Vacuum decay in an interacting multiverse

We examine a new multiverse scenario in which the component universes interact. We focus our attention to the process of "true" vacuum nucleation in the false vacuum within one single element of the multiverse. It is shown that the interactions lead to a collective behaviour that might lead, under specific conditions, to a pre-inflationary phase and ensued distinguishable imprints in the comic microwave background radiation.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figure

Microfinancing for informal enterprises: perspectives in Colombia/ Microfinanciamento para empresas informais: perspectivas na Colômbia

Informal economy is a phenomenon present in all Latin American countries. It causes lower level of productivity and social problems given the fact that informal workers do not have social benefits neither the possibility of having a retirement fund if they keep in the informal market. Reducing the size of the informal sector of the economy is a step that must be taken in order to improve the economic and social situation. One important factor of a policy to reduce the size of informal economy is the access to credit to entrepreneurs. This paper summarizes briefly the situation of informal economy in Bogotá, Colombia and proposes microfinancing as a realistic and inclusive way to include informal enterprises into the formal sector of the economy

Serendipitous discovery of the long-sought AGN in Arp 299-A

Context: The dusty nuclear regions of luminous infra-red galaxies (LIRGs) are heated by either an intense burst of massive star formation, an active galactic nucleus (AGN), or a combination of both. Disentangling the contribution of each of those putative dust-heating agents is a challenging task, and direct imaging of the innermost few pc can only be accomplished at radio wavelengths, using very high-angular resolution observations. Aims: We observed the nucleus A of the interacting starburst galaxy Arp 299, using very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) radio observations at 1.7 and 5.0 GHz. Our aim was to characterize the compact sources in the innermost few pc region of Arp 299-A, as well as to detect recently exploded core-collapse supernovae. Methods: We used the European VLBI Network (EVN) to image the 1.7 and 5.0 GHz compact radio emission of the parsec-scale structure in the nucleus of Arp 299-A with milliarcsecond resolution. Results: Our EVN observations show that one of the compact VLBI sources, A1, previously detected at 5.0 GHz, has a flat spectrum between 1.7 and 5.0 GHz and is the brightest source at both frequencies. Our 1.7 GHz EVN image shows also diffuse, low-surface brightness emission extending westwards from A1 and displays a prominent core-jet structure. Conclusions: The morphology, radio luminosity, spectral index and ratio of radio-to-X-ray emission of the A1-A5 region is consistent with a low-luminosity AGN (LLAGN), and rules out the possibility that it is a chain of young radio supernovae (RSNe) and supernova remnants (SNRs). We therefore conclude that A1-A5 is the long-sought AGN in Arp 299-A. This finding may suggest that both starburst and AGN are frequently associated phenomena in mergers.Comment: Accepted for publication in Letters to Astronomy and Astrophysics on 12 August 2010. 4 pages, 1 figur

Interacting universes and the cosmological constant

In this Letter it is studied the effects that an interaction scheme among universes can have in the values of their cosmological constants. In the case of two interacting universes, the value of the cosmological constant of one of the universes becomes very close to zero at the expense of an increasing value of the cosmological constant of the partner universe. In the more general case of a chain of N interacting universes with periodic boundary conditions, the spectrum of the Hamiltonian splits into a large number of levels, each of them associated with a particular value of the cosmological constant, that can be occupied by single universes revealing a collective behavior that plainly shows that the multiverse is much more than the mere sum of its parts. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.Peer Reviewe

Vacuum decay in an interacting multiverse

8 págs.; 5 figs.; Open Access funded by Creative Commons Atribution Licence 4.0We examine a new multiverse scenario in which the component universes interact. We focus our attention to the process of “true” vacuum nucleation in the false vacuum within one single element of the multiverse. It is shown that the interactions lead to a collective behavior that might lead, under specific conditions, to a pre-inflationary phase and ensued distinguishable imprints in the comic microwave background radiation. ©2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY licenseA. A.-S. was partially supported by the Marsden grant “Topics in mathematical general relativity and theoretical cosmology”admin-istered by the Royal Society of New Zealand. The work of C.B. was supported by the FCT (Portugal) grant SFRH/BPD/62861/2009. S. R.-P. and A.A.-S.were partially supported by the project FIS2012-38816, from the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y CompetitividadPeer Reviewe

An Expert Systems for Homeopatic Glaucoma Treatment (SEHO)

In this article, an Expert System for Homeopathic Glaucoma Treatment (SEHO) is presented, the task of which is to assist ophthalmologists in selecting the most appropriate therapy for a patient diagnosed as having glaucoma. It is based on techniques proper to homeopathic medicine, a trend that is gaining more and more supporters all over the world, but in which real experts are few and far between. After a brief overview of the state of the art, the authors describe in detail on the development of the system, for which the IDEAL methodology, designed for knowledge-based system development, was used

Decoherence in an accelerated universe

In this paper we study the decoherence processes of the semiclassical branches of an accelerated universe due to their interaction with a scalar field with given mass. We use a third quantization formalism to analyze the decoherence between two branches of a parent universe caused by their interaction with the vaccum fluctuations of the space-time, and with other parent unverses in a multiverse scenario.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figure

Tratamiento de fracturas de húmero proximal en hueso osteoporótico mediante fijación con sistema de aumentación

Introducción. Para el tratamiento de fracturas de húmero proximal en pacientes osteoporóticos, se han desarrollado fijaciones con aumentación que mejoran la estabilidad del implante. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar los resultados obtenidos con la técnica empleada. Material y métodos. Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de 7 pacientes con fracturas en 3-4 fragmentos intervenidos mediante placa Philos (Synthes)® de aumentación. Seguimiento medio de 12 meses. Resultados. La puntuación media en la Escala Visual Analógica de dolor fue de 4,4. En la escala Quick Dash de 47,47. En la Escala Constant-Murley de 36,36. La abducción activa media fue de 95º; la flexión anterior media de 105º; la rotación externa media de 44,14º; la rotación interna alcanzó en tres pacientes S1, en dos L5, en uno L2 y en otro T10. En los controles radiográficos se mantuvo la reducción. Nos encontramos con un caso de consolidación parcial. Conclusión. Las técnicas de aumentación disminuyen el riesgo de fallos de fijación manteniendo la reducción.. Introduction. To treat proximal humerus fractures in patients with osteoporosis, the last few years, systems to improve implant stability by augmentation techniques have been developed. The aim of this study is to analyze the results obtained with the surgical technique employed. Materials and methods. Retrospective descriptive study. We selected 7 patients with 3 or 4- part fractures treated operatively with Philos Augmentation plate (Synthes)® fixation technique. Average follow-up was 12 months. Results. Pain measured with a Visual Analogical Scale (VAS) got a average value of 4,4. The mean Quick Dash Score was 47,47. The mean Constat-Murley modified was 36,36. The active articular balances showed a mean abduction of 91º; mean anterior flexion of 105º; mean external rotation of 44,14º; and finally the internal rotation achieved in three patients got to S1, in two patients to L5, in one patient to L2 and in other patient to T10. In X- Ray post-operative controls we can appreciate the reduction maintenance. In one case we observe a partial consolidation of the fracture. Conclusion. Surgical techniques that imply implant augmentation reduces the risk of implant failure and maintains the fracture reduction

INCIDENCIA DE CARDIOPATÍAS DURANTE EL EMBARAZO EN LA PROVINCIA DE VILLA CLARA / Incidence of heart disease during pregnancy in Villa Clara province

ResumenIntroducción y objetivos: Las enfermedades cardiovasculares constituyen la cuarta causa de muerte durante el período gravídico-puerperal, y un indicador de morbilidad y mortalidad para el producto de la concepción. El objetivo de esta investigación fue determinar el comportamiento de la cardiopatía en la embarazada, su atención médica y evolución durante y al final del embarazo. Método: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, prospectivo, donde se analizaron 283 gestantes con diagnóstico de cardiopatía, atendidas en el Hospital Universitario Gineco-Obstétrico "Mariana Grajales" de Santa Clara, Villa Clara, en el período 2008-2010. La información se obtuvo mediante la revisión de las historias clínicas individuales, interrogatorio, examen físico completo, así como pruebas complementarias para establecer o confirmar el diagnóstico. Resultados: Se obtuvo una incidencia de 17,2 cardiopatías por cada mil gestantes y en el 59,7 % de ellas, la cardiopatía era adquirida; el prolapso valvular mitral fue la más frecuente (45 %). De las congénitas, el 36,8 % se trataba de una comunicación interauricular. Se utilizó antibioprofilaxis en el 96,8 % de las embarazadas y en el 96,1 % de ellas se mantuvo un seguimiento médico. El 92,6 % tenía clase funcional I y 4,6 % presentó complicación por su enfermedad. El 77,4 % parió entre las 37 y 42 semanas, y el 82,7 % tuvo parto eutócico. Conclusiones: Las gestantes cardiópatas fueron más frecuentes en edades entre 20 y 29 años, con predominio de las que no habían parido, captación entre las 13 y 24 semanas, y cardiopatías adquiridas. La atención médica que prevaleció fue la antibioprofilaxis y el seguimiento médico con evolución final del embarazo satisfactoria. / AbstractIntroduction and Objectives: Cardiovascular diseases are the fourth leading cause of death during the gravid-puerperal period, and an indicator of morbidity and mortality for the product of conception. The objective of this research was to determine the behavior of heart disease in pregnant women, its medical care and evolution during and after pregnancy. Method: A prospective descriptive study was performed, which analyzed 283 pregnant women diagnosed with heart disease, and treated at the Obstetrics and Gynecology University Hospital "Mariana Grajales" in Santa Clara, Villa Clara, in the period 2008-2010. Information was obtained through review of individual medical records, interview, complete physical examination and laboratory tests to establish or confirm the diagnosis. Results: A heart disease incidence of 17.2 per thousand pregnant women was obtained and in 59.7% of them, the heart disease was acquired, and the mitral valve prolapse was the most frequent (45%). Of the congenital diseases, 36.8% was an atrial septal defect. Antibiotic prophylaxis was used in 96.8% of pregnant women and in 96.1% of them a medical monitoring was kept. 92.6% had functional class I and 4.6% presented disease-related complications. 77.4% gave birth between 37 and 42 weeks, and 82.7% had vaginal delivery. Conclusions: Pregnant women with heart disease were more common in ages 20 to 29 years, predominantly in those who had not given birth, whose pregnancies had been detected between 13 and 24 weeks, and with acquired heart diseases. The prevailing medical care was antibiotic prophylaxis and medical monitoring with satisfactory final outcome of pregnancy

Semantic Reference Model in Medical Time Series

The analysis of time series databases is very important in the area of medicine. Most of the approaches that address this problem are based on numerical algorithms that calculate distances, clusters, index trees, etc. However, a domain-dependent analyis sometimes needs to be conducted to search for the symblic rather than numerical characteristics of the time series. This paper focuses on our work on the discovery of reference models in time series of isokinetics data and a technique that transforms the numerical time series into symblic series. We briefly describe the algorithm used to create reference models for population groups an its application in the real world. Then, we describe a method based on extracting semantic information from a numerical series. This symbolic information helps users to effciently analyze and compare time series in the same or similar way as a domain expert would