Vortex solitons of the discrete Ginzburg-Landau Equation

We have found several families of vortex soliton solutions in two-dimensional discrete dissipative systems governed by the cubic-quintic complex Ginzburg-Landau equation. There are symmetric and asymmetric solutions, and some of them have simultaneously two different topological charges. Their regions of existence and stability are determined. Additionally, we have analyzed the relation- ship between dissipation and stability for a number of solutions. We have obtained that dissipation favours the stability of the solutions.Comment: 7 pages, 11 figure

A review of deep learning applications for the next generation of cognitive networks

Intelligence capabilities will be the cornerstone in the development of next-generation cognitive networks. These capabilities allow them to observe network conditions, learn from them, and then, using prior knowledge gained, respond to its operating environment to optimize network performance. This study aims to offer an overview of the current state of the art related to the use of deep learning in applications for intelligent cognitive networks that can serve as a reference for future initiatives in this field. For this, a systematic literature review was carried out in three databases, and eligible articles were selected that focused on using deep learning to solve challenges presented by current cognitive networks. As a result, 14 articles were analyzed. The results showed that applying algorithms based on deep learning to optimize cognitive data networks has been approached from different perspectives in recent years and in an experimental way to test its technological feasibility. In addition, its implications for solving fundamental challenges in current wireless networks are discussed

Effect of surface roughness and sterilization on bacterial adherence to ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene

AbstractSterilization with ethylene oxide (EO) and gas plasma (GP) are well-known methods applied to ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) surfaces in the belief that they prevent major material changes caused by gamma irradiation. However, the influence of these surface sterilization methods on bacterial adherence to UHMWPE is unknown. UHMWPE samples with various degrees of roughness (0.3, 0.8 and 2.0 µm) were sterilized with either GP or EO. The variations in hydrophobicity, surface free energy and surface functional groups were investigated before and after sterilization. Sterilized samples were incubated with either Staphylococcus aureus or Staphylococcus epidermidis in order to study bacterial adherence to these materials. Fewer bacteria adhered to UHMWPE after sterilization with EO than after sterilization with GP, especially to the smoothest surfaces. No changes in chemical composition of the UHMWPE surface due to sterilization were observed using X-ray photoemission spectroscopy analysis. The decreased bacterial adherence to UHMWPE found at the smoothest surfaces after sterilization with EO was not directly related to changes in chemical composition. Increased bacterial adherence to rougher surfaces was associated with increased polar surface energy of EO-sterilized surfaces

Estudio preliminar de la ingesta de nutrientes de niños deportistas de Sierra Nevada

A study was conducted of the diet of a child Alpine ski competition team (Monachil Club, Sierra Nevada). The children,aged between 7-12 years old, were divided into two groups. One of which were residents at a ski resort and the other,residents from different cities, who practised skiing at the same resort at weekends only.A 24-hour recall questionnaire was carried out, from which the following data was collected: The mean energy valuefrom diet intake was determined at 3,218 ± 819 Kcal/day (ski resort group) and 2,485 ± 600 Kcal/day (city group). Nosignificant differences between the groups was observed (p≥0.3). The distribution of energy from energetic nutrients wascorrect for the ski resort group, both at the weekend and during the week; the city group had an excessive intake oflipids (43%) and proteins (17%), and the energy from carbohydrates did not reach 55%. A modification in the diet andintake of energy and nutrients was observed when the children moved from their family home to the ski resortSe ha realizado un estudio de la dieta del equipo de competición infantil en esquí alpino (Club Monachil, SierraNevada). Son niños con edades entre 7-12 años. Se consideran dos grupos, los residentes en la estación de esquí ylos de ciudad que esquían en fin de semana.Se han realizado encuestas de recuerdo 24 horas. El valor medio de energía, es 3218 Kcal/dia ± 819 (grupo de lasierra) y 2485 Kcal/dia ± 600 (grupo de ciudad), no existen diferencias significativas entre grupos (p≥0,3). Ladistribución de energía a partir de los nutrientes energéticos es correcta para los niños deportistas de la sierra, tantoen el fin de semana como entre semana; los niños deportistas de ciudad tienen un consumo excesivo de lípidos (43%)y prótidos (17%), el aporte de energía de carbohidratos no llega al 55%. Se observa una modificación de la dietay del consumo de energía y nutrientes cuando los niños pasan del hogar familiar a la practica del deporte

Gene Therapy Corrects Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells and Fibroblasts from Coq9R239X Mice

This study has been submitted to the patent's offices at the "University of Granada" and "Fundación Progreso y Salud". Please note that the results of this manuscript have been submitted to patent protection (application number P201630630; title: “Uses of Coenzyme Q biosynthetic proteins”; date:05/16/2016).Recent clinical trials have shown that in vivo and ex vivo gene therapy strategies can be an option for the treatment of several neurological disorders. Both strategies require efficient and safe vectors to 1) deliver the therapeutic gene directly into the CNS or 2) to genetically modify stem cells that will be used as Trojan horses for the systemic delivery of the therapeutic protein. A group of target diseases for these therapeutic strategies are mitochondrial encephalopathies due to mutations in nuclear DNA genes. In this study, we have developed a lentiviral vector (CCoq9WP) able to overexpress Coq9 mRNA and COQ9 protein in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) from Coq9R239X mice, an animal model of mitochondrial encephalopathy due to primary Coenzyme Q (CoQ) deficiency. Ectopic over-expression of Coq9 in both cell types restored the CoQ biosynthetic pathway and mitochondrial function, improving the fitness of the transduced cells. These results show the potential of the CCoq9WP lentiviral vector as a tool for gene therapy to treat mitochondrial encephalopathies.This work was supported by grants from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (Spain) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) from the European Union, to LCL through the research grants SAF2013-47761-R and SAF2015-65786-R; by Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias ISCIII (Spain) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) from the European Union through the research grants PI12/01097 and ISCIII Red de Terapia Celular TerCel RD12/0019/0006 to FM; by the Consejería de Economía, Innovación, Ciencia y Empleo, Junta de Andalucía-FEDER/Fondo de Cohesion Europeo (FSE) de Andalucía through the research grants P10-CTS-6133 to LCL; P09-CTS-04532, PI-57069, PI-0001/2009 and PAIDI-Bio-326 to F.M.; PI-0160/2012 to KB and PI-0407/2012 to MC; by the NIH through the research P01HD080642 to LCL and by the foundation “todos somos raros, todos somos únicos” to LCL. LCL is supported by the ‘Ramón y Cajal’ National Programme, Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Spain (RYC-2011-07643)

The SuperCam Instrument Suite on the Mars 2020 Rover: Science Objectives and Mast-Unit Description

On the NASA 2020 rover mission to Jezero crater, the remote determination of the texture, mineralogy and chemistry of rocks is essential to quickly and thoroughly characterize an area and to optimize the selection of samples for return to Earth. As part of the Perseverance payload, SuperCam is a suite of five techniques that provide critical and complementary observations via Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), Time-Resolved Raman and Luminescence (TRR/L), visible and near-infrared spectroscopy (VISIR), high-resolution color imaging (RMI), and acoustic recording (MIC). SuperCam operates at remote distances, primarily 2-7 m, while providing data at sub-mm to mm scales. We report on SuperCam's science objectives in the context of the Mars 2020 mission goals and ways the different techniques can address these questions. The instrument is made up of three separate subsystems: the Mast Unit is designed and built in France; the Body Unit is provided by the United States; the calibration target holder is contributed by Spain, and the targets themselves by the entire science team. This publication focuses on the design, development, and tests of the Mast Unit; companion papers describe the other units. The goal of this work is to provide an understanding of the technical choices made, the constraints that were imposed, and ultimately the validated performance of the flight model as it leaves Earth, and it will serve as the foundation for Mars operations and future processing of the data.In France was provided by the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Human resources were provided in part by the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and universities. Funding was provided in the US by NASA's Mars Exploration Program. Some funding of data analyses at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) was provided by laboratory-directed research and development funds

Search for Relativistic Magnetic Monopoles with Eight Years of IceCube Data

We present an all-sky 90% confidence level upper limit on the cosmic flux of relativistic magnetic monopoles using 2886 days of IceCube data. The analysis was optimized for monopole speeds between 0.750c and 0.995c, without any explicit restriction on the monopole mass. We constrain the flux of relativistic cosmic magnetic monopoles to a level below 2.0×10$^{-19}$ cm$^{-2}$  s$^{-1}$ sr$^{-1}$ over the majority of the targeted speed range. This result constitutes the most strict upper limit to date for magnetic monopoles with β≳0.8 and up to β∼0.995 and fills the gap between existing limits on the cosmic flux of nonrelativistic and ultrarelativistic magnetic monopoles

Improved Characterization of the Astrophysical Muon–neutrino Flux with 9.5 Years of IceCube Data

We present a measurement of the high-energy astrophysical muon–neutrino flux with the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. The measurement uses a high-purity selection of 650k neutrino-induced muon tracks from the northern celestial hemisphere, corresponding to 9.5 yr of experimental data. With respect to previous publications, the measurement is improved by the increased size of the event sample and the extended model testing beyond simple power-law hypotheses. An updated treatment of systematic uncertainties and atmospheric background fluxes has been implemented based on recent models. The best-fit single power-law parameterization for the astrophysical energy spectrum results in a normalization of ${\phi }_{@100\mathrm{TeV}}^{{\nu }_{\mu }+{\bar{\nu }}_{\mu }}={1.44}_{-0.26}^{+0.25}\times {10}^{-18}\,{\mathrm{GeV}}^{-1}{\mathrm{cm}}^{-2}{{\rm{s}}}^{-1}{\mathrm{sr}}^{-1}$ and a spectral index ${\gamma }_{\mathrm{SPL}}={2.37}_{-0.09}^{+0.09}$, constrained in the energy range from 15 TeV to 5 PeV. The model tests include a single power law with a spectral cutoff at high energies, a log-parabola model, several source-class-specific flux predictions from the literature, and a model-independent spectral unfolding. The data are consistent with a single power-law hypothesis, however, spectra with softening above one PeV are statistically more favorable at a two-sigma level