Devaney chaos and distributional chaos in the solution of certain partial differential equations

The notion of distributional chaos has been recently added to the study of the linear dynamics of operators and C0-semigroups of operators. We will study this notion of chaos for some examples of C0-semigroups that are already known to be Devaney chaotic. © 2012 Xavier Barrachina and J. Alberto Conejero.This work is supported in part by MEC and FEDER, Project MTM2010-14909, by Generalitat Valenciana, Project GV/2010/091, and by Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Project PAID-06-09-2932. X. Barrachina also wants to acknowledge the support of the Grant FPI-UPV 2009-04 from Programa de Ayudas de Investigacion y Desarrollo de la Universitat Politecnica de Valencia. The authors also thank the referees for helpful comments that improved the presentation of the paper.Barrachina Civera, X.; Conejero Casares, JA. (2012). Devaney chaos and distributional chaos in the solution of certain partial differential equations. Abstract and Applied Analysis. 2012:1-11. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/457019S111201

[S]-linear and convex structures in function families

In this paper, the notion of [S]-lineability (originally coined by Vladimir I. Gurariy) is introduced and developed in a general abstract setting. This new notion is, then, applied to specific situations, as for instance, classes of differentiable nowhere monotone functions as well as families of vectors having dense orbit with respect to an operator. Large convex structures are also shown to exist inside the family of topologically mixing continuous selfmaps of a real compact interval.Plan Andaluz de Investigación de la Junta de AndalucíaMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO). EspañaGeneralitat Valencian

A binding event converted into a folding event

AbstractWe have designed a chimeric protein by connecting a circular permutant of the α-spectrin SH3 domain to the proline-rich decapeptide APSYSPPPPP with a three-residue link. Our aim was to obtain a single-chain protein with a tertiary fold that would mimic the binding between SH3 domains and proline-rich peptides. A comparison of the circular-dichroism and fluorescence spectra of the purified chimera and the SH3 circular permutant showed that the proline-rich sequence occupies the putative SH3 binding site in a similar conformation and with comparable interactions to those found in complexes between SH3 and proline-rich peptides. Differential scanning calorimetry indicated that the interactions in the binding motif interface are highly cooperative with the rest of the structure and thus the protein unfolds in a two-state process. The chimera is more stable than the circular permutant SH3 by 6–8 kJ mol−1 at 25°C and the difference in their unfolding enthalpy is approximately 32 kJ mol−1, which coincides with the values found for the binding of proline-rich peptides to SH3 domains. This type of chimeric protein may be useful in designing SH3 peptide ligands with improved affinity and specificity

A tree-based model for setting optimal train fare zones

Given a railway line with n stops and the number of travelers between each pair of stops, we show how to split these stops into k different fare zones in order to maximize the benefit obtained from the sale of tickets to the travelers. We present a method to obtain this solution that is based on finding the longest path in a weighted root tree. This method improves in terms of efficiency the combinatorial method, where all the possible distributions have to be considered for deciding which is the optimal one.The authors would like to thank RENFE for his collaboration and providing us several tables of data of the flow of passengers of the commuter trains of the Valencia region. J. Alberto Conejero is supported by MEC Project MTM2013-47093-P and Esther Sanabria-Codesal is supported by MEC Project MTM2012-33073.Conejero Casares, JA.; Jordan Lluch, C.; Sanabria Codesal, E. (2014). A tree-based model for setting optimal train fare zones. Mathematical Problems in Engineering. 2014:1-11. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/384321S111201

Acceptance of reservations for a rent-a-car company

Airlines schedules can been modeled by using time-space networks. One of the core problems of the management of rent-a-car companies is to automate the process of the acceptance of vehicles reservations from the clients. We propose a model to deal with this problem. Our solution is based on the admissibility of flows on these networks. The right choice of the edges of the network and which are their maximum and minimum constraints constitute the base of our work.Conejero Casares, JA.; Jordan Lluch, C.; Sanabria Codesal, E. (2012). Acceptance of reservations for a rent-a-car company. International Journal of Complex Systems in Science. 2(1):27-32. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/43956S27322

The high-resolution NMR structure of the R21A Spc-SH3:P41 complex: Understanding the determinants of binding affinity by comparison with Abl-SH3

BACKGROUND: SH3 domains are small protein modules of 60–85 amino acids that bind to short proline-rich sequences with moderate-to-low affinity and specificity. Interactions with SH3 domains play a crucial role in regulation of many cellular processes (some are related to cancer and AIDS) and have thus been interesting targets in drug design. The decapeptide APSYSPPPPP (p41) binds with relatively high affinity to the SH3 domain of the Abl tyrosine kinase (Abl-SH3), while it has a 100 times lower affinity for the α-spectrin SH3 domain (Spc-SH3). RESULTS: Here we present the high-resolution structure of the complex between the R21A mutant of Spc-SH3 and p41 derived from NMR data. Thermodynamic parameters of binding of p41 to both WT and R21A Spc-SH3 were measured by a combination of isothermal titration and differential scanning calorimetry. Mutation of arginine 21 to alanine in Spc-SH3 increases 3- to 4-fold the binding affinity for p41 due to elimination at the binding-site interface of the steric clash produced by the longer arginine side chain. Amide hydrogen-deuterium experiments on the free and p41-bound R21A Spc-SH3 domain indicate that binding elicits a strong reduction in the conformational flexibility of the domain. Despite the great differences in the thermodynamic magnitudes of binding, the structure of the R21A Spc-SH3:P41 complex is remarkably similar to that of the Abl-SH3:P41 complex, with only few differences in protein-ligand contacts at the specificity pocket. Using empirical methods for the prediction of binding energetics based on solvent-accessible surface area calculations, the differences in experimental energetics of binding between the two complexes could not be properly explained only on the basis of the structural differences observed between the complexes. We suggest that the experimental differences in binding energetics can be at least partially ascribed to the absence in the R21A Spc-SH3:P41 complex of several buried water molecules, which have been proposed previously to contribute largely to the highly negative enthalpy and entropy of binding in the Abl-SH3:P41 complex. CONCLUSION: Based on a deep structural and thermodynamic analysis of a low and high affinity complex of two different SH3 domains with the same ligand p41, we underline the importance of taking into account in any effective strategy of rational design of ligands, factors different from the direct protein-ligand interactions, such as the mediation of interactions by water molecules or the existence of cooperative conformational effects induced by binding

An iterative algorithm for the management of an electric car rental service

The management of a car-rental service becomes more complex as long as one-way bookings between different depots are accepted. These bookings can increase the operational costs due to the necessity of moving vehicles from one depot to another by the company staff in order to attend previously accepted bookings. We present an iterative model based on flows on networks for the acceptance of bookings by a car-rental service that permits one-way reservations. Our model lets us also recover the movement of the fleet of vehicles between the depots over the time. In addition, it also permits including restrictions on the amount of cars managed at every single depot. These results can be of interest for an electric car-rental service that operates at different depots within a city or region.J. Alberto Conejerois is supported by MEC Project MTM2013-47093-P. The authors thank Victor Fernandez and Raul Urbano from the Mobincity Project for their helpful discussions on the topic. Esther Sanabria-Codesal is supported by MEC Project MTM2012-33073.Conejero Casares, JA.; Jordan Lluch, C.; Sanabria Codesal, E. (2014). An iterative algorithm for the management of an electric car rental service. Journal of Applied Mathematics. 2014. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/483734S201

A freshmen mentoring program at the Universitat Politècnica de València

Purpose: We quantify the dedication of mentors and mentees in a double-mentor program for freshmen. We also analyze the fulfillment of the expectations of all the participants and the utility of each mentor during the meetings. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire addressed to the participants was designed and took to all of them. Findings: We see that the mentees are highly satisfied with the mentoring program. Despite of mentors want mentees to participate more intensively in the program, mentees consider that their participation in the program is sufficient. Student and teacher mentors agree that freshmen could take more profit of the program. We also observe that the student mentor is slightly more implicated in the program than the teacher mentor. Research limitations/implications: Our results depend on the opinion of the mentors and the mentees. It would be fruitful to know the opinion of the freshmen who are not enrolled in the program. Practical implications: Our research confirms the validity of the system. We hope that our conclusions will be fruitful for other institutions that would like to implement a double-mentor program for freshmen. Originality/value: Many mentoring programs have been designed basing on a big brother/sister system. We analyze the development of a double-mentor program. The last law concerning university students, approved in Spain in 2011, indicates that mentoring programs should be designed in the frame of every degree, and they should be conducted by teachers and by technical staff. With our formula, both approaches are combined. © Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management, 2011.Barrachina Civera, X.; Conejero Casares, JA.; García Félix, VE. (2011). A freshmen mentoring program at the Universitat Politècnica de València. Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management. 4(1):146-162. doi:10.3926/jiem.2011.v4n1.p146-162S1461624

La entrada en la Universidad: un reto para la orientación académica

[EN] Improve transition from secondary education to university has always been a challenge in academic guidance. Freshmen face a new personal, social, and academic context. Universities play a fundamental role in the insertion process of students coming from high school and vocational education into the university studies. During last years, a number of resources have been invested by the universities in order to develop actions that facilitate a wide range of information to prospective students. In this work we present the transition project of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), focused in two moments: pre-university guidance and first year of college. The core goals of the project are to facilitate the transition of students to college, raising informational and practical actions about the studies offered by the university in order to help future students in their decisionmaking process, and to set different ways of support through tutoring that promote the adaptation to the university environment and the development of their students. The institutional project of transition from secondary education to college studies of the UPV is coordinated by the Communication Area and the Institute of Educational Sciences (ICE-UPV) of this university. This is an open project that permits adaptations attending to the necessities reported by the school counselors, prospective and university students, and tutors.[ES] La transición de los estudios de secundaria a la Universidad ha sido y es un reto para la orientación. El estudiante se enfrenta a un contexto nuevo, tanto en el ámbito personal como en los ámbitos social y académico. Las universidades tienen un papel relevante en todo el proceso de inserción de los estudiantes de bachillerato y de ciclos formativos en los estudios universitarios. En los últimos años han sido numerosos los recursos invertidos por las universidades con el fin de desarrollar acciones encaminadas a facilitar una información amplia y clara a los futuros alumnos. En este trabajo se presenta el proyecto de transición de la Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), atendiendo a dos momentos: orientación preuniversitaria y primer año en la universidad. Los objetivos primordiales del proyecto son facilitar la transición de los estudiantes a la universidad, planteando acciones informativas y prácticas sobre los estudios ofertados para ayudar al futuro alumno en su toma de decisiones; y establecer distintas vías de apoyo a través de la tutoría que favorezcan la adaptación del estudiante al entorno universitario y su desarrollo integral. El proyecto institucional de transición de educación secundaria a la universidad de la UPV está coordinado por el Área de Comunicación y el Instituto de Ciencias de la Educación (ICE-UPV) de esta universidad. Éste es un proyecto vivo y abierto que permite adaptaciones según las necesidades que se plantean por parte de los orientadores, tutores y de alumnos preuniversitarios y universitarios.García Félix, VE.; Conejero Casares, JA.; Diez Ruano, JL. (2014). La entrada en la Universidad: un reto para la orientación académica. REDU. Revista de Docencia Universitaria. 12(2):255-280. https://doi.org/10.4995/redu.2014.5650S25528012

Modelos de la teoría de grafos aplicados a problemas de competiciones de programación

[EN] The subject of Algorithms for Problem Solving of the degree of Computer Science Bachelor’s Degree of the ETSINF is geared towards the solution of programming challenges that are usually taken from programming competitions, such as the Southwestern Europe Regional Contest (SWERC), where students from the ETSINF have been regularly participating for the last years. The solution of such a problem is obtained by building a suitable mode for it, finding the optimal solution via this model, and being able of programming it without bugs in a short period of time. The skill on the solution of these problems is very much taken into account in recruiting processes of big technological companies such as Google, Apple, Yahoo, Microsoft or Facebook. We show a collaboration between two subjects of this degree: Algorithms for Problem Solving (CP) and Graphs, models, and applications (GMA). This collaboration was proposed by students who had taken both subjects simultaneously. The goals consist on redirect part of the contents of GMA to the analysis of models that usually appear in this type of problems, and to facilitate that students can face this challenges. The methodology consists on raising several problems from the point of view of both subjects. The first impressions concerning the innovation are positive[ES] La asignatura Competicion de Programacion del Grado de Ingeniera Informatica esta orientada a la resolucion de desafos de programacion quese suelen proponer en competiciones como la Southwestern Europe RegionalContest (SWERC), en la que alumnos de la ETSINF llevan participandoasiduamente durante los ultimos a~nos. Para obtener la solucion deun problema de este tipo se necesita hacer una modelizacion adecuada delmismo, as como hallar una solucion optima por medio del modelo y sercapaz de programarla sin errores en un corto espacio de tiempo. La habilidaden la resolucion de dichos problemas se tiene muy en cuenta en losprocesos de seleccion de personal de grandes compa~nas tecnologicas comoGoogle, Apple, Yahoo, Microsoft o Facebook.Mostramos una colaboracion entre dos optativas de este grado: Competicion de Programacion (CP) y Grafos, Modelos y Aplicaciones (GMA).Esta colaboracion fue propuesta por alumnos que cursaban ambas asignaturassimultaneamente. Los objetivos consisten en reorientar parte de loscontenidos de GMA al analisis de modelos que suelen aparecer con frecuenciaen problemas de competiciones de programacion, facilitando aslos estudiantes para estos afrontar estos desafos. La metodologa consisteen plantear varios problemas desde la optica de ambas asignaturas. Lasprimeras valoraciones de la innovacion son positivas.Proyecto financiado por la Universitat Polit`ecnica de Val`encia. PIME-B08Jordan Lluch, C.; Gómez Adrian, JA.; Calvo Lance, M.; Conejero Casares, JA. (2016). Modelos de la teoría de grafos aplicados a problemas de competiciones de programación. En In-Red 2016. II Congreso nacional de innovación educativa y docencia en red. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/INRED2016.2016.4327OC