Higher-order symmetry energy and neutron star core-crust transition with Gogny forces

We study the symmetry energy and the core-crust transition in neutron stars using the finite-range Gogny nuclear interaction and examine the deduced crustal thickness and crustal moment of inertia. We start by analyzing the second-, fourth- and sixth-order coefficients of the Taylor expansion of the energy per particle in powers of the isospin asymmetry for Gogny forces. These coefficients provide information about the departure of the symmetry energy from the widely used parabolic law. The neutron star core-crust transition is evaluated by looking at the onset of thermodynamical instability of the liquid core. The calculation is performed with the exact (i.e., without Taylor expansion) Gogny EoS for the core, and also with its Taylor expansion in order to assess the influence of isospin expansions on locating the inner edge of neutron star crusts. It is found that the properties of the core-crust transition derived from the exact EoS differ from the predictions of the Taylor expansion even when the expansion is carried through sixth order in the isospin asymmetry. Gogny forces, using the exact EoS, predict the ranges $0.094 \text{ fm}^{-3} \lesssim \rho_t \lesssim 0.118\text{ fm}^{-3}$ for the transition density and $0.339 \text{ MeV fm}^{-3} \lesssim P_t \lesssim 0.665 \text{ MeV fm}^{-3}$ for the transition pressure. The transition densities show an anticorrelation with the slope parameter $L$ of the symmetry energy. The transition pressures are not found to correlate with $L$. Neutron stars obtained with Gogny forces have maximum masses below $1.74M_\odot$ and relatively small moments of inertia. The crustal mass and moment of inertia are evaluated and comparisons are made with the constraints from observed glitches in pulsars.Comment: 24 pages, 15 figures, discussions and bibliography updated, to appear in Physical Review

The Diptera of Panama. I. Annotated catalog of the Tipulomorpha of Panama

There are 214 species of the suborder Tipulomorpha (Diptera) known from Panama. Of these, 162 species were described by the noted American entomologist, Charles Paul Alexander, from Panama during the period from 1912 through 1979. Panama hosts two of the four families found within the Tipulomorpha: Limoniidae (197 species) and Tipulidae (17 species). We have records of only three species from multiple provinces (n = 2) within Panama and 211 species from just one province. The vast majority of the latter are known from a single location within their respective provinces. There are 142 endemic species (66.4%) included in Panama’s Tipulomorpha fauna, with the remainder being found elsewhere in South America (48 species), Central America (44), Mexico (23 species), the Caribbean (14 species), and the United States (4 species). Whereas, this taxonomic group has benefited from collecting in the Canal Zone and the popular western highlands in Chiriqui Province, we know little or nothing of the distribution of species within the country, their natural history, or their relationship to water quality. Existen 214 especies del suborden Tipulomorpha (Diptera) conocidas de Panamá. Charles Paul Alexander describió 162 especies durante el período comprendido entre 1912 y 1979. Panamá alberga dos de las cuatro familias encontradas dentro de Tipulomorpha: Limoniidae (197 especies) y Tipulidae (17 especies). Tenemos registros de solo tres especies de múltiples provincias (n = 2) dentro de Panamá y 211 especies de una sola provincia. La gran mayoría de estos últimos son conocidos desde un solo lugar con sus respectivas provincias. Hay 142 especies endémicas (66.4%) incluidas en la fauna de Tipulomorpha de Panamá, y el resto se encuentra en Sudamérica (48 especies), otras partes de América Central (44), México (23 especies), el Caribe (14 especies) y Estados Unidos (4 especies). Considerando que, este grupo taxonómico se ha beneficiado de la recolección en la Zona del Canal y las tierras altas occidentales populares en la provincia de Chiriquí, sabemos poco o nada de la distribución de las especies dentro del país, su historia natural, o su relación con la calidad del agua

The Trichoptera of Panama XIII. Further new country records for caddisflies (Insecta: Trichoptera) from the Republic of Panama

The Republic of Panama currently includes 414 recorded species of Trichoptera. Herein we add two new genera (Hydroptilidae: Angrisanoia Ozdikmen, 2008 and Mayatrichia Mosely, 1937) and 17 new country records (Philopotamidae: Chimarra (C.) tapanti Blahnik, Wormaldia bolivari Muñoz-Quesada and Holzenthal, and Wormaldia zunigae Muñoz-Quesada and Holzenthal; Hydropsychidae: Centromacronema pygmaeum Botosaneanu; Hydroptilidae: Brysopteryx esparta Harris and Holzenthal, Byrsopteryx solisi Harris and Holzenthal, Costatrichia falsa Santos, Takiya, and Nessimian, Mayatrichia illobia Harris and Holzenthal, Metrichia amplitudinis Bueno-Soria and Holzenthal, Ochrotrichia boquillas Moulton and Harris, O. conformalis Bueno-Soria and Holzenthal, O. quinealensis Bueno-Soria and Holzenthal, and O. unica Bueno-Soria and Santiago; Leptoceridae: Triaenodes morai Holzenthal and Andersen; Odontoceridae: Marilia kingsolveri Bueno-Soria and Rojas-Ascencio; and, Helicopsychidae: Helicopsyche alajuela Johanson and Holzenthal and Helicopsyche breviterga Flint) to Panama’s caddisfly fauna. The newly recorded taxa increase Panama’s total known caddisfly fauna to 431 species, distributed among 15 families and 55 genera. These results are part of an ongoing effort to characterize the caddisfly fauna of Panama, and to evaluate the aquatic insect diversity of the country’s major watersheds (cuencas). La República de Panamá actualmente incluye 414 especies registradas de Trichoptera. Aquí agregamos dos nuevos géneros (Hydroptilidae: Angrisanoia Ozdikmen, 2008 y Mayatrichia Mosely, 1937) y 17 nuevos registros para el país (Philopotamidae: Chimarra (C.) tapanti Blahnik, Wormaldia bolivari Muñoz-Quesada y Holzenthal, y Wormaldia zunigae Muñoz-Quesada y Holzenthal; Hydropsychidae: Centromacronema pygmaeum Botosaneanu; Hydroptilidae: Brysopteryx esparta Harris y Holzenthal, Byrsopteryx solisi Harris y Holzenthal, Costatrichia falsa Santos, Takiya, y Nessimian, Mayatrichia illobia Harris y Holzenthal, Metrichia amplitudinis Bueno-Soria y Holzenthal, Ochrotrichia boquillas Moulton y Harris, Ochrotrichia conformalis Bueno-Soria y Holzenthal, Ochrotrichia quinealensis Bueno-Soria y Holzenthal, y Ochrotrichia unica Bueno-Soria y Santiago; Leptoceridae: Triaenodes morai Holzenthal y Andersen; Odontoceridae: Marilia kingsolveri Bueno-Soria y Rojas- Ascencio; y, Helicopsychidae: Helicopsyche alajuela Johanson y Holzenthal y Helicopsyche breviterga Flint) a la fauna de Trichoptera de Panamá. Los taxones recien reportados aumentan el total de la fauna de Trichoptera de Panamá a 431 especies, distribuidas en 15 familias y 55 géneros. Estos resultados son parte de un esfuerzo continuo para caracterizar la fauna de Trichoptera y para evaluar la diversidad de insectos acuáticos de las principales cuencas hidrográficas (cuencas) de Panamá

Expanding Engineering and Technology Opportunities to Students in the Border Region Through International Collaboration

Expanding Engineering and Technology Opportunities to Students in the Border Region through International Collaboration For some years now, our Department of Engineering Technology of the XXXX, has collaborated with Universities across the southern border to carry out different activities such as undergraduate research, collaborative course-based projects, and senior design projects. We have observed how students benefit from being exposed to work in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams. We now expand this form of work to a higher-level research collaboration where students and faculty from four different institutions participate. Two institutions of higher education in Mexico and a University and a Community College in the United States. The collaboration carries out an innovative project that requires the integration of different specialties. The project consists of an intelligent clothing storage and retrieval system that involves artificial intelligence, and design of a sophisticated electromechanical system that optimizes storage and retrieval and adapts to the needs of people with visual disabilities. The collaborative effort includes the active participation of the faculty, supported by a team of undergraduate students. An important part of the project includes a master\u27s student from Mexico visiting the XXXX for three months to collaborate in the project. Fortunately, The University of XXX System and CONACYT, Mexico’s entity in charge of promoting scientific and technological development, have established an initiative to support bi-national academic research and collaboration through the ConTex program. This is an opportunity to apply for the funding needed to take the project to successful completion. This type of work represents a challenge in international collaboration and the text discusses not only the benefits but also the way to face these challenges. The pedagogical issues in managing this type of multidisciplinary and multicultural research-oriented technological project are presented in the paper. A thorough literature survey on international collaborative projects of a similar nature will be included in the paper

Applying the COM-B model to creation of an IT-enabled health coaching and resource linkage program for low-income Latina moms with recent gestational diabetes: the STAR MAMA program.

BACKGROUND:One of the fastest growing risk groups for early onset of diabetes is women with a recent pregnancy complicated by gestational diabetes, and for this group, Latinas are the largest at-risk group in the USA. Although evidence-based interventions, such as the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), which focuses on low-cost changes in eating, physical activity and weight management can lower diabetes risk and delay onset, these programs have yet to be tailored to postpartum Latina women. This study aims to tailor a IT-enabled health communication program to promote DPP-concordant behavior change among postpartum Latina women with recent gestational diabetes. The COM-B model (incorporating Capability, Opportunity, and Motivational behavioral barriers and enablers) and the Behavior Change Wheel (BCW) framework, convey a theoretically based approach for intervention development. We combined a health literacy-tailored health IT tool for reaching ethnic minority patients with diabetes with a BCW-based approach to develop a health coaching intervention targeted to postpartum Latina women with recent gestational diabetes. Current evidence, four focus groups (n = 22 participants), and input from a Regional Consortium of health care providers, diabetes experts, and health literacy practitioners informed the intervention development. Thematic analysis of focus group data used the COM-B model to determine content. Relevant cultural, theoretical, and technological components that underpin the design and development of the intervention were selected using the BCW framework. RESULTS:STAR MAMA delivers DPP content in Spanish and English using health communication strategies to: (1) validate the emotions and experiences postpartum women struggle with; (2) encourage integration of prevention strategies into family life through mothers becoming intergenerational custodians of health; and (3) increase social and material supports through referral to social networks, health coaches, and community resources. Feasibility, acceptability, and health-related outcomes (weight loss, physical activity, consumption of healthy foods, breastfeeding, and glucose screening) will be evaluated at 9 months postpartum using a randomized controlled trial design. CONCLUSIONS:STAR MAMA provides a DPP-based intervention that integrates theory-based design steps. Through systematic use of behavioral theory to inform intervention development, STAR MAMA may represent a strategy to develop health IT intervention tools to meet the needs of diverse populations. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02240420

Smart Environments for Assisted Living: A Multidisciplinary Collaboration in Engineering and Architecture Education

This paper presents a description of a collaborative project based on the integration of technology development in the built environment for assisted living. The multidisciplinary collaboration is developed as a cooperative commitment to provide support for cross-border, collective projects. It was initiated as a project-based learning setting between undergraduate engineering students, and four years later the program shifted to include undergraduate architecture students and engineering master’s students. The learning experience opens the gate to a completely new collaborative setting, yet to be established, independent from its predecessor setting of project-based learning, focusing now towards an interdisciplinarity setting in cross-border collaboration. The new collaborative projects focus on smart environments for assisted living, with an emphasis on technology development and retrofitting of the built environment. The four participating programs are from three different leaders higher education institutions, from both sides of the US and Mexico border. Smart Environments (SmE), design, and technology applications are relevant topics across multiple and diverse disciplines and areas of contemporary life. Different kinds of SmE in the domain of smart homes have been developed in academia and industry. For healthcare and assisted living development highlights include monitoring the behavior, emergency detection, cognitive and physical information, emotional information, etc., to offer a variety of useful services, solutions or benefits to patients, disabled and the elderly. This is relevant because it has been suggested as a viable solution to maintain independence, functionality, well-being and higher quality of life of elders who will increase in number worldwide by approximately 20% by 2050. However, incorporating physical and digital technologies (technologies 4.0) into building retrofitting is a feature of scalability and configurability for a future generation of smart applications. This paper summarizes the current applications of multidisciplinary collaboration in the Computer Systems Engineering, Architectural, and Engineering Technology fields. It describes a work in progress as a key element in international, multidisciplinary research in undergraduate education, with the aim of sharing challenges, lessons learned, and future work

Harnessing Supervised Learning for Adaptive Beamforming in Multibeam Satellite Systems

In today's ever-connected world, the demand for fast and widespread connectivity is insatiable, making multibeam satellite systems an indispensable pillar of modern telecommunications infrastructure. However, the evolving communication landscape necessitates a high degree of adaptability. This adaptability is particularly crucial for beamforming, as it enables the adjustment of peak throughput and beamwidth to meet fluctuating traffic demands by varying the beamwidth, side lobe level (SLL), and effective isotropic radiated power (EIRP). This paper introduces an innovative approach rooted in supervised learning to efficiently derive the requisite beamforming matrix, aligning it with system requirements. Significantly reducing computation time, this method is uniquely tailored for real-time adaptation, enhancing the agility and responsiveness of satellite multibeam systems. Exploiting the power of supervised learning, this research enables multibeam satellites to respond quickly and intelligently to changing communication needs, ultimately ensuring uninterrupted and optimized connectivity in a dynamic world.Comment: under review for conferenc

SHORE EROSION BETWEEN ARBOLETES AND PUNTA SAN BERNARDO, CARIBBEAN COAST OF COLOMBIA

  Las morfología actual y el inventario de cambios de la línea de costa (1938-2005) del litoral Arboletes-Punta San Ber­nardo evidencian su carácter fuertemente erosional, caracterizado a lo largo de su mayor longitud (160 de 180km) por la desaparición/retroceso de numerosas playas y la erosión/inundación consecuente de las terrazas litorales y/o pantanos de manglar adyacentes. En términos generales, el litoral Arboletes-Punta San Bernardo retrocedió entre 30 y 100m durante las siete últimas décadas, a tasas entre 0.5 y 1.5 m/año, superadas en varios sectores críticos (Arboletes-Punta Brava) en los cuales las magnitudes de la erosión fueron del orden de los 900-1.500m a velocidades de 70 m/año durante 1960-1975. La erosión litoral en la zona resulta tanto de procesos marinos como subaéreos, y de la combinación de factores geológicos (neotectonismo/diapirismo de lodos, pocos aportes arenosos, ascenso relativo del nivel del mar, características geotécnicas pobres de las rocas) y antrópicos -minería intensiva de arenas de playas y ríos, usos diversos sin manejo de aguas lluvias y residuales, efectos de es polones y obras de defensa. La defnición precisa de estos factores es necesaria para planifcar el desarrollo litoral considerando aspectos como el ascenso futuro del nivel del mar asociado al Cambio Climático Global.   Palabras clave: Colombia, Costa Caribe, erosión de playas, erosión de acantilados, espolones.          The present morphology and the inventory of the historical shoreline changes (1938-2005) between Arboletes and Punta San Bernardo evidenced a strong erosional trend along 160 of its 180km total-length, resulting in the disparition/retreat of numerous beaches, followed by the consequent fooding/erosion of the adjacent littoral terraces and mangrove swamps. In general terms, the littoral Arboletes-Punta San Bernardo retreated 30 to 100m during the last seven decades, at rates between 0.5 and 1.5 m/year; maximum values were found at some critical sectors in the Arboletes-Punta Brava shore segment where magnitudes of coastline retreat were in the order of 900-1.500m at erosion rates up to 70 m/year during the period 1960-1975. Shore erosion in the study area results both from marine and subaerial processes and the combina-tion of geological factors (neotectonism and effects of mud diapirism, minor stocks of sands, relative sea level rise, poor geotechnical characteristics of cliff´s rocks) and human interventions (intensive sand mining from beaches and rivers, land uses with inadequate water management practices, adverse effects of groins and other rigid structures of defense). The precise defnition of each one of these factors is necessary for planning the development of the area considering the future sea level rise associated to the Global Climate Change.   Key words: Colombia, Caribbean Coast, beach erosion, cliff erosion, groins &nbsp

EROSIÓN LITORAL ENTRE ARBOLETES Y PUNTA SAN BERNARDO, COSTA CARIBE COLOMBIANA

    The present morphology and the inventory of the historical shoreline changes (1938-2005) between Arboletes and Punta San Bernardo evidenced a strong erosional trend along 160 of its 180km total-length, resulting in the disparition/retreat of numerous beaches, followed by the consequent fooding/erosion of the adjacent littoral terraces and mangrove swamps. In general terms, the littoral Arboletes-Punta San Bernardo retreated 30 to 100m during the last seven decades, at rates between 0.5 and 1.5 m/year; maximum values were found at some critical sectors in the Arboletes-Punta Brava shore segment where magnitudes of coastline retreat were in the order of 900-1.500m at erosion rates up to 70 m/year during the period 1960-1975. Shore erosion in the study area results both from marine and subaerial processes and the combina-tion of geological factors (neotectonism and effects of mud diapirism, minor stocks of sands, relative sea level rise, poor geotechnical characteristics of cliff´s rocks) and human interventions (intensive sand mining from beaches and rivers, land uses with inadequate water management practices, adverse effects of groins and other rigid structures of defense). The precise defnition of each one of these factors is necessary for planning the development of the area considering the future sea level rise associated to the Global Climate Change.   Key words: Colombia, Caribbean Coast, beach erosion, cliff erosion, groins    Las morfología actual y el inventario de cambios de la línea de costa (1938-2005) del litoral Arboletes-Punta San Ber­nardo evidencian su carácter fuertemente erosional, caracterizado a lo largo de su mayor longitud (160 de 180km) por la desaparición/retroceso de numerosas playas y la erosión/inundación consecuente de las terrazas litorales y/o pantanos de manglar adyacentes. En términos generales, el litoral Arboletes-Punta San Bernardo retrocedió entre 30 y 100m durante las siete últimas décadas, a tasas entre 0.5 y 1.5 m/año, superadas en varios sectores críticos (Arboletes-Punta Brava) en los cuales las magnitudes de la erosión fueron del orden de los 900-1.500m a velocidades de 70 m/año durante 1960-1975. La erosión litoral en la zona resulta tanto de procesos marinos como subaéreos, y de la combinación de factores geológicos (neotectonismo/diapirismo de lodos, pocos aportes arenosos, ascenso relativo del nivel del mar, características geotécnicas pobres de las rocas) y antrópicos -minería intensiva de arenas de playas y ríos, usos diversos sin manejo de aguas lluvias y residuales, efectos de es polones y obras de defensa. La defnición precisa de estos factores es necesaria para planifcar el desarrollo litoral considerando aspectos como el ascenso futuro del nivel del mar asociado al Cambio Climático Global.   Palabras clave: Colombia, Costa Caribe, erosión de playas, erosión de acantilados, espolones.     &nbsp