On the connections between Skyrme and Yang Mills theories

Skyrme theories on S^3 and S^2, are analyzed using the generalized zero curvature in any dimensions. In the first case, new symmetries and integrable sectors, including the B =1 skyrmions, are unraveled. In S^2 the relation to QCD suggested by Faddeev is discussedComment: Talk at the Workshop on integrable theories, solitons and duality. IFT Sao Paulo July 200

Capital flight, saving rate and the golden rule level of capital: policy recommendations for Latin America countries

This paper seeks to analyse the determinants of capital flight in selected Latin American countries throughout the 1990s, and gives some insights into what economic policies would be adequate under capital flight conditions. Finding, empirically, the saving rate to be a new determinant of capital flight, this paper discusses whether or not achieving the golden rule level of capital would be desirable and what source of government revenue (direct or indirect taxation) would be appropriate under those conditions

Sharing of hand kinematic synergies across subjects in daily living activities

The motor system is hypothesised to use kinematic synergies to simplify hand control. Recent studies suggest that there is a large set of synergies, sparse in degrees of freedom, shared across subjects, so that each subject performs each action with a sparse combination of synergies. Identifying how synergies are shared across subjects can help in prostheses design, in clinical decision-making or in rehabilitation. Subject-specific synergies of healthy subjects performing a wide number of representative daily living activities were obtained through principal component analysis. To make synergies comparable between subjects and tasks, the hand kinematics data were scaled using normative range of motion data. To obtain synergies sparse in degrees of freedom a rotation method that maximizes the sum of the variances of the squared loadings was applied. Resulting synergies were clustered and each cluster was characterized by a core synergy and different indexes (prevalence, relevance for function and within-cluster synergy similarity), substantiating the sparsity of synergies. The first two core synergies represent finger flexion and were present in all subjects. The remaining core synergies represent coordination of the thumb joints, thumb-index joints, palmar arching or fingers adduction, and were employed by subjects in different combinations, thus revealing different subject-specific strategies

Relevance of the study of metabolic profiles in sheep and goat flock. Present and future: A review

Current adoption of technical methods of the production systems and the genetic improvement of flocks’ productivity have led to the emergence of the well-known metabolic diseases or diseases linked to production. These disorders affect the health status of the flock, thereby generating strong economic losses in the livestock sector. The solution goes through the assessment of the ration, the characteristics of the facilities, the physiological state and the health of the flock, but also, assessing the health condition which is not always reflected in their body condition or feed intake. In field conditions, metabolic profiles could be considered as possible intermediate monitoring tool between animal production and nutrition, because they are able to express a(n) (im)balance between production requirements and feed intake. This information can be accessed by performing measurements and interpreting different blood parameters in a clinical context. Thus, the aim of this review is to offer current information about biochemical metabolic parameters in small ruminants, covering some influencing aspects related to sampling procedure, management and interpretation of results

Systems, methods and apparatus for developing and maintaining evolving systems with software product lines

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which an evolutionary system is managed and viewed as a software product line. In some embodiments, the core architecture is a relatively unchanging part of the system, and each version of the system is viewed as a product from the product line. Each software product is generated from the core architecture with some agent-based additions. The result may be a multi-agent system software product line

Numerical simulation of centrifugal pumps

The power computers increase and the specific calculation software development have made possible, nowadays, the numerical simulation of flow and energy transfer inside the turbomachinery. To teach Fluid Mechanics is not easy not only for the professors but also for the students because the theoretical part must be complemented with a technical part where students can see the phenomena. However, specially in hydraulic turbomachinery, we canít see the phenomena except if we have a specific material, for example a PIV. Even if we would have this material, the access to specific parts of turbomachinery is not possible due to its constructive layout. The use of numerical simulation tools allows us to obtain data in inaccessible positions for the experimentation, as well as the study of unusual or dangerous performances. With the numerical simulation, the pressure fluctuation at any point of the pump can be easily obtained. Other important results are the radial forces on the impeller, which have a significant variation with the working points. One of the advantages of this kind of modelling is the ease to carry out changes in the geometry, parametric studies and analysis of anomalous operation conditions

Estudios de caracterización cinemática de la mano sana en actividades de la vida diaria

El aumento de la esperanza de vida ha incrementado la prevalencia de enfermedades que afectan en gran medida a la capacidad manipulativa de la mano y por tanto al desarrollo de actividades de la vida diaria (AVD) necesarias para una vida independiente. Además, existe interés por evaluar más objetivamente la funcionalidad en el desarrollo de AVD, ya que en la práctica, los métodos de evaluación funcional de la mano son altamente subjetivos y poco orientados a las AVD. En esta comunicación se presentan diferentes estudios que desarrolla el grupo de Biomecánica y Ergonomía sobre caracterización cinemática del agarre humano en AVD. En un primer estudio se grabaron tareas representativas de los diferentes ámbitos de la vida personal (aseo, preparar comida, comer, limpieza y orden en casa, conducción, etc.) y se analizó la frecuencia de uso con cada mano de distintos tipos de agarre (de una clasificación con 9 categorías) en los diferentes ámbitos (Vergara et al. 2014). Posteriormente, con la ayuda de guantes instrumentados y goniómetros, en ambiente controlado de laboratorio, se han registrado los movimientos de las articulaciones de la mano y la muñeca en tareas representativas de las AVD, seleccionadas de acuerdo a la Clasificación Internacional de Funcionamiento, Discapacidad y Salud (CIF) de la OMS. Algunas se han realizado, además de con productos estándar, con productos adaptados comerciales. Se pretende además registrar a sujetos con algunas de las patologías de mano más frecuentes. El objetivo final de estos estudios es caracterizar la cinemática de la mano sana durante el desarrollo de AVD en base a patrones posturales, sus rangos y velocidades. Se establecerá una base de datos de ‘normalidad’ y se identificarán los parámetros cinemáticos que permitan evaluar más objetivamente la disfuncionalidad en sujetos lesionados o patológicos.A la Universitat Jaume I por la financiación del proyecto P1·1B2014-10 y al Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad y a la Comunidad Europea (fondos FEDER) por la financiación del proyecto DPI2014-52095-P

Relevance of grasp types to assess functionality for personal autonomy

Study Design Cross-sectional research design. Introduction Current assessment of hand function is not focused on evaluating the real abilities required for autonomy. Purpose of the Study To quantify the relevance of grasp types for autonomy to guide hand recovery and its assessment. Methods Representative tasks of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health activities in which the hands are directly involved were recorded. The videos were analyzed to identify the grasps used with each hand, and their relevance for autonomy was determined by weighting time with the frequency of appearance of each activity in disability and dependency scales. Relevance is provided globally and distinguished by hand (right-left) and bimanual function. Significant differences in relevance are also checked. Results The most relevant grasps are pad-to-pad pinch (31.9%), lumbrical (15.4%), cylindrical (12%), and special pinch (7.3%) together with the nonprehensile (18.6%) use of the hand. Lumbrical grasp has higher relevance for the left hand (19.9% vs 12%) while cylindrical grasp for the right hand (15.3% vs 7.7%). Relevancies are also different depending on bimanual function. Discussion Different relative importance was obtained when considering dependency vs disability scales. Pad-to-pad pinch and nonprehensile grasp are the most relevant grasps for both hands, whereas lumbrical grasp is more relevant for the left hand and cylindrical grasp for the right one. The most significant difference in bimanual function refers to pad-to-pad pinch (more relevant for unimanual actions of the left hand and bimanual actions of the right). Conclusions The relative importance of each grasp type for autonomy and the differences observed between hand and bimanual action should be used in medical and physical decision-making.This research was funded by the Universitat Jaume I through projects P1·1B2013-33 and P1-1B2014-10, and by the Spanish Ministry of Research and Innovation and the European Union (European Regional Development Funds) through project DPI2014-52095-P