Using synchronization to improve earthquake forecasting in a cellular automaton model

A new forecasting strategy for stochastic systems is introduced. It is inspired by the concept of anticipated synchronization between pairs of chaotic oscillators, recently developed in the area of Dynamical Systems, and by the earthquake forecasting algorithms in which different pattern recognition functions are used for identifying seismic premonitory phenomena. In the new strategy, copies (clones) of the original system (the master) are defined, and they are driven using rules that tend to synchronize them with the master dynamics. The observation of definite patterns in the state of the clones is the signal for connecting an alarm in the original system that efficiently marks the impending occurrence of a catastrophic event. The power of this method is quantitatively illustrated by forecasting the occurrence of characteristic earthquakes in the so-called Minimalist Model.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

EstrellaNueva: an open-source software to study the interactions and detection of neutrinos emitted by supernovae

Supernovae emit large fluxes of neutrinos which can be detected by detectors on Earth. Future tonne-scale detectors will be sensitive to several neutrino interaction channels, with thousands of events expected if a supernova emerges in the galaxy neighborhood. There is a limited number of tools to study the interaction rates of supernova neutrinos, although a plethora of available supernova models exists. EstrellaNueva is an open-source software to calculate expected rates of supernova neutrinos in detectors using target materials with typical compositions, and additional compositions can be easily added. This software considers the flavor transformation of neutrinos in the supernova through the adiabatic Mikheyev--Smirnov--Wolfenstein effect, and their interaction in detectors through several channels. Most of the interaction cross sections have been analytically implemented, such as neutrino-electron and neutrino-proton elastic scattering, inverse beta decay, and coherent elastic neutrino-nucleus scattering. This software provides a link between supernova simulations and the expected events in detectors by calculating fluences and event rates to ease any comparison between theory and observation. It provides a simple and standalone tool to explore many physics scenarios offering an option to add analytical cross sections and define any target material

Characterization of fimbriae extracts from porcine enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strains carrying F6 (987P) antigen

Fimbrial extracts from porcine enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strains carrying F6 (987P) intestinal colonization factor antigen were obtained using the thermal shock method. The extracts were analyzed by SDSPAGE and immunoblotting using different fimbriae-specific antisera. Two major protein bands with molecular masses of 17.5 and 21.9 kDa were detected. The 21.9-kDa band was identified as the major subunit of F6 fimbrial antigen in strains of serogroups O9 and O141. The 17.5-kDa band was associated with porcine strains of serogroups O9 and O20. [Int Microbiol 2006; 9(4):241-246

Decision-making in school-age sport measured through a digital tool.

El objetivo de este estudio ha sido doble. Por un lado, diseñar y crear un software de evaluación de toma de decisiones en edad escolar, en base a aspectos espacio-temporales, contextualizado en voleibol, denominado “Juego Interactivo de Voleibol”. Por otro lado, analizar y establecer su fiabilidad y validez. El software diseñado se aplicó a una muestra de 132 escolares (64 niños y 68 niñas) de entre 10 y 13 años, de los centros educativos públicos de Educación Primaria y Secundaria de las localidades sevillanas de Arahal y Paradas (España). Para determinar la fiabilidad se estudió la consistencia interna a través del coeficiente alfa de Cronbach. Para calcular el número óptimo de repeticiones se utilizó el Coeficiente de Correlación Intraclase. La validez se comprobó en base a la evaluación de un grupo de 5 expertos. Los resultados indicaron que este nuevo software de evaluación alcanza altos niveles de fiablidad y validezThe aim of this study was twofold. On the one hand, the design and creation of an evaluation software for decision-making in school-age children based on spatial-temporal aspects in the context of volleyball called ‘Interactive Volleyball Game’. On the other hand, the analysis and establishment of its reliability and validity. The designed software was applied to a sample of 132 students (64 boys and 68 girls) aged between 10 and 13 years in public Elementary and Secondary Education schools of Seville towns, Arahal and Paradas (Spain). To determine the reliability, internal consistency was studied through Cronbach's alpha. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was also analyzed to calculate the optimal number of repetitions for future research. The validity was tested based on the assessment of a group of 5 experts. The results indicated that this new evaluation software reaches high levels of reliability and validit

Plasticity of Dendritic Spines. Not Only for Cognitive Processes

Excitatory synaptic transmission is associated with the input of “new” information at synaptic junctions established by dendritic spines. The role that each type of spine plays in the transmission of the synaptic impulses is different. Indeed, there is a close relationship between the shape of spines and the differential processing of the excitatory synaptic information that is relayed to them, influencing in turn the transmission of synaptic information related to several psychoneural processes

Frequency of metabolic syndrome in women treated at the Menopause Clinic of the “Dr. José Eleuterio González” University Hospital of the UANL in Northeastern Mexico

Objectives: To determine the frequency of metabolic syndrome (MS) in patients with menopause, and to compare the incidence of MS between surgical and natural menopause. Methods: This was an observational, longitudinal, descriptive, retrospective, unblinded study of cases seen at the Menopause Clinic of the University Hospital “Dr. José eleuterio González” of the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León from March 2009 to December 2011. The frequency of MS was determined based on Adult Treatment Panel III (ATPIII) classiication. Results: at the end of the study, 391 patients were evaluated. The mean age was 50.1 years. We found a frequency of MS of 38.1%, the risk factor most often found was low HDL-cholesterol (62.5%), followed by obesity (46.5%), hypercholesterolemia (42.3%), hyperglycemia (11.5%), and hypertension (7.7%). The incidence of natural and surgical menopause was 37.6% vs. 39.2% respectively; however, the result was not statistically signiicant (p = 0.093). Conclusions: Patients with menopause are at increased risk of developing MS. it is important to detect MS early in this of patients, when they have one risk factor to avoid complications which may trigger the syndrome. We recommend screening for MS during perimenopause, in order to detect and try to delay it in a timely manner and recommend primary prevention (diet and exercise), or secondary prevention in cases with one or more risk factors

Places of traumatic memory and tourism: analytical and problematic paradigms

Desde el último tercio del siglo XX, los sitios relacionados con memorias dolorosas o traumáticas han desarrollado estrategias de turistización que los han convertido, en más de un caso, en atractivos turísticos de primer nivel. El presente artículo desarrolla un estudio teórico que examina y presenta los principales paradigmas analíticos desarrollados a nivel académico para el estudio del turismo en los lugares de memoria traumática. Tales son el turismo de memoria, el Dark Tourism y el Thanatourism, cuya destacada relevancia académica y relativa presencia mediática los hace prevalecer sobre otras aproximaciones de tipo teórico y analítico. Se presentarán también algunas de las diferentes problemáticas surgidas de los procesos de turistización de las memorias traumáticas, utilizando como caso de estudio la memoria del Holocausto y su espacio de referencia, el Memorial de Auschwitz-Birkenau. El artículo concluye con la necesidad de continuar reflexionando sobre los debates planteados, ya que presentan una complejidad que les augura un largo recorrido y que a buen seguro continuará dotando a la academia de aportaciones que sigan definiendo el papel de los diferentes paradigmas.Since the final third of the twentieth century, sites related to painful or traumatic memories have developed tourism strategies that have, in more than one case, turned them into primary tourist attractions. This article conducts a theoretical study that examines and presents the main analytical paradigms developed at the academic level for research on tourism in places that have witnessed traumatic events. Due to their academic importance and relative media presence, Dark tourism, Thanatourism and Memorial tourism, are more prevalent than other theoretical and analytical approaches. Some of the problems arising from the processes of turning traumatic memory into a tourist attraction are also examined, taking as a case study the memory of the Holocaust and its reference site, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial. The article concludes that there is a need to continue reflecting on these debates, since they present a complexity that augurs a long journey that will surely continue to provide academia with contributions that define the role of different paradigms