Control motion design and its implantation for a single site minimally invasive surgery camera

En el presente trabajo se describe el diseño e implantación de un sistema de control de movimientos de una cámara intra-abdominal para cirugía mínimamente invasiva de puerto único. La cámara se encuentra integrada en un mini-robot, el cual se introduce en la cavidad abdominal a través de una incisión realizada por los cirujanos. Para llevar a cabo el mencionado control de movimientos será necesario la integración de diversos elementos hardware: microcontroladores de la marca Arduino y la shield EasyVR para el reconocimiento del habla, entre otros, que junto a sus correspondientes software de control y servomotores permitirán obtener el fin deseado. Los programas generados incluyen el control de los motores y dos interfaces distintas, dependiendo de si se quiere utilizar comandos de voz o el teclado de un ordenador. Además, el sistema fruto de este trabajo se debe integrar en la plataforma robótica que dispone de una arquitectura basada en entorno ROS en la que trabaja el grupo de Robótica Médica del departamento de Ingeniería de Sistemas y Automática, para así poder comunicarse con el resto de sistemas con los que ya cuentan. Tanto el hardware necesario como el software desarrollado se describen a lo largo de esta memoria, explicando y justificando cada decisión tomada, para finalmente terminar con una serie de experimentos que validan el funcionamiento del mini-robot

Urban logistics solutions in Latin America a study of a modern commercially dense neighborhood in the City of Quito-Ecuador

Population in Latin America has been increasing its growth rate through the years. As the cities expand and people move to urban areas, businesses have to struggle with major logistics challenges and rely heavily on timely and effective deliveries of resources in order to cope with consumer demand. The city of Quito, in Ecuador, is currently facing the logistic challenges mentioned above. To address these logistical challenges, concepts and techniques of urban logistics are proposed and developed in the literature. The objective of this paper is to understand the loading and unloading logistic activities in one of the most commercially dense neighborhoods in the city of Quito called “La Mariscal”. An optimization model was used to determine the number of loading & unloading bays, and their optimal location, that should be implemented with the goal of enabling transportation companies to transport and deliver resources in a more efficient and effective way. This investigation is part of a bigger urban logistics project in Quito that is currently being led by Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), with the support of the MIT Megacity Logistics Lab (MIT MLL). This project aims to propose solutions to major urban logistics challenges using the Urban Logistics Atlas methodology developed by MIT MLL. As the following paper shows, with urban logistics solutions, simulation and optimization models, it is possible to make cities in Latin America become more mobile, sustainable and above all, livable.La población en América Latina ha ido aumentando su tasa de crecimiento a lo largo de los años. A medida que las ciudades crecen y las personas se trasladan a zonas urbanas, las diferentes empresas y negocios tienen que luchar con importantes retos logísticos y dependen en gran medida de la entrega oportuna y eficaz de los recursos para poder cumplir con la demanda de los consumidores. La ciudad de Quito, en Ecuador, actualmente está enfrentando los retos logísticos mencionados anteriormente. Para poder tratar y reducir estos retos logísticos, conceptos y técnicas de logística urbana son propuestos y desarrollados en la literatura. El objetivo de este estudio es entender las actividades logísticas de carga y descarga en uno de los barrios comercialmente más densos en la ciudad de Quito llamado "La Mariscal". Un modelo de optimización fue utilizado para determinar el número de bahías de carga y descarga, y su ubicación óptima, que deberían implementarse con el objetivo de permitir a las empresas de transporte movilizar y entregar los recursos de manera más eficiente y efectiva. Esta investigación es parte de un proyecto de logística urbana más grande que se desarrolla en la ciudad de Quito, y que actualmente está dirigido por la Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), con el apoyo del Laboratorio de Logística de Mega Ciudades del MIT (MIT MLL). Este estudio tiene como objetivo proponer soluciones a los principales retos de la logística urbana mediante la metodología del Atlas de Logística Urbana desarrollada por el MIT MLL. Como lo muestra el siguiente estudio, con soluciones de logística urbana, modelos de simulación y optimización, es posible hacer que las ciudades en América Latina mejoren su movilidad, se vuelvan más sustentables, y, sobre todo, se vuelvan más habitables

VERTICAL JUMP CHARACTERISTICS AND LOWER LIMBS MUSCULAR CONTRIBUTION IN CHILEAN VOLLEYBALL PLAYERS DURING THE COUNTER MOVEMENT JUMP (CMJ).

The purpose of this study was to determine and to compare characteristics of the lower limb extension musculature in Chilean indoor and beach volleyball players and the muscular contribution during the CMJ. The sample was composed by 13 subjects belonging to the Chilean elite beach and indoor volleyball. The subjects performed 3 CMJ jumps for average determination of the height of the jump, eccentric force development rate (TDFE), concentric force development rate (TDFC), power and lower limbs muscular contribution, evaluated using force platform and wireless electromyography (EMG). The results demonstrated a significant relationship between the height of the jump-TDFC and power-TDFC and Medial vasti muscle has obtained the most significant contribution during the CMJ in volleyball players

Antibody trapping: a novel mechanism of parasite immune evasion by the trematode Echinostoma caproni

Background: Helminth infections are among the most prevalent neglected tropical diseases, causing an enormous impact in global health and the socioeconomic growth of developing countries. In this context, the study of helminth biology, with emphasis on host-parasite interactions, appears as a promising approach for developing new tools to prevent and control these infections. Methods/Principal findings: The role that antibody responses have on helminth infections is still not well understood. To go in depth into this issue, work on the intestinal helminth Echinostoma caproni (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) has been undertaken. Adult parasites were recovered from infected mice and cultured in vitro. Double indirect immunofluoresce nce at increasing culture times was done to show that in vivo-bound surface antibodies become trapped within a layer of excretory/secretory products that covers the parasite. Entrapped antibodies are then degraded by parasite-derived proteases, since protease inhibitors prevent for antibody loss in culture. Electron microscopy and immunogold-labelling of secreted proteins provide evidence that this mechanism is consistent with tegument dynamics and ultrastructure, hence it is feasible to occur in vivo. Secretory vesicles discharge their content to the outside and released products are deposited over the parasite surface enabling antibody trapping. Conclusion/Significance: At the site of infection, both parasite secretion and antibody binding occur simultaneously and constantly. The continuous entrapment of bound antibodies with newly secreted products may serve to minimize the deleterious effects of the antibody-mediated attack. This mechanism of immune evasion may aid to understand the limited effect that antibody responses have in helminth infections, and may contribute to the basis for vaccine development against these highly prevalent diseases

Definitive host influences the proteomic profile of excretory/secretory products of the trematode Echinostoma caproni

Detailed gel images of the differential spots identified by mass spectrometry and database search. Magnification of the 2D gel-areas corresponding to the 19 differentially expressed spots identified by mass spectrometry and database search. Detailed images for each of the 6 replicates analyzed (3 corresponding to the ESPs of E. caproni adults obtained from rats, and 3 from those isolated from mice) are shown. Spot numbers refer to gel image in Fig. 2. (PPTX 4834 kb

Interleukin-25 induces resistance against intestinal trematodes

Echinostoma caproni is an intestinal trematode that has been extensively used as an experimental model to investigate the factors determining the resistance to intestinal helminths or the development of chronic infections. ICR mice are permissive hosts for E. caproni in which chronic infections are developed, concomitantly with local Th1 responses, elevated levels of local IFN-γ, inflammation and antibody responses. However, mice develop partial resistance to homologous challenge infections after cure of a primary infection, which converts this subject into an adequate model for the study of the mechanisms generating resistance against intestinal helminths. The purpose of the present study was to compare the immune response induced in primary and secondary infections to elucidate the factors determining the different outcome of the infection in each type of infection. The results obtained indicate that susceptibility is determined by the lack of IL-25 expression in response to primary infection. In contrast, infection in an environment with elevated levels of IL-25, as occurs in challenge infection, results in a Th2 phenotype impairing parasite survival. This was confirmed by treatment of naïve mice with exogenous IL-25 and subsequent infection. Changes induced in goblet cell populations and mucin glycosylation could be implicated in resistance to infection

Generalidades del EPI 2020 y análisis de los indicadores del Objetivo de Salud Ambiental para el caso de Colombia

This article presents some generalities about the Environmental Performance Index (EPI)2020 proposed by Yale and Columbia Universities. Likewise, an analysis of each of the environmentalindicators that make up one of the categories that make up one of the objectives of this indicator,concerning Environmental Health for the Colombian contextEl presente artículo expone algunas generalidades sobre el Indicador de Desempeño Ambiental- EPI 2020 (Environmental Performance Index, por sus siglas en inglés) propuesto por las Universidadesde Yale y Columbia. Asimismo, se presenta un análisis de cada uno de los indicadores ambientales quehacen parte de las categorías que conforman uno de los objetivos de dicho indicador, concerniente aSalud Ambiental para el contexto colombian

Communication improvements for intelligent systems in microgrids - Part I & II

This paper proposes the best architecture for intelligent microgrid applications based on latency, QoS, bandwidth and capital cost, to improve control and operation. In addition, the fundamentals of communications and control strategies for intelligent microgrids and electric vehicles are described. The results show that communication technology affects the performance of control applications and the smartness of the grid, which causes poor quality of service.CONACYT – Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologí

Propuesta de enseñanza con enfoque cts para la enseñanza de compuestos carbonílicos abordando una situación didáctica contextualizada y el uso de tpl con estudiantes de educación media del colegio cultura popular ied

The following document exposes the results obtained after the application of a teaching proposal with a science-technology-society approach aimed at eleventh grade middle school students between the ages of 16 and 18 of the Popular Culture College, located in the town of Puente Aranda, Bogotá. The above with the objective of generating appropriation of the students in the subject of carbonyl compounds (aldehydes, ketones and carbohydrates), addressing a contextualized didactic situation, which corresponded to the case of food consumption. This task was developed using the methodology of practical laboratory work, in order to characterize the conceptual, procedural and attitudinal levels in the group.    El siguiente documento expone los resultados obtenidos tras la aplicación de una propuesta de enseñanza con enfoque cts dirigida a estudiantes de educación media de grado undécimo de edades entre los 16 a 18 años del Colegio Cultura Popular, ubicado en la localidad de Puente Aranda, Bogotá. Lo anterior se realizó con el objetivo de generar apropiación en la temática de compuestos carbonílicos (aldehídos, cetonas y carbohidratos), abordando una situación didáctica contextualizada, la cual correspondió al caso de consumo de alimentos. Dicha tarea se desarrolló utilizando la metodología de los trabajos prácticos de laboratorio (tpl), con el fin de caracterizar los niveles conceptuales, procedimentales y actitudinales en el grupo.   &nbsp

Seismicity during the recent activity (2009–2020) of Turrialba volcano, Costa Rica

Turrialba is a stratovolcano located at the easternmost part of the Costa Rican volcanic front. After remaining quiescent for more than a century, in 1996 it started to show signs of unrest, until a first phreatomagmatic explosion occurred on January, 2010. Since then, the activity evolved from phreatic to magmatic, in a series of distinct eruptive phases. In this paper, we investigate the seismic records that span the whole eruptive process (2010-present), in order to identify precursory signals and characterize the volcanic evolution. A long-term analysis was carried out based on the continuous records, as well as seismic catalogs (volcano-tectonic seismicity, harmonic tremor, etc.). In addition, the gradual character of the evolution of this eruption allowed for the analysis of independent precursory stages. Thus, we inspected in detail the most important of those periods, particularly, prior to the first 2010 phreatomagmatic eruption, and prior to the 2016 transition to an open vent system. Temporary tremor amplitude decreases were found to precede most of the eruptive phases. In total, 9 pre-eruptive tremor abatement periods were identified spanning several days (5-44), which often concurred with a decrease in the SO2 flux. The analysis of the volcano-tectonic seismicity highlights the migration of magma from a deep (6-10 km) reservoir beneath the neighboring Irazú volcano towards Turrialba volcano, especially between the years 2015 and 2016. This activity peaked on December 2016 when a Mw 5.5 earthquake took place between both volcanoes. Harmonic tremor episodes thrived in the later phase when the system finally opened (2017-2018). In the short-term, compounded tonal seismic signals were identified as precursor events, such as long-period events followed by harmonic tremor or by a multichromatic coda similar to tornillo-type events. The co-occurrence of tremor amplitude decreases and tonal seismic signals is interpreted to be caused by a sealing of the hydrothermal system, which blocked the circulation of fluids and permitted the resonances in the inner cavities. This process leaded to pressure accumulation and the consequent eruptions. Thus, trough a series of cycles of sealing and rupture the system of conduits gradually opened. The seismic characterization of this eruption constitutes insightful knowledge useful for monitoring and risk assessment purposes.Universidad de Costa Rica, Vicerrectoría de Investigación, Proyecto de investigación Red en Sismología Computacional para el Estudio de los Volcanes Activos en Costa Rica.Universidad de Costa Rica, Vicerrectoría de Investigación, Proyecto de investigación Implementación de un sistema de monitoreo automático en tiempo real para los volcanes activos de Costa RicaUniversidad Autónoma Nacional de Costa Rica, Proyecto de investigación Vigilancia de los volcanes de Costa Rica por medio de su actividad sísmicaCentro Nacional de Alta Tecnología//CeNAT/Costa RicaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Ciencias Básicas::Facultad de Ciencias::Escuela Centroamericana de Geologí