Hamiltonian Dynamics of Linearly Polarized Gowdy Models Coupled to Massless Scalar Fields

The purpose of this paper is to analyze in detail the Hamiltonian formulation for the compact Gowdy models coupled to massless scalar fields as a necessary first step towards their quantization. We will pay special attention to the coupling of matter and those features that arise for the three-handle and three-sphere topologies that are not present in the well studied three torus case -in particular the polar constraints that come from the regularity conditions on the metric. As a byproduct of our analysis we will get an alternative understanding, within the Hamiltonian framework, of the appearance of initial and final singularities for these models.Comment: Final version to appear in Classical and Quantum Gravit

Heterogeneous multi-robot system for mapping environmental variables of greenhouses

The productivity of greenhouses highly depends on the environmental conditions of crops, such as temperature and humidity. The control and monitoring might need large sensor networks, and as a consequence, mobile sensory systems might be a more suitable solution. This paper describes the application of a heterogeneous robot team to monitor environmental variables of greenhouses. The multi-robot system includes both ground and aerial vehicles, looking to provide flexibility and improve performance. The multi-robot sensory system measures the temperature, humidity, luminosity and carbon dioxide concentration in the ground and at different heights. Nevertheless, these measurements can be complemented with other ones (e.g., the concentration of various gases or images of crops) without a considerable effort. Additionally, this work addresses some relevant challenges of multi-robot sensory systems, such as the mission planning and task allocation, the guidance, navigation and control of robots in greenhouses and the coordination among ground and aerial vehicles. This work has an eminently practical approach, and therefore, the system has been extensively tested both in simulations and field experiments.The research leading to these results has received funding from the RoboCity2030-III-CM project (Robótica aplicada a la mejora de la calidad de vida de los ciudadanos. fase III; S2013/MIT-2748), funded by Programas de Actividades I+ D en la Comunidad de Madrid and co-funded by Structural Funds of the EU, and from the DPI2014-56985-Rproject (Protección robotizada de infraestructuras críticas) funded by the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad of Gobierno de España. This work is framed on the SAVIER (Situational Awareness Virtual EnviRonment) Project, which is both supported and funded by Airbus Defence & Space. The experiments were performed in an educational greenhouse of the E.T.S.I.Agrónomos of Technical University of Madrid.Peer Reviewe

A review on multi-robot systems: current challenges for operators and new developments of interfaces

[ES] Los sistemas multi-robot están experimentando un gran desarrollo en los últimos tiempos, ya que mejoran el rendimiento de las misiones actuales y permiten realizar nuevos tipos de misiones. Este artículo analiza el estado del arte de los sistemas multi-robot, abordando un conjunto de temas relevantes: misiones, flotas, operadores, interacción humano-sistema e interfaces. La revisión se centra en los retos relacionados con factores humanos como la carga de trabajo o la conciencia de la situación, así como en las propuestas de interfaces adaptativas e inmersivas para solucionarlos.[EN] Multi-robot systems are experiencing great development in recent times, since they are improving the performance of current missions and allowing new types of missions. This article analyzes the state of the art of multi-robot systems, addressing a set of relevant topics: missions, fleets, operators, human-system interaction and interfaces. The review focuses on the challenges related to human factors such as workload and situational awareness, as well as the proposals of adaptive and immersive interfaces to solve them.Esta investigación ha recibido fondos de los proyectos SAVIER (Situational Awareness VIrtual EnviRonment) de Airbus; RoboCity2030-DIH-CM, Madrid Robotics Digital Innovation Hub, S2018/ NMT-4331, financiado por los Programas de Actividades I+D de la Comunidad de Madrid y confinanciado por los Fondos Estructurales de la UE; y DPI2014-56985-R (Protección Robotizada de Infraestructuras Críticas) financiado por el ministerio de Economía y Competitividad del Gobierno de España.Roldan-Gómez, JJ.; De León Rivas, J.; Garcia-Aunon, P.; Barrientos, A. (2020). Una revisión de los sistemas multi-robot: desafíos actuales para los operadores y nuevos desarrollos de interfaces. 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Low skeletal muscle mass assessed directly from the 3rd cervical vertebra can predict pharyngocutaneous fistula risk after total laryngectomy in the male population

Altres ajuts: Acord transformatiu CRUE-CSICAltres ajuts: Open Access Funding provided by Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona. European Regional Development Fund (A Way to Build Europe).Purpose: Skeletal muscle mass (SMM) loss and sarcopenia have been identified as risk factors for postoperative complications. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) formation after total laryngectomy (TL) and SMM assessed from a computed tomography image of the 3rd cervical vertebra (C3). Methods: Retrospective study of 86 male patients who underwent TL between 2013 and 2019 in a single institution. We excluded women from the analysis due to our limited sample. SMM was determined from cross-sectional muscle area (CSMA) measurement at C3 using the ImageJ software. Results were compared with those for the skeletal muscle mass index (SMMI) calculated from the estimated measure at 3rd lumbar vertebra (L3). Results: PCF formation occurred in 21/86 patients. According to the CSMA at a C3 cut-off of 35.5cm2, of 18 patients (20.9%) with low SMM, 9 developed PCFs (50.0%). Among patients with normal SMM (n = 68, 79.1%), 12 developed PCFs (17.6%). The CSMA at C3 was the only variable significantly associated with PCF risk, which was 4.7 times greater in patients with low SMM (p = 0.007). Sarcopenia was more frequent in underweight patients (p = 0.0001), patients undergoing extended surgeries (p = 0.003), or presenting preoperative anaemia (p = 0.009) or hypoalbuminemia (p = 0.027). Conclusion: Measuring the CSMA at C3 obtained results equivalent to those obtained by calculating the SMMI at L3, suggesting that direct SMM assessment from C3 is a useful approach to evaluating PCF formation risk after TL

Practical applications using multi-UAV systems and aerial robotic swarms

A día de hoy, existen en el mercado una gran cantidad de aeronaves sin piloto que pueden ser comandadas con órdenes de alto nivel para realizar tareas complejas de forma casi automática, como por ejemplo el mapeo de explotaciones agrícolas. De forma natural, nos podemos preguntar si sería posible coordinar a un grupo de estos robots para realizar esas mismas tareas de forma más rápida, flexible y robusta. En este trabajo se repasan las tareas que se han planteado resolver con sistemas compuestos por grupos de aeronaves no tripuladas y los algoritmos empleados, así como los métodos y estrategias en los que están basados. Aunque el futuro de estos sistemas es prometedor, existen ciertos obstáculos legislativos y técnicos que frenan su implantación de forma generalizadaLas investigaciones que han dado como resultado este trabajo han sido financiadas por RoboCity2030-DIH-CM, 426 Madrid Robotics Digital Innovation Hub, S2018/NMT-4331, financiadas por los Programas de Actividades I+D en la Comunidad Madrid, y por el proyecto TASAR (Team of AdvancedSearch And Rescue Robots), PID2019-105808RB-I00, financiado por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (Gobierno deEspaña

Isolation and Selection of Sulfur-oxidizing Bacteria for the Treatment of Sulfur-containing Hazardous Wastes

A total of 75 microorganisms were obtained from high-sulfur content environmental samples using different sulfur sources. Fifty-four of them had the ability to oxidize sulfur at 1% (w/v) in liquid culture, however only three of them AZCT-M125-5, AZCT- -M125-6, and AZCT-M125-7 were able to grow autotrophycally using elemental sulfurat concentrations higher than 1 % and up to 9 % (w/v) as energy source. They producemore than 300 mg sulfate/L. Also, these microbial cultures were able to produce sulfate within pH 3 to 7. Analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that microbial cultures AZCT-M125-5 and AZCT-M125-6 were closely related to Acidithiobacillusthiooxidans while identification of AZCT-M125-7 was not possible. According to the results, these three microorganisms can be excellent candidates for the future development of alternative biotechnological processes for the treatment of hazardous wastes containing sulfur

Multiple paternal origins of domestic cattle revealed by Y-specific interspersed multilocus microsatellites

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