hábitat de los ciudadanos desfavorecidos de la periferia urbana de Dakar (Senegal) desde la perspectiva de la Escuela de Desarrollo a Escala Humana (EDEH). Se parte de que las necesidades humanas son finitas, pocas, clasificables y universales, y que lo que varía, en función del tiempo y la cultura, son los modos de satisfacerlas. Este enfoque permite identificar y diferenciar las necesidades de hábitat que pretenden satisfacer los diferentes actores con sus acciones, así como evaluar en qué medida éstas contribuyen a satisfacer sinérgicamente un conjunto de necesidades de hábitat, o por el contrario cubren algunas pero inhiben otras. Su novedad estriba en que plantea la redefinición del “problema” y, por lo tanto, propone posibles “soluciones” desde una nueva perspectiva. Así mismo, promueve el aprendizaje de abajo hacia arriba y contribuye a hacer visibles los esfuerzos y capacidades de los ciudadanos desfavorecidos para liderar su propio proceso de desarrollo. En este artículo se hará una revisión de las aportaciones del Enfoque de Derechos, el Análisis de la Exclusión Social, y el Enfoque de Necesidades. Se valoraran las aportaciones del enfoque de la EDEH y se establecerá un modelo de aplicación al desarrollo urbano: La Ciudad a Escala Humana. Por último, el análisis se ilustrará con el caso de las movilizaciones de los pobladores de un asentamiento vulnerable frente a las inundaciones de una comuna en Pikine Irregular Sur, en la periferia urbana de Dakar (Senegal)

Trajectory Reconstruction Techniques for Evaluation of ATC Systems

This paper is focused on trajectory reconstruction techniques for evaluating ATC systems, using real data of recorded opportunity traffic. We analyze different alternatives for this problem, from traditional interpolation approaches based on curve fitting to our proposed schemes based on modeling regular motion patterns with optimal smoothers. The extraction of trajectory features such as motion type (or mode of flight), maneuvers profile, geometric parameters, etc., allows a more accurate computation of the curve and the detailed evaluation of the data processors used in the ATC centre. Different alternatives will be compared with some performance results obtained with simulated and real data sets

Study of the vegetation series of Cuenca de Pamplona-Valdizarbe (Navarre-NE Spain): interest of their mapping and application

Se estudian las series y subseries de vegetación de 77.817 ha del centro de Navarra, para su cartografía a escala 1:25.000. Las series y subseries son indicadoras de las características ecológicas del territorio y complementan la información climática disponible. Se han descrito ocho series de vegetación, dos geoseries y dos complejos de vegetación. Las series climatófilas comprenden 28 faciaciones, reconocidas mediante las comunidades vegetales que las integran. La distinción de las faciaciones no sólo está asociada a factores climáticos, sino también a factores geomorfológicos, litológicos, edáficos e históricos. Estos últimos factores permiten reconocer patrones complejos a escalas de detalle, superpuestos a los que reflejan los factores climáticos, evidentes a escalas más reducidas. El estudio se enmarca en un proyecto que pretende definir la potencialidad del territorio para diferentes usos y elaborar modelos de evaluación de tierras en Navarra utilizando las unidades cartográficas reconocidas.The vegetation series and subseries of 77,817 ha of Central Navarre are studied to be used as mapping units of a vegetation series map at scale 1:25,000. The series and subseries are indicators of the land environmental features and may be useful to complete the available climatic data. Eight vegetation series, two geoseries and two vegetation complexes have been described. Climatophilous series include 28 subseries defined by the different plant communities that form each one. While vegetation series show clearly climatic patterns when studied at small scales, at detailed scales the vegetation patterns show also the effects of landforms, lithology, soils and history. This study is part of a project that is intended to assess land suitability for different uses and to work out land evaluation models in Navarre based upon the recognized mapping units

La mediación intercultural dirigida a las personas mayores inmigrantes

The present article tries to analize the situation of immigrant elderly people and the term mediation with its “surname” intercultural in a more plural society, as a consecuence of immigration and the growth of diversity in the structure of human groups. Cultural diversity is living with us, and besides we are getting older. For that reason we considerer to promote communication and intercultural mediation for preventing, resolving and modifying the construction of a more plural, more diverse and intercultural society with no exclusion of cultural groups and avoiding the discrimination for age or origin.El presente artículo analiza la situación de las personas mayores inmigrantes y el término mediación con su “apellido” intercultural en una sociedad cada vez más plural, como consecuencia de la inmigración y del aumento de la diversidad en la composición de los grupos humanos. Y comprobando que la diversidad cultural convive entre nosotros y, del mismo modo, envejece con nosotros, consideramos pertinente y necesario el fomento de la comunicación y de la mediación intercultural a niveles de prevención, resolución y modificación para la construcción de una sociedad más plural, más diversa e intercultural sin exclusión de grupos culturales evitando la discriminación por edad y origen

Artichoke, a novel LRR protein, localizes to the supporting extracelular matrix of ciliated sensory organs in Drosophila and is necessary for its assembly and physiology

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología. Fecha de lectura: 20-12-201

El vehículo de hidrógeno. Almacenamiento de hidrógeno en polímeros de microporosidad intrínseca (PIMs)

El cambio climático se presenta como uno de los grandes retos en la actualidad de la humanidad, cobrando importancia el desarrollo de alternativas sostenibles que no conlleven emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero. El sector del transporte supone casi un 70% del consumo de combustibles fósiles. Una posible solución es la utilización del hidrógeno como alternativa sostenible al empleo de combustibles fósiles, disminuyendo las emisiones de gases. Para que se difunda el uso del hidrógeno como alternativa sin emisiones, será necesaria la creación de un mercado que permita conseguir una disminución de los costes de suministro, y alcanzar la competitividad frente a otras alternativas. El presente Trabajo Fin de Grado (TFG) se centra en el vehículo de hidrógeno y los principales tipos de almacenamiento de hidrógeno, destacando la posible implementación de materiales nanoporosos como futuras pilas de combustible. El almacenamiento de hidrógeno en sólidos mediante fisisorción es un tema de gran interés en la actualidad. El objetivo es buscar compuestos constituidos elementos ligeros, que tengan una gran cantidad de volumen libre en su interior y presenten una gran estabilidad térmica y homogeneidad. En este contexto, en este TFG se estudia el almacenamiento de hidrógeno en polímeros de microporosidad intrínseca (PIMs), una clase de sólidos microporosos amorfos constituidos por materiales orgánicos, que poseen una microporosidad intrínseca debida a la existencia de poros interconectados de diámetro menor o igual a 2 nm.Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity today, and the development of sustainable alternatives that do not involve greenhouse gas emissions is becoming increasingly important. The transport sector accounts for almost 70% of fossil fuel consumption. One possible solution is the use of hydrogen as a sustainable alternative to the use of fossil fuels, reducing gas emissions. In order for the use of hydrogen to become widespread as an emission-free alternative, it will be necessary to create a market that will enable a reduction in supply costs and achieve competitiveness compared to other alternatives. This Final Degree Project (TFG) focuses on the hydrogen vehicle and the main types of hydrogen storage, highlighting the possible implementation of nanoporous materials as future fuel cells. The storage of hydrogen in solids by physisorption is a topic of great interest at present. The aim is to search for compounds consisting of light elements, which have a large amount of free volume in their interior and present high thermal stability and homogeneity. In this context, this TFG studies hydrogen storage in intrinsic microporous polymers (IMPs), a class of amorphous microporous solids made of organic materials, which have an intrinsic microporosity due to the existence of interconnected pores of diameter less than or equal to 2 nm.Grado en Físic