Si elegans: a computational model of C. elegans muscle response to light

It has long been the goal of computational neuroscientists to understand animal nervous systems, but their vast complexity has made it very difficult to fully understand even basic functions such as movement. The C. elegans nematode offers the opportunity to study a fully described connectome and link neural network to behaviour. In this paper a model of the responses of the body wall muscle in C. elegans to a random light stimulus is presented. An algorithm has been developed that tracks synapses in the nematode nervous system from the stimulus in the phototaxis sensory neurons to the muscles cells. A linear second order model was used to calculate the isometric force in each of the C. elegans body wall muscle cells. The isometric force calculated resembles that of previous investigations in muscle modelling

Tarsal intersegmental reflex responses in the locust hind leg

Locomotion is vital for vertebrates and invertebrates to survive. However, the mechanisms for locomotion are partially unknown. Central Pattern Generators and reflex systems have been shown to be the basis of most movements performed by arthropods. Much has been investigated lately on Central Pattern Generators, but little work has been done in reflex systems. Locomotion and motor output in feet (or tarsus in arthropods) has also been disregarded in research. Despite that feet are responsible for stability and agility in most animals, research on feet movements is scarce.In this thesis the tarsal intersegmental reflex of the locust hind leg is investigated. The tarsal reflex consists of a response in the tarsus when there is a change in the femoro-tibial joint. The main objective of the thesis is to describe the system and to develop mathematical and experimental methods to study, model and analyse it. Through a set of experiments is shown that as the knee joint is extended, the tarsus is depressed, and as the knee joint flexes, the tarsus levates. The experiments demonstrated that there is a purely neuronal link between the femoro-tibial joint position and the tibio-tarsal joint position. Moreover, it also reveals the effect of neuromodulatory compounds, such as dopamine, serotonin or octopamine. The tarsal reflex responses are fairly consistent across individuals, although significant variability across animals was found.To model a system where variability is an issue, a mathematical model with strong generalisation abilities is used: Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). To design the ANNs, a metaheuristic algorithm has been implemented. The resulting ANNs are shown to be as accurate as other mathematical models used in physiology when used in a well known reflex system, the FETi responses. This results showed that ANNs are as good as Wiener methods in predicting responses and they outperform them in prediction of Gaussian inputs. Furthermore, they are able to predict responses in different animals, independently of the variability, with a more limited performance.New experimental methods are also designed to obtain accurate recordings of tarsal movements in response to knee joint changes. These experimental methods facilitate the data acquisition and its accuracy, reducing measurement errors. Using the mathematical methods validated, these responses are modelled and studied, showing responses to Gaussian and sinusoidal inputs, variability across individuals and effects of neuromodulators.With the tarsal reflex described and modelled, it can be used as a tool for further research in disciplines such as medicine, in the diagnose and treatment of euromuscular dysfunction or design of prosthesis and orthoses. This model can also be implemented in robotics to aid in stability when walking on irregular terrain

Inclusió de metodologies actives a l'aula de 2n d'ESO

A causa de la falta d'interès i motivació detectat en l'alumnat de 2n de l'ESO mentre es cursaven les pràctiques del màster de secundària especialitat en tecnologia, s'arriba a la conclusió que un canvi en la metodologia a aplicar dins de l'aula, podria ser positiu per donar un nou aire i fer créixer aquest interès per aprendre amb una dinàmica positiva i motivadora. Per raons com aquestes, es desenvoluparà un estudi comparatiu per valorar si l'aplicació de noves metodologies en el desenvolupament de les classes augmenta la motivació i interès pels continguts de tecnologia a 2n de l'ESO. Es realitzarà un grup d'estudi i un grup de control a dues classes de 2n de l'ESO. A una de les classes s'adaptarà la unitat didàctica, a partir d'ara UD, i s'aplicaran les noves metodologies i a l'altra no es duran a terme canvis del que es feia anteriorment. Durant el procés s'obtindran les dades d'ambdós cursos de l'ESO per tal de poder extreure conclusions. En cas que el resultat sigui satisfactori aquests tipus de metodologies podran reutilitzar-se en futures ocasions per aquest curs i matèria

The gender equality inside the laboral work

El trabajo tiene por finalidad el analizar la legislación relativa a la igualdad de género dentro del mercado laboral. Para ello es necesario realizar una aproximación a la evolución histórica del derecho relativo a la materia, tanto en la Unión Europea como centrándonos en el caso español. En el trabajo abordaremos tanto el derecho originario como las directivas de la Unión Europea y las leyes españolas sobre la materia. Además, nos centraremos en el desarrollo de la jurisprudencia del Tribunal de Justicia de La Unión Europea que ha ido evolucionando con el tiempo adecuándose a las circunstancias. Por último, estudiaremos la desigualdad salarial entre hombres y mujeres en España, más comúnmente llamada brecha salarial, que nos mostrará que, aunque hemos avanzado mucho en la materia en los últimos años, aún estamos muy lejos de alcanzar la igualdad real.The work aims to analyze legislation concerning gender equality inside the laboral world. For this is necesary make a historical aproximation of the law about the matter. So we see the spanish and the Europe law. In the work we try the original and derivate law of the europe union and the spanish law. Also we focus in the jurisprudence evolution of the europe tribunal. Finally we study the wage inequality between womens and mens in Spain, and this show that we advanced in the last years but pityfully the goal is very far yet.Máster Universitario en Acceso a la Profesión de Abogado (M155

Growth and nutritional condition of anchovy larvae on the west and southeast coasts of South Africa

Cape anchovy Engraulis encrasicolus is an ecologically and economically important pelagic fish species occurring along the coast of South Africa. A recent eastward shift in Cape anchovy distribution indicates that environmental conditions are becoming more favorable for the species on the east coast. This shift is particularly important in the sheltered Algoa Bay region, a nursery area for fish larvae. However, the relatively low productivity of the Agulhas Current Large Marine Ecosystem on the eastern coast of South Africa may result in an anchovy population in poorer nutritional condition and with slower growth rates than the west coast population. Using otolith and nucleic acid analyses, the growth rates of anchovy larvae from the western and southeastern coasts of South Africa were compared. The otolith analysis results indicated that, at any given age, individual growth rates for anchovy larvae were higher on the southeast coast than on the west coast. The RNA:DNA values also indicated that instantaneous growth rates of anchovy larvae were higher in Algoa Bay than on the west coast. At the time of sampling, chlorophyll and zooplankton productivity were higher at sampling sites in Algoa Bay than sites on the west coast, potentially due to favorable oceanographic features in the bay. As such, the results suggest that Algoa Bay is a suitable and potentially favorable nursery area for the early stages of anchovy, highlighting the importance of separate management of the southeast coast region in a changing world

Aplicaciones de la inteligencia artificial en la industria publicitaria

El objetivo de este trabajo de investigación será conocer cómo está comenzando a aplicarse la inteligencia artificial en el mundo del marketing y la comunicación publicitaria. Sobre todo, para la compra y venta de emplazamientos publicitarios en el sector digital a través de una automatización del proceso, comúnmente conocido como publicidad programática. También se analizarán otro tipo de aplicaciones de la inteligencia artificial como es el análisis de datos para la segmentación y creación de audiencias afines a una marca determinada o la forma en la que la inteligencia artificial está cambiando incluso el proceso creativo. Durante este trabajo de análisis también se estudiarán los diferentes actores que están surgiendo a partir de la aplicación de la inteligencia artificial en el mundo publicitario, ya que la industria está experimentando una transformación en la que comienzan a aparecer nuevos perfiles profesionales muy ligados al campo tecnológico.Departamento de Historia Moderna, Contemporánea y de América, Periodismo y Comunicación Audiovisual y PublicidadGrado en Publicidad y Relaciones Pública

Emulation of chemical stimulus triggered head movement in the C. elegans nematode

For a considerable time, it has been the goal of computational neuroscientists to understand biological nervous systems. However, the vast complexity of such systems has made it very difficult to fully understand even basic functions such as movement. Because of its small neuron count, the C. elegans nematode offers the opportunity to study a fully described connectome and attempt to link neural network activity to behaviour. In this paper a simulation of the neural network in C. elegans that responds to chemical stimulus is presented and a consequent realistic head movement demonstrated. An evolutionary algorithm (EA) has been utilised to search for estimates of the values of the synaptic conductances and also to determine whether each synapse is excitatory or inhibitory in nature. The chemotaxis neural network was designed and implemented, using the parameterization obtained with the EA, on the Si elegans platform a state-of-the-art hardware emulation platform specially designed to emulate the C. elegans nematode