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Abstract We perform a global analysis of the bounds from charged lepton flavour violating observables to new physics. We parametrize generic new physics through the effective field theory formalism and perform global fits beyond the common one-operator-at-a-time analyses to investigate how much present data is able to constrain the full parameter space. We particularly focus on leptonic and semileptonic operators with light quarks, identifying unbounded flat directions, detailing how many are present and which operators are involved. The analysis is performed in the general LEFT formalism, which contains all possible low-energy effective operators relevant for lepton flavour violation, as well as in more restricted scenarios, when operators come from a SMEFT completion. We find that flat directions play no role in the fully leptonic four-fermion operators. Conversely, they significantly hinder the ability to derive global bounds on semileptonic operators, with several flat or at least very poorly constrained directions preventing to fully constrain the parameter space. These results are particularly affected by the proper inclusion of uncertainties in the parameters describing $$\mu -e$$ μ - e conversion, which decrease the number of well-constrained directions in operator space when treated as nuisance parameters in the fit. While present data is able to provide global constraints on all operators only in the more restricted scenarios we investigated, very strong correlations among the parameters must exist to avoid conflict with the different observables. We provide correlation matrices approximating our full results as a useful tool to compare present data with particular UV completions.

Multimodal communication is a human feature that enables diverse interactions. In human–robot interaction (HRI), robots have to communicate using human skills so that they can seem natural and assist effectively. Most research uses predefined gestures to equip robots with social abilities. However, researchers scarcely consider generating bioinspired involuntary behavior to improve a robot's expressiveness and communication. Human studies revealed that involuntary behavior affects how others perceive communicative intentions. Therefore, mimicking human involuntary behavior may positively affect HRI. This article extends our previous work on equipping robots with involuntary behavior with a user study that evaluates the use of bioinspiration for complementing gestures. A preliminary test is conducted with 15 participants to determine if they can perceive the intensities of the involuntary processes heart rate, pupil size, blink rate, breathing rate, and motor activity. 63 new participants interacted with a robot with bioinspired behaviors or a robot only showing predefined gestures to evaluate the robots’ warmth, competence, and discomfort. The results show that the preliminary test participants differentiated the intensities of the involuntary processes. Participants in the second study find the robot with bioinspired behaviors significantly warmer and more competent than the robot with predefined gestures, with no discomfort difference.

This article examines the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of paediatric care within the framework of the 7P medicine model (Predictive, Preventive, Personalized, Precise, Participatory, Peripheral and Polyprofessional). It highlights various applications of AI in the diagnosis, treatment and management of paediatric diseases as well as the role of AI in prevention and in the efficient management of health care resources and the resulting impact on the sustainability of public health systems. Successful cases of the application of AI in the paediatric care setting are presented, placing emphasis on the need to move towards a 7P health care model. Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing society at large and has a great potential for significantly improving paediatric care. Resumen: Se examina el uso de la inteligencia artificial (IA) en el campo de la atención a la salud pediátrica dentro del marco de la ''Medicina de las 7P'' (Predictiva, Preventiva, Personalizada, Precisa, Participativa, Periférica y Poliprofesional). Se destacan diversas aplicaciones de la IA en el diagnóstico, el tratamiento y el control de enfermedades pediátricas, así como su papel en la prevención y en la gestión eficiente de los recursos médicos con su repercusión en la sostenibilidad de los sistemas públicos de salud. Se presentan casos de éxito de la aplicación de la IA en el ámbito pediátrico y se hace un gran énfasis en la necesidad de caminar hacia la Medicina de las 7P. La IA está revolucionando la sociedad en general ofreciendo un gran potencial para mejorar significativamente el cuidado de la salud en pediatría.

Resumen: Se examina el uso de la inteligencia artificial (IA) en el campo de la atención a la salud pediátrica dentro del marco de la «Medicina de las 7P» (Predictiva, Preventiva, Personalizada, Precisa, Participativa, Periférica y Poliprofesional). Se destacan diversas aplicaciones de la IA en el diagnóstico, el tratamiento y el control de enfermedades pediátricas, así como su papel en la prevención y en la gestión eficiente de los recursos médicos con su repercusión en la sostenibilidad de los sistemas públicos de salud. Se presentan casos de éxito de la aplicación de la IA en el ámbito pediátrico y se hace un gran énfasis en la necesidad de caminar hacia la Medicina de las 7P. La IA está revolucionando la sociedad en general ofreciendo un gran potencial para mejorar significativamente el cuidado de la salud en pediatría. Abstract: This article examines the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of paediatric care within the framework of the 7P medicine model (Predictive, Preventive, Personalized, Precise, Participatory, Peripheral and Polyprofessional). It highlights various applications of AI in the diagnosis, treatment and management of paediatric diseases as well as the role of AI in prevention and in the efficient management of health care resources and the resulting impact on the sustainability of public health systems. Successful cases of the application of AI in the paediatric care setting are presented, placing emphasis on the need to move towards a 7P health care model. Artificial intelligence is revolutionizing society at large and has a great potential for significantly improving paediatric care.

The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented global event in recent history. Beginning with an initial outbreak in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, the virus spread rapidly across the globe, causing millions of deaths and triggering an unprecedented health, economic, and social crisis. The initial response to the outbreak in many countries was the implementation of social distancing measures, including the closure of schools and businesses, the cancellation of mass events, and the banning of travel. These measures were aimed at reducing the virus' spread and preventing health systems from being overwhelmed by the numerous severe COVID-19 cases. However, these measures also had a devastating economic impact, especially on precarious workers and freelancers, as well as those who were unable to work from home. As the pandemic (also considered a syndemic or synergistic epidemic) dragged on, countries adopted more flexible approaches to dealing with the virus, adopting mitigation measures rather than social distancing measures. These included the use of masks, testing and contact tracing, and the opening of businesses and schools with the implementation of additional safety measures. This paper highlights the social consequences of the pandemic, ultimately arguing that it is a total social fact (from the French fait social total), based on Marcel Mauss' categorization, since it encompassed and impacted all facets of human life.

This study focuses on the feasibility of using ground Acanthocardia tuberculate seashells as fine aggregates for self-compacting mortar production. The obtained results show a promising future for coastal industries as their use eliminates waste products and improves the durability of these materials. The use of Acanthocardia tuberculate recycled aggregate, in terms of durability, improves the performance of all mixes made with seashells compared to those made with natural sand, although it decreases workability and slightly reduces mechanical strength. Proper mix design has beneficial effects, as it improves compressive strength, especially when the powder/sand ratio is 0.7. Three replacement ratios based on the volume (0%, 50%, and 100%) of natural limestone sand with recycled fine aggregate from Acanthocardia tuberculate seashells, and three different dosages modifying the powder/sand ratio (0.6, 0.7, and 0.8), were tested. The fresh-state properties of each self-compacting mixture were evaluated based on workability. The mineralogical phases of the hardened mixtures were characterised using X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, and differential analyses. Subsequently, the mechanical and durability properties were evaluated based on the compressive and flexural strengths, dry bulk density, accessible porosity for water and water absorption, drying shrinkage, mercury intrusion porosimetry, and water absorption by capillarity. Therefore, the use of Acanthocardia tuberculate seashells in cement-based systems contributes to circular economy.

Abstract The existence of right-handed neutrinos, or heavy neutral leptons (HNLs), is strongly motivated by the observation of neutrino masses and mixing. The mass of these new particles could lie below the electroweak scale, making them accessible to low-energy laboratory experiments. Additional new physics at high energies can mediate new interactions between the Standard Model particles and HNLs, and is most conveniently parametrized by the neutrino Standard Model Effective Field Theory, or νSMEFT for short. In this work, we consider the dimension six νSMEFT operators involving one HNL field in the mass range of O $$ \mathcal{O} $$ (1) MeV < M N < O $$ \mathcal{O} $$ (100) GeV. By recasting existing experimental limits on the production and decay of new light particles, we constrain the Wilson coefficients and new physics scale of each operator as a function of the HNL mass.1

Historical aerial images constitute an invaluable heritage that requires meticulous recovery and preservation. Interest in this task has been shown at the international level, where several congresses have been held to analyse orthophotographs production techniques, as well as the state of the art of preservation and dissemination of historical material. Innovative image orthorectification models, such as Structure for Motion and Multi-View Stereo, derived from classical photogrammetric methods such as collinearity equations, Direct Linear Transformation and Rational Function Model, have shown excellent results in the creation of 3D models from images captured by mobile devices and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These advances open up a new line of research for its application in historical flights, characterised by unsuitable flight and conservation conditions, with geometries away from the conventional geometric model and the absence of orientation parameters. On the basis of the papers presented at the EuroSDR congresses in 2019 and 2022, and using SfM and MVS algorithmic programmes, research on the processes of orthorectification of historical images has been deepened, particularly in the processing of large volumes of data. The methodology was applied to what is potentially the largest block of data to date, comprising over 4,000 images covering an area of over 40,000 square kilometres corresponding to the A-series flight, carried out by the US Army Map Service between 1945 and 1946. This technical process represents a significant step towards the accurate correction of valuable historical aerial imagery, contributing to architectural study, urban planning, property organisation, and historical heritage conservation.

Robots are becoming an increasingly important part of our society and have started to be used in tasks that require communicating with humans. Communication can be decoupled in two dimensions: symbolic (information aimed to achieve a particular goal) and spontaneous (displaying the speaker’s emotional and motivational state) communication. Thus, to enhance human–robot interactions, the expressions that are used have to convey both dimensions. This paper presents a method for modelling a robot’s expressiveness as a combination of these two dimensions, where each of them can be generated independently. This is the first contribution of our work. The second contribution is the development of an expressiveness architecture that uses predefined multimodal expressions to convey the symbolic dimension and integrates a series of modulation strategies for conveying the robot’s mood and emotions. In order to validate the performance of the proposed architecture, the last contribution is a series of experiments that aim to study the effect that the addition of the spontaneous dimension of communication and its fusion with the symbolic dimension has on how people perceive a social robot. Our results show that the modulation strategies improve the users’ perception and can convey a recognizable affective state.

Conducting an accurate hydrological water balance at the regional and country-wide scales is paramount to assessing available water resources and adequately allocating them. One of the main components of these balances is the anthropogenic recharge of groundwater either intentionally, through managed aquifer recharge (MAR), or unintentionally, where infiltration from dams and dykes can play a significant role. In Spain, proper management of water resources is critical due to the arid to semiarid conditions prevalent in most of the territory and the relevance of water resources for maintaining a robust agricultural sector. Previous work estimated country-wide recharge from MAR at 150 to 280 Mm3/year. Recently, water authorities pointed out that, according to hydrological water balances, the total unintentional recharge volume from water courses may exceed 500 Mm3/year. The present research aims to present a new inventory of transverse structures (also referred to as small dams and dykes) in Spain and use it to estimate country-wide unintentional recharge. The inventory, compiled by the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, has 27,680 structures and includes construction and impoundment characteristics, which allow for estimating the wet perimeter and the infiltration area. To this end, structural data from the inventory were crossed through map algebra in a GIS environment with thematic layers, such as lithology, permeability, the digital elevation model, the transverse structures’ wetted area, the average groundwater levels, and a clogging correction factor. Two analytical formulas to compute infiltration from small dams and dykes were tested. The resulting volume of unintentional recharge from transverse structures ranges between 812.5 and 2716.6 Mm3/year. The comparison against regional and national water balances suggests that the lowest value of the range (i.e., 812.5 Mm3/year) is probably the most realistic. Anthropogenic recharge from MAR and transverse structures is likely in the range of 1012.5–1514.8 Mm3/year. This rough figure can help close the hydrological balance at the national and river basin levels and contribute to calibrating regional models. Furthermore, they provide an order of magnitude for anthropogenic recharge at a national scale, which is difficult to obtain.

Abstract We present an updated and improved global fit analysis of current flavour and electroweak precision observables to derive bounds on unitarity deviations of the leptonic mixing matrix and on the mixing of heavy neutrinos with the active flavours. This new analysis is motivated by new and updated experimental results on key observables such as V ud , the invisible decay width of the Z boson and the W boson mass. It also improves upon previous studies by considering the full correlations among the different observables and explicitly calibrating the test statistic, which may present significant deviations from a χ 2 distribution. The results are provided for three different Type-I seesaw scenarios: the minimal scenario with only two additional right-handed neutrinos, the next to minimal one with three extra neutrinos, and the most general one with an arbitrary number of heavy neutrinos that we parametrise via a generic deviation from a unitary leptonic mixing matrix. Additionally, we also analyze the case of generic deviations from unitarity of the leptonic mixing matrix, not necessarily induced by the presence of additional neutrinos. This last case relaxes some correlations among the parameters and is able to provide a better fit to the data. Nevertheless, inducing only leptonic unitarity deviations avoiding both the correlations implied by the right-handed neutrino extension as well as more strongly constrained operators is challenging and would imply significantly more complex UV completions.

Entre 1955 y 1967, Jussi Jännes tuvo la oportunidad de proyectar y construir la mayor parte del espacio público de Tapiola, ciudad de nueva planta finlandesa concebida como un laboratorio en el que ensayar soluciones extrapolables a otras intervenciones urbanas. Esta condición experimental le permitió elaborar una delicada secuencia de espacios intermedios capaz de articular entre si las diferentes escalas y ámbitos de la ciudad, desde lo territorial hasta lo doméstico, favoreciendo con ello la conectividad ambiental y la inclusividad social como valores cualitativos de lo urbano. El presente artículo aborda un análisis de dicha experiencia con el objetivo de contribuir a identificar y valorar el papel que juegan los espacios de mediación, surgidos en este caso de la superposición y entrelazamiento de realidades diversas, en la vida del espacio público de nuestras ciudades. La revisión crítica del caso propuesto resulta relevante en un momento como el actual, en el que se reorientan las prácticas de la planificación y el diseño urbano en base a la definición previa de las redes interconectadas de espacios de alto valor social, ambiental y cultural que hoy conocemos como infraestructuras verdes y azules.

Abstract Low-scale seesaw variants protected by lepton number symmetry provide a natural explanation of the smallness of neutrino masses but, unlike their higher-scale counterparts, with potentially testable phenomenology. The approximate lepton number symmetry arranges the heavy neutrinos in pseudo-Dirac pairs, which might be accessible at collider or even beam dump experiments if their mass is low enough and their mixing with the active neutrinos sufficiently large. Despite their pseudo-Dirac nature, their small mass splittings may lead to oscillations that prevent the cancellation of their potential lepton-number-violating signals. Interestingly, these small splittings may also resonantly enhance the production of a lepton number asymmetry for low-scale leptogenesis scenarios or, for extremely degenerate states, lead to an asymmetry large enough to resonantly produce a keV sterile neutrino dark matter candidate with the correct relic abundance via the Shi-Fuller mechanism. In this work we explore the parameter space of the different low-scale seesaw mechanisms and study the size of these splittings, given their important and interesting phenomenological consequences. While all low-scale seesaw variants share the same dimension 5 and 6 operators when integrating out the heavy states, we point out that the mass splitting of the pseudo-Dirac pairs are very different in different realizations such as the inverse or linear seesaw. This different phenomenology could offer a way to discriminate between low-scale seesaw realizations.

A comparison of low-cost radon monitors was conducted at the Laboratory of Natural Radiation (LNR). The monitors we evaluated were EcoQube, RadonEye, RadonEye Plus2, Spirit, ViewPlus, ViewRadon and WavePlus. An AlphaGUARD monitor calibrated at the Laboratory of Environmental Radioactivity of the University of Cantabria (LaRUC), accredited for testing and calibration according to ISO/IEC 17025, provided the reference value of radon concentration. The temporal stability of the monitors was studied, obtaining a percentage of missing records ranged from 1% to 19% of the data. The main technical characteristics studied were temporal stability, measurement ranges, accuracy, correlation and response time. The main results show that the measurement ranges align with those specified by their manufacturers, with percentage differences with respect to the reference monitor of between 5% and 16%. The diversity found for response time is remarkable, with values ranging from 1 to 15 h, with Pearson correlation factors between 0.63 and 0.90.

Abstract The Inverse Seesaw mechanism is dynamically realised within the Minimal Lepton Flavour Violation context. Lepton number, whose breaking is spontaneously realised, is generalised to a global Abelian factor of the whole flavour symmetry, that also plays the role of the Peccei-Quinn symmetry. The associated Goldstone boson is a Majoraxion that solves the Strong CP problem and represents a Dark Matter candidate. Three distinct scenarios are identified in terms of flavour symmetry and transformation properties of the exotic neutral leptons that enrich the Standard Model spectrum. The associated phenomenology is studied, focusing on the deviations from unitarity of the PMNS mixing matrix. The strongest constraints arise from the determination of the number of active neutrinos through the invisible width of the Z, the comparison of the measured W boson mass with its prediction in terms of the Fermi constant from muon decay, and the null searches for the radiative rare muon decay and μ → e conversion in nuclei. The heavy neutral leptons may have masses of a few TeV, leaving open the possibility for a direct detection at future colliders. The impact of the recent measurement of the W mass at the CDF II detector has also been considered, which, in one of the scenarios, points to a sharp prediction for the masses of the heavy neutral leptons at about 2 − 3 TeV.

“Managed Aquifer Recharge: A Key to Sustainability” is the title of the fourth Special Issue presented by the journal Water (MDPI), dedicated to the 11th International Symposium on Managed Aquifer Recharge (ISMAR 11) that was held between 11 and 15 April 2022 in Long Beach, California, USA [...]

The nervous system is controlled by a collection of neurons that transmit electric signals through the organism. These signals respond to internal and external stimuli and regulate many involuntary physiological functions. The autonomic nervous system regulates involuntary behaviors, such as heart rate, breathing, or pupil size through the action of neuroendocrine substances that modulate the biological processes. These physiological processes allow to express the internal state while interacting with others. This manuscript presents an artificial neuroendocrine model for regulating and expressing the involuntary physiological functions emulated in the Mini social robot. This model employs the robot's perception and simulated biological clock to generate neuroendocrine responses using simulated neuroendocrine substances to control the robot's autonomic processes of heart rate, pupil size, breathing rate, blinking rate, and locomotor activity. The primary contribution of this work is to provide biological modeling to replicate the evolution and effects of neuroendocrine substances on the regulation of autonomic processes and demonstrate how to express them in social robots using their actuators to improve their responsiveness and naturalness. These experiments show that the robot's autonomic processes can maintain proper evolution during long periods, while exhibiting circadian rhythms and responding to unexpected environmental changes.

The design of novel biomimetic bone tissue scaffolds (BTS) using computer aided design (CAD) technology is challenging additive manufacturing technologies. At the microstructure level, BTS should mimic bone histomorphometry and assure optimum mass transport and mechanical properties. In this study, a novel BTS has been designed, by using a parametric and variational CAD method, to model a bio-inspired and interconnected porous structure. The mechanical (elastic modulus) and the fluid mass transport (permeability) properties have been computed and compared to other implicit surfaces modelling scaffolds. The results showed that the new BTS could be tuned during the design stage to match the microstructure and the histomorphometry properties of trabecular bone. Those with porosities between 0.7 and 0.9 and highly smooth curvatures were the most appropriates. The new BTS, once appropriately designed, could be made/manufactured by 3D printing technology with an internal microstructure mimicking the local bone properties of the selected bone volumes of interest, for example, those coming from computed tomography medical images.

Se presentan los resultados de diversos muestreos llevados a cabo sobre parcelas cultivadas de pistachero en diferentes localidades de Castilla – La Mancha, en las provincias de Ciudad Real, Cuenca y Toledo. Se han encontrado un total de 8 especies de Curculionidae, de 5 géneros (Brachyderes, Otiorhynchus, Polydrusus, Sitona y Lixus) correspondientes a 2 subfamilias: ENTIMINAE y LIXINAE. Brachyderes marginellus, B. pubescens, Polydrusus subglaber, Otiorhynchus cribricollis y Lixus acicularis se han observado alimentándose de hojas de P. vera y se citan por primera vez sobre esta planta huésped. Polydrusus subglaber y Otiorhynchus cribricollis devoran intensamente sus hojas, por lo que se propone seguir investigando estas dos especies como importantes defoliadores de pistacho en la región. Se aportan datos biológicos y corológicos para las especies encontradas.

Background: Allergen Immunotherapy (AIT) is an effective treatment of allergic respiratory diseases induced by the inhalation of house dust mite allergens. Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of glutaraldehyde polymerized allergen extracts using a mixture of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, D. farinae and Blomia tropicalis in mite allergic individuals residing in Colombia. Methods: Two hundred and fifty (250) patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis with, or without asthma and sensitized to D. pteronyssinus, D. farinae and B. tropicalis were included. A glutaraldehyde-modified extract containing a mixture of D. pteronyssinus, D. farinae and B. tropicalis was employed, using a cluster up-dosing schedule followed by a monthly maintenance dose. The primary endpoints to evaluate the clinical impact were the Combined Symptom and Medication Scores (CSMS) for allergic rhinitis, the Asthma Control Test (ACT) and the reduction in medication consumption. Results: Significant improvement was found after 3 months of treatment regarding CSMS (p

The chimeric EWSR1::FLI1 transcription factor is the main oncogenic event in Ewing sarcoma. Recently, it has been proposed that EWSR1::FLI1 levels can fluctuate in Ewing sarcoma cells, giving rise to two cell populations. EWSR1::FLI1low cells present a migratory and invasive phenotype, while EWSR1::FLI1high cells are more proliferative. In this work, we described how the CD44 standard isoform (CD44s), a transmembrane protein involved in cell adhesion and migration, is overexpressed in the EWSR1::FLI1low phenotype. The functional characterization of CD44s (proliferation, clonogenicity, migration, and invasion ability) was performed in three doxycycline-inducible Ewing sarcoma cell models (A673, MHH-ES1, and CADO-ES1). As a result, CD44s expression reduced cell proliferation in all the cell lines tested without affecting clonogenicity. Additionally, CD44s increased cell migration in A673 and MHH-ES1, without effects in CADO-ES1. As hyaluronan is the main ligand of CD44s, its effect on migration ability was also assessed, showing that high molecular weight hyaluronic acid (HMW-HA) blocked cell migration while low molecular weight hyaluronic acid (LMW-HA) increased it. Invasion ability was correlated with CD44 expression in A673 and MHH-ES1 cell lines. CD44s, upregulated upon EWSR1::FLI1 knockdown, regulates cell migration and invasion in Ewing sarcoma cells.

It is widely accepted that the tumor microenvironment, particularly the extracellular matrix, plays an essential role in the development of tumors through the interaction with specific protein-membrane receptors. One of the most relevant proteins in this context is the transmembrane protein CD44. The role of CD44 in tumor progression, invasion, and metastasis has been well established in many cancers, although a comprehensive review concerning its role in sarcomas has not been published. CD44 is overexpressed in most sarcomas and several in vitro and in vivo experiments have shown a direct effect on tumor progression, dissemination, and drug resistance. Moreover, CD44 has been revealed as a useful marker for prognostic and diagnostic (CD44v6 isoform) in osteosarcoma. Besides, some innovative treatments such as HA-functionalized liposomes therapy have become an excellent CD44-mediated intracellular delivery system for osteosarcoma. Unfortunately, the reduced number of studies deciphering the prognostic/diagnostic value of CD44 in other sarcoma subgroups, neither than osteosarcoma, in addition to the low number of patients involved in those studies, have produced inconclusive results. In this review, we have gone through the information available on the role of CD44 in the development, maintenance, and progression of sarcomas, analyzing their implications at the prognostic, therapeutic, and mechanistic levels. Moreover, we illustrate how research involving the specific role of CD44 in the different sarcoma subgroups could suppose a chance to advance towards a more innovative perspective for novel therapies and future clinical trials.

This research studied the effect of accelerated carbonation in the physical, mechanical and chemical properties of a non-structural vibro-compacted porous concrete made with natural aggregates and two types of recycled aggregates from construction and demolition waste (CDW). Natural aggregates were replaced by recycled aggregates using a volumetric substitution method and the CO2 capture capacity was also calculated. Two hardening environments were used: a carbonation chamber with 5% CO2 and a normal climatic chamber with atmospheric CO2 concentration. The effect of curing times of 1, 3, 7, 14 and 28 days on concrete properties was also analysed. The accelerated carbonation increased the dry bulk density, decreased the accessible porosity water, improved the compressive strength and decreased the setting time to reach a higher mechanical strength. The maximum CO2 capture ratio was achieved with the use of recycled concrete aggregate (52.52 kg/t). Accelerate carbonation conditions led to an increase in carbon capture of 525% compared to curing under atmospheric conditions. Accelerated carbonation of cement-based products containing recycled aggregates from construction and demolition waste is a promising technology for CO2 capture and utilisation and a way to mitigate the effects of climate change, as well as promote the new circular economy paradigm.

This work demonstrates that, despite the existence of a significant number of works on PLA crystallization, there is still a relatively simple way, different from those already described, in which its complex kinetics can be observed. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) results presented here confirm that the PLLA under study crystallizes mostly in the α and α′ forms. An interesting observation is that at any temperature in the studied range of the patterns, the X-ray reflections stabilize with a given shape and at a given angle, different for each temperature. That means that both α and α′ forms coexist and are stable at the same temperatures so that the shape of each pattern results from both structures. However, the patterns obtained at each temperature are different because the predominance of one crystal form over the other depends on temperature. Thus, a two-component kinetic model is proposed to account for both crystal forms. The method involves the deconvolution of the exothermic DSC peaks using two logistic derivative functions. The existence of the rigid amorphous fraction (RAF) in addition to the two crystal forms increases the complexity of the whole crystallization process. However, the results presented here show that a two-component kinetic model can reproduce the overall crystallization process fairly well over a broad range of temperatures. The method used here for PLLA may be useful for describing the isothermal crystallization processes of other polymers.

The objective of the present study was to explore three types of vibro-compacted precast concrete mixtures replacing fine and coarse gravel with a recycled/mixed concrete aggregate (RCA or MCA). The portlandite phase found in RCA and MCA by XRD is a “potential” CO2 sink. CO2 curing improved the compressive strength in all the mixtures studied. One tonne of the mixtures studied could be decarbonised after only 7 days of curing 13,604, 36,077 and 24,635 m3 of air using natural aggregates, RCA or MCA, respectively. The compressive strength obtained, XRD, TGA/DTA and carbon emission evaluation showed that curing longer than 7 days in CO2 was pointless. The total CO2 emissions by a mixture using CO2 curing at 7 days were 221.26, 204.38 and 210.05 kg CO2 eq/m3 air using natural aggregates, RCA or MCA, respectively. The findings of this study provide a valuable contribution to carbon emission evaluation of CO2 curing in vibro-compacted precast concrete with recycled/mixed concrete aggregates (RCA or MCA). The technology proposed in this research facilitates carbon capture and use and guarantees enhanced compressive strength of the concrete samples.

Abstract The recent tension between local and early measurements of the Hubble constant can be explained in a particle physics context. A mechanism is presented where this tension is alleviated due to the presence of a Majoron, arising from the spontaneous breaking of Lepton Number. The lightness of the active neutrinos is consistently explained. Moreover, this mechanism is shown to be embeddable in the minimal (Lepton) flavour violating context, providing a correct description of fermion masses and mixings, and protecting the flavour sector from large deviations from the Standard Model predictions. A QCD axion is also present to solve the Strong CP problem. The Lepton Number and the Peccei–Quinn symmetries naturally arise in the minimal (Lepton) flavour violating setup and their spontaneous breaking is due to the presence of two extra scalar singlets. The Majoron phenomenology is also studied in detail. Decays of the heavy neutrinos and the invisible Higgs decay provide the strongest constraints in the model parameter space.

Abstract The simplest extension of the SM to account for the observed neutrino masses and mixings is the addition of at least two singlet fermions (or right-handed neutrinos). If their masses lie at or below the GeV scale, such new fermions would be produced in meson decays. Similarly, provided they are sufficiently heavy, their decay channels may involve mesons in the final state. Although the couplings between mesons and heavy neutrinos have been computed previously, significant discrepancies can be found in the literature. The aim of this paper is to clarify such discrepancies and provide consistent expressions for all relevant effective operators involving mesons with masses up to 2 GeV. Moreover, the effective Lagrangians obtained for both the Dirac and Majorana scenarios are made publicly available as FeynRules models so that fully differential event distributions can be easily simulated. As an application of our setup, we numerically compute the expected sensitivity of the DUNE near detector to these heavy neutral leptons.

Valle-Inclán’s Las galas del difunto includes two Celestina-like characters and it is therefore a perfect case to analyze how different Celestina-inspired characters have been created over the centuries by different authors. Basically, the authors select some of Celestina's original features and combine them with common characteristics from their own times, and then adapt the results to the style and intentions of their texts. In Las galas del difunto, Valle-Inclán introduces a Celestina-like crone and adds ingredients from Galician witchcraft folklore. He also includes a Celestina-like owner of a brothel, who displays features from the world of prostitution of the time. The dividing of Celestina in two is facilitated by the esperpento and its proneness to fragment characters for satirical purposes.

The right half of the engraving illustrating act thirteenth of the 1499 Burgos edition of Celestina depicts Calisto, in bed, resting his head on his hand. The image is taken from the depiction of the lovesick Leriano in the illustrated edition of Cárcel de amor (Zaragoza, 1493), which, itself, is taken from an engraving of L'histoire d'Olivier de Castille (Basilea, 1493) showing Olivier pining for Princess Hélène. Noticeably, in the Spanish translation of the adventures of Olivier (Burgos, 1499), a sick Oliveros wears the same clothes as Leriano in Cárcel de amor. From the point of view of the reception of Celestina in its first years, the origin of this engraving depicting a pensive and resting Calisto proves a direct connection with the sentimental novel and the books of chivalry.

We edit here the libretto of the adaptation of La Celestina that, with the title «Celestina», a Tragic Music Comedy, Brad Bond authored and staged in Broadway in 1999. A brief history of the text, since its inception during the university years of Bond, up to its premiere and its later evolution is included. Although his musical adaptation respects the plot and characters of the original, it is more than a mere musical version and it should be considered a member of the celestinesque family on its own. «Celestina», a Tragic Music Comedy is a recreation whose action takes place in today's world, in a coastal city of the US. The dialogues contain many references to modern characters and objects (Sigmund Freud, condoms, barbecues). Also, as demanded by the conventions of Broadway musicals, some characters were introduced, such as a chorus of naughty «Celestina Boys». Besides having access to the text we edit here, the readers can listen to some of the musical numbers connected as hyperlinks to their online recordings. Also, footnotes are added to explain some of the English colloquial expressions and idioms used in the text.

Celestina faithfully portraits an era when the bells of a public clock —private clocks were rare— ruled the by then fast-paced urban life. The clock and its marking of time provide the backdrop to the action, make the development of the plot agile, and reinforce several central themes. The characters' compulsion to know the time and their difficulties in determining it, as well as the disagreement between their perception of the time passing and the inflexible rhythm of the mechanical clock, contribute to the famous existential malaise in Celestina. The clock, which is never seen but is always present, reinforces also the central themes of the fugacity of time, and the importance of grabbing the opportunity when it knocks.

I propose that Rojas or another copyist misread «plethórico corazón» as «plebérico corazón» in the manuscript by Celestina's first author. As well as being based on palaeographic arguments, this proposal relies on Erasistratus' famous diagnostic of Antiochus and on his notoriety for being derided in many Galenic texts for his belief that the plethora —superabundance of fluids— was the cause of most diseases, and for recommending cures that excluded bloodletting. Calisto's words «plethórico corazón» refer to his own enamoured heart. Boasting of his unmatchable pain, he challenges Erasistratus to cure him with the same reme-dies he had applied to Antiochus successfully. Mockingly, Calisto threatens to perform a suicidal bloodletting procedure by stabbing his heart as the legendary Pyramus did.

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Se localiza y se confirma la existencia del holotipo de Plagionotus andreui Fuente 1908, en la colección Fuente. Se realiza un resumen de la historia nomenclatural y taxonómica de la especie hasta el presente.

El presente artículo reflexiona sobre la condición material de la arquitectura, entendiendo la materia como el medio de expresión de las ideas y el elemento capaz de transformarlas en obra construida Se centra en el estudio de la cerámica y la muestra como un componente protector que encuentra en su singular capacidad de adaptación formal, funcional y simbólica, la cualidad que le ha permitido contribuir a la solución de nuevos problemas o a proponer creativas formas de emplearla. A través de algunos procedimientos visionarios llevados a cabo con estos materiales desde finales del siglo XIX, basados en las posibilidades de la tecnología, su utilización inteligente y racional, disponibilidad para el reciclaje y puesta en valor de la tradición, se pretende aportar un análisis que ayude a concebir con la misma fuerza innovadora soluciones sostenibles para dar respuesta a los grandes retos y compromisos globales adquiridos

In this research, the feasibility of using Acanthocardia tuberculata shell waste from the canning industry in the manufacturing of self-compacting mortar (SCM) was tested. The seashells were finely ground to be used as filler instead of the limestone filler normally used in this type of SCM. First, a physicochemical and microstructural characterisation of all raw materials was carried out, including the particle size distribution of both fillers. Subsequently, the self-compactability properties in the fresh state of SCM were evaluated using a total substitution by volume of limestone filler for seashell powder, using different self-compactiblity parameters. The mineralogical phases of all the SCM tested were identified once hardened by means of X-ray diffraction technique, thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis. In addition, the mechanical properties, water absorption capacity, dry bulk density and accessible porosity of water of hardened mortars at 28 days of curing were analysed. The effect of replacing limestone filler by Acanthocardia tuberculata filler resulted in a decrease in compressive strength of 29.43, 16.84 and 2.29%, respectively. The results indicate that it is possible to completely replace natural limestone filler with Acanthocardia tuberculata shell filler without significantly affecting the mechanical properties of SCM.

In spite of its incidence on pistachio trees, the chemical ecology of Labidostomis lusitanica (Germar) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) has been neglected so far. In this work, we provide the first evidence of a biologically active male-specific compound that may be promoting field aggregation. Headspace collections through solid-phase microextraction from feral males and females reported the presence of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine exclusively in males. Electroantennographic recordings revealed that males and females responded in a dose-dependent manner to increasing stimuli of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine, with females overall displaying a higher response than males. In dual-choice tests, both males and females showed a significant preference for the compound in comparison to a pure air stimulus. In light of these results, the possible role of 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine as an aggregation cue in L. lusitanica is discussed.

LIFE CERSUDS is a project carried out over the period 2016-2019 whom the main objective was to improve the ability of cities to adapt to climate change by promoting the use of green infrastructures in the renewal of urban environments. Under the project, an innovative permeable urban pavement (hereinafter, CERSUDS) was designed using ceramic tile stock of low commercial value. This pavement solution was tested in a demonstrator in the town of Benicí ssim. The main objective of the project was to improve the ability of cities to adapt to climate change by promoting the use of green infrastructures in the renewal of urban environments. Under the project, a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) was built as a demonstrator in the town of Benicí ssim, using ceramic tile stock of low commercial value to manufacture an innovative permeable floor (hereinafter, CERSUDS flooring), a subject already dealt with in an earlier presentation at this congress . Once the demonstrator had been built, a monitoring period was run between August 2018 and July 2019, which enabled both the CERSUDS floor and the demonstrator's value as a rainwater management system to be validated. This article presents the design process of the ceramic permeable pavement including the main results of the tests carried in the laboratory and the main results of the project relate to: environmental and economic assessment of the CERSUDS system, user's validation of the system, monitoring of the system's mechanical performance and permeability, and monitoring of the demonstrator's hydraulic response in terms of the quantity and quality of run-off water.

Historical centers are structural elements in contemporary cities which preserve identity and collective memory. Despite being lubricants of social cohesion, intense processes of urban growth, fragmentation, and degradation put these city centers at great risk. Thus, they have been considered priority spaces in public renewal policies affected by inaccurate interventions which must contend with changing and complex realities in the Latin American and Caribbean contexts. This article approaches the main management strategies used in the comprehensive urban rehabilitation of historical centers through critical and comparative analysis of the historic centers of Quito and Old Havana, which are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The study ultimately aims to determine the main successes and failures of the management strategies used and proposes measures to support decision-making processes, optimizing the type of urban intervention employed.

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In view of heightened climate change (CC), adaptation strategies are imperative to diminish the impacts on social and environmental assets. Two approaches are commonly used to formulate adaptation measures, namely bottom-up and top-down, each with inherited limitations. A sound bridge between both approaches is low-regret adaptive measures, which result in win-win scenarios, as they provide solutions to current pressures and contribute to building CC adaptive capacity. Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is a term that includes a series of techniques that enhance groundwater storage for later use or environmental purposes. MAR is often mentioned in the literature as a CC adaptation measure. Nonetheless, few examples explicitly prove this point. We show through the Los Arenales MAR systems (Central Spain) that MAR is a low-regret CC adaptive measure. We evaluate a series of social and environmental challenges that MAR systems contribute to solving, as well as their attributes that diminish the expected impacts of CC in the study area. MAR in the Los Arenales groundwater body has resulted in an overall increase in groundwater levels; a reduction in groundwater pumping energy and costs and CO2 emissions; restoration of a surface water body; improvement in rural population indexes; and enhanced groundwater demand control and CC adaptive capacity through irrigation communities. To cope with CC, the Los Arenales MAR systems can be operated even if decreasing streamflow precludes the use of river water surpluses; they provide surface storage volume to mitigate flooding; and they decrease the impacts of droughts and water scarcity. This research proves that MAR is a water management tool capable of providing solutions to several pressures simultaneously in the present and future, an attribute particularly useful when dealing with adaptation gaps in developing countries, rural areas, or regions lacking long-term climatic data.

Guidelines and regulatory frameworks for conducting managed aquifer recharge (MAR) are scarce worldwide compared to the countries where MAR projects operate. At the same time, guidelines and regulations are crucial to implementing MAR activities safely, respecting human health and the environment, and guaranteeing the sustainability of the intentional recharge. The present study aims to provide a conceptual model comprising the minimum elements to consider when drafting guiding and normative MAR documents. To this end, aspects discussed in nine guidelines were evaluated through a score that allowed their significance to be assessed. The authors also reviewed 22 regulations, guidelines, or MAR site operation rules to construct the monitored and intentional recharge (MIR) conceptual model. This effort was enhanced by active participation in the real drafting of two national regulating documents for MAR. The evaluation of aspects in the documents showed the importance of water reuse and risk and impact assessment. The MIR conceptual model comprises nine blocks that summarize the most important aspects to consider. This conceptual model, which guides MAR regulations in two countries, has great potential for application in different sites under diverse contexts.