Immunization of Real Complex Communication Networks

Most communication networks are complex. In this paper, we address one of the fundamental problems we are facing nowadays, namely, how we can efficiently protect these networks. To this end, we study an immunization strategy and found that it works as good as targeted immunization, but using only local information about the network topology. Our findings are supported with numerical simulations of the Susceptible-Infected-Removed (SIR) model on top of real communication networks, where immune nodes are previously identified by a covering algorithm. The results provide useful hints in the way to design and deploying a digital immune system.Comment: 6 pages. To appear in the European Physical Journal B (2006

Modified Renormalization Strategy for Sandpile Models

Following the Renormalization Group scheme recently developed by Pietronero {\it et al}, we introduce a simplifying strategy for the renormalization of the relaxation dynamics of sandpile models. In our scheme, five sub-cells at a generic scale $b$ form the renormalized cell at the next larger scale. Now the fixed point has a unique nonzero dynamical component that allows for a great simplification in the computation of the critical exponent $z$. The values obtained are in good agreement with both numerical and theoretical results previously reported.Comment: APS style, 9 pages and 3 figures. To be published in Phys. Rev.

Accurate Stereo Visual Odometry with Gamma Distributions

Point-based stereo visual odometry systems typically estimate the camera motion by minimizing a cost function of the projection residuals between consecutive frames. Under some mild assumptions, such minimization is equivalent to maximizing the probability of the measured residuals given a certain pose change, for which a suitable model of the error distribution (sensor model) becomes of capital importance in order to obtain accurate results. This paper proposes a robust probabilistic model for projection errors, based on real world data. For that, we argue that projection distances follow Gamma distributions, and hence, the introduction of these models in a probabilistic formulation of the motion estimation process increases both precision and accuracy. Our approach has been validated through a series of experiments with both synthetic and real data, revealing an improvement in accuracy while not increasing the computational burden.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Project "PROMOVE: Advances in mobile robotics for promoting independent life of elders", funded by the Spanish Government and the "European Regional Development Fund ERDF" under contract DPI2014-55826-R

Agriculture Public Spending and Growth:The Example of Indonesia

This note analyzes the trends and evolution of public spending in the agriculture sector in Indonesia, as well as its impact on the growth of agriculture during the period 1976–2006. Public spending on agriculture and irrigation had a positive impact on agriculture growth during that period, whereas public spending on fertilizer subsidies had the opposite effect. As Indonesia continues its efforts to revitalize the agriculture sector, public spending should be directed at improving the provision of public services rather than at subsidizing private inputs.Agriculture, Public Spending, Growth, Indonesia, irrigation, public services, private inputs, subsidies, farming, developing countries

Discrete-time Markov chain approach to contact-based disease spreading in complex networks

Many epidemic processes in networks spread by stochastic contacts among their connected vertices. There are two limiting cases widely analyzed in the physics literature, the so-called contact process (CP) where the contagion is expanded at a certain rate from an infected vertex to one neighbor at a time, and the reactive process (RP) in which an infected individual effectively contacts all its neighbors to expand the epidemics. However, a more realistic scenario is obtained from the interpolation between these two cases, considering a certain number of stochastic contacts per unit time. Here we propose a discrete-time formulation of the problem of contact-based epidemic spreading. We resolve a family of models, parameterized by the number of stochastic contact trials per unit time, that range from the CP to the RP. In contrast to the common heterogeneous mean-field approach, we focus on the probability of infection of individual nodes. Using this formulation, we can construct the whole phase diagram of the different infection models and determine their critical properties.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures. Europhys Lett (in press 2010

Andalucía, una región rural semiperiférica? Dificultades para un desarrollo rural sostenible

El artículo tiene como área de estudio la comunidad autónoma de Andalucía (Nut2 de España). Se parte de la dificultad de aplicar el concepto de “región rural periférica” (incoherencia entre índices (paro, estructura de la población ocupada por sector de actividad, dinámica demográfica y poblamiento) y procesos intraescalares) para analizar diferentes casos en los que se pone de manifiesto el desajuste entre desarrollo rural y desarrollo sostenible. Entre estos procesos, a) la horticultura intensiva con fuerte presión sobre los recursos hídricos y ligada a intensos movimientos inmigratorios b) el olivar, difundido sobre espacios montañeses con problemas de erosión, pero incapaz de absorber la oferta de empleo local c) la indefinición del poblamiento agrario campiñés, con altas tasas de paro y sistemas extensivos de herbáceos de secano d) la incapacidad de la ganadería porcina extensiva (dehesa) con denominación de origen de inducir dinámicas demográficas positivas o de estancamiento y de absorber el paroUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

An innovative cooperative model for the Master Degree Project of Architecture. Overcoming the traditional system.

http://dx.doi.org/10.4995/HEAD17.2017.6713Although the Bologna’s process has highlighted the need to develop deep and structural changes in the educational institutions, there is a scarce bibliography on innovation projects in Master Degree Projects, specifically in the field of Architecture. This paper is part of a educational innovative reaserch project that is proposing a cooperative process-and-product model-based for MDP. The model is developed in three stages, from collaborative learning action groups to indivual project. At the end of the process the student has developed three documents: a presentation, a product and a daily-portfolio. Finally, MDP assessment is the sum of three evaluationsUniversidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech