The logistic decision making in management accounting with genetic algoritms and fuzzy sets

The logistics problems in business environments deal with assignation from a number of sources to a number of destinations. Each source offers amounts of goods, while each destination demands quantities of these goods. The object is to find the cheapest transporting schedule that satisfies the demand without violating supply restraints. In this paper we propose to use Fuzzy Sets to represents the previsional information related to costs, demands and other variables. Moreover, we suggest including the problem of shortest route for the distribution vehicles. Finally, to solve this complex problem we propose to use a Genetic Algorithm with a Fuzzy Fitness Function

Anatomical, histochemical and immunohistochemical characterization of the outflow tract of ray hearts (Rajiformes; Chondrichthyes)

El resumen aparece en el Program & Abstracts of the 11th International Congress of Vertebrate Morphology, Washington DC 2016. Anatomical Record, Volume 299, Special Feature: 264.Recent work has shown that the cardiac outflow tract of sharks and chimaeras does not consist of a single myocardial component, the conus arteriosus, as classically accepted, but two, namely, the myocardial conus arteriosus and the non-myocardial bulbus arteriosus. However, the anatomical composition of the outflow tract of the batoid hearts remains unknown. The present study was designed to fill this gap. The material examined consisted of hearts of two species of rays, namely, the Mediterranean starry ray (Raja asterias) and sandy ray (Leucoraja circularis). They were studied using scanning electron microscopy, and histochemical and inmunohistochemical techniques. In both species, the outflow tract consists of two components, proximal and distal with regard to the ventricle. The proximal component is the conus arteriosus; it is characterized by the presence of compact myocardium in its wall and several transverse rows of pocket-shaped valves at its luminal side. Each valve consists of a leaflet and its supporting sinus. Histologically, the leaflet has two fibrosas, inner and outer, and a middle coat, the spongiosa. The distal component lacks myocardium. Its wall consists of smooth muscle cells, elastic fibers and collagen. Thus, it shows an arterial-like structure. However, it differs from the aorta because it is covered by the epicardium and crossed by coronary arteries. These findings indicate that the distal component is morphologically equivalent to the bulbus arteriosus of sharks and chimaeras. In contrast to foregoing descriptions, the valves of the first transverse row are distally anchored to the bulbus arteriosus and not to the ventral aorta. Our findings give added support to the notion that presence of a bulbus arteriosus at the arterial pole of the heart is common to all chondrichtyans, and not an apomorphy of actinopterygians as classically thought.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. CGL2014-52356-P, CEIMAR, BIO 203, FEDE

The Role of Women on Dairy Goat Farms in Southern Spain

One of the factors involved in goat milk production is the role of women as farmers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of women on dairy goat farms, considering: (1) the profile of women occupationally involved, (2) the organization of the women’s work, (3) the degree of involvement by women in the decision-making on these farms, and (4) the influence of women’s work on productive results. This study was conducted on 52 dairy goat farms in southern Spain. A descriptive analysis and means comparisons were performed to describe the farms where any women were involved or not. In 61.5% of the farms, at least one woman was involved, with an age of 42.2 ± 8.8 years. Very few women were farm owners, although women took binding decisions in 81.25% of these farms. Their work is dedicated to milking and caring for the kids. Women had a positive influence on the productive variables analysed, and for mastitis in herds, the incidence was lower in herds where women participated (p < 0.01). In conclusion, it is recommended to include women’s work as a factor when characterizing dairy goats farms’ systems to evaluate their positive effect on a farm’s performance

Application of a diagnostic algorithm for the rare deficient variant Mmalton of alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency: a new approach

Background and objectives: alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is associated with a high risk for the development of early-onset emphysema and liver disease. A large majority of subjects with severe AATD carry the ZZ genotype, which can be easily detected. Another rare pathologic variant, the Mmalton allele, causes a deficiency similar to that of the Z variant, but it is not easily recognizable and its detection seems to be underestimated. Therefore, we have included a rapid allele-specific genotyping assay for the detection of the Mmalton variant in the diagnostic algorithm of AATD used in our laboratory. The objective of this study was to test the usefulness of this new algorithm for Mmalton detection. Materials and methods: we performed a retrospective revision of all AATD determinations carried out in our laboratory over 2 years using the new diagnostic algorithm. Samples with a phenotype showing one or two M alleles and AAT levels discordant with that phenotype were analyzed using the Mmalton allele-specific genotyping assay. Results: we detected 49 samples with discordant AAT levels; 44 had the MM and five the MS phenotype. In nine of these samples, a single rare Mmalton variant was detected. During the study period, two family screenings were performed and four additional Mmalton variants were identified. Conclusion: the incorporation of the Mmalton allele-specific genotyping assay in the diagnostic algorithm of AATD resulted in a faster and cheaper method to detect this allele and avoided a significant delay in diagnosis when a sequencing assay was required. This methodology can be adapted to other rare variants. Standardized algorithms are required to obtain conclusive data of the real incidence of rare AAT alleles in each region

Scaling properties of growing noninfinitesimal perturbations in space-time chaos

We study the spatiotemporal dynamics of random spatially distributed noninfinitesimal perturbations in one-dimensional chaotic extended systems. We find that an initial perturbation of finite size $\epsilon_0$ grows in time obeying the tangent space dynamic equations (Lyapunov vectors) up to a characteristic time $t_{\times}(\epsilon_0) \sim b - (1/\lambda_{max}) \ln (\epsilon_0)$, where $\lambda_{max}$ is the largest Lyapunov exponent and $b$ is a constant. For times $t < t_{\times}$ perturbations exhibit spatial correlations up to a typical distance $\xi \sim t^z$. For times larger than $t_{\times}$ finite perturbations are no longer described by tangent space equations, memory of spatial correlations is progressively destroyed and perturbations become spatiotemporal white noise. We are able to explain these results by mapping the problem to the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang universality class of surface growth.Comment: 4.5 pages LaTeX (RevTeX4) format, 3 eps figs included. Submitted to Phys Rev

Ventricular myocardial trabeculation in chondrichthyans. Evolutionary implications

The formation of trabeculae (trabeculation) in vertebrates occurs during cardiac development in the three structural types of ventricular myocardium, namely, compact, spongy and mixed. The compact type is mainly composed of compacted muscular fibers and the spongy type of muscular trabeculae. The mixed type, with an inner trabecular and an outer compact layer, has been proposed as the primitive condition in gnathostomes. In vertebrate models, trabeculation initiates following two alternative mechanisms: (1) in chicken and mouse, the endocardial cells evaginate towards the two-layered myocardium; (2) in zebrafish, cardiomyocytes from the mono-layered myocardium invaginate towards the endocardium. Trabeculation in the mixed myocardium has not been described yet. We have studied the mixed myocardium formation in the dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula, Elasmobranchii) using light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. At stage 27, the ventricle consists of a two-layered myocardium internally lined by endocardium, both separated by cardiac jelly. Trabeculation starts at stage 28, when small spaces between cardiomyocytes appear, the cardiac jelly become thinner and the endocardium focally contacts the myocardium. At stage 29 the spaces between cardiomyocytes increase in size and get lined by the endocardium, shaping the presumptive trabeculae. At later stages, the trabeculae increase in complexity and the outer cardiomyocytes proliferate and get compacted, delineating the definitive trabeculated and compact myocardia. We conclude that early trabeculation in elasmobranchs matches that described in tetrapods. Thus, the mechanism of trabeculation of the mixed ventricular myocardium has been conserved in the formation of the compact myocardium of tetrapods. Additional studies in actinopterygians with different myocardial types may uncover how trabeculation has evolved during the evolution of gnathostomes.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. CGL2017-85090-P, FPU15/03209, UMAJI75 and FEDER

Nuevo enfoque en metodología de transferencia en los regadíos

La transferencia de tecnología de forma amplia se suele enunciar como el proceso por el que se transfieren habilidades, conocimientos, formas de hacer, instrumentos… Con una conceptualización industrial, la transferencia de tecnología se dibuja como un proceso cuasi lineal desde los centros de conocimiento (universidades,…), donde algo que se descubre, que puede tener una utilidad, es introducido/vendido en un sector determinado. Muchas veces sin tener claro que esa nueva utilidad sea realmente la respuesta a una necesidad. El modelo simple sería "tengo un útil, ¿cómo vendo esto?". Esta forma de realizar la transferencia ha hecho que, en muchos casos, el objeto de dicha transferencia no sea muy proclive a seguir las recomendaciones/transferencia que se les proponen. El sector agrario cada vez tiene menos peso en la economía y trabajo de los países desarrollados. En dicho sector, las innovaciones no aparecen con la celeridad que se produce en otros sectores, de ahí su desfase. Pero al mismo tiempo, cada vez más, juega un papel muy importante en las nuevas demandas de la sociedad como el medio ambiente y el cambio climático. Los organismos de transferencia agroalimentaria han realizado su labor con un modelo similar al de las industrias clásicas. En este trabajo se propone y se pone en práctica una metodología de transferencia que va más allá de las bondades del modelo de abajo a arriba donde el agricultor es el eje principal de la acción) utilizado en los últimos tiempos, se emplea además una visión desde lo general a lo concreto y se suman elementos de más horizontalidad analizando/integrando diversos aspectos que al final inciden en la rentabilidad y sostenibilidad de la explotación. Para ello, se ha puesto el foco en una zona regable, el sector B-XII en Lebrija y se han unido cuatro proyectos que trataban partes aparentemente individuales para hacer un enfoque común de los mismos sin perder el trabajo de lo concreto pero desde una óptica que se inicia en lo general. Los proyectos han sido sobre riego, nitratos, suelos y teledetección. Al mismo tiempo, se han realizado convenios de colaboración con cooperativas, la comunidad de regantes y agricultores a los que se les ha realizado una monitorización de sus labores. Este tipo de trabajo permite calar con mayor celeridad en los “modus operandi” de los técnicos y posteriormente de los agricultores con un mensaje claro donde el objetivo es mejorar la rentabilidad (entendida en un sentido amplio económica, social y ambiental) de la explotación

Quantitative comparison of partial fourier reconstruction algorithms in MRI at 7T

[Poster] 4th European Molecular Imaging Meeting, Barcelona, Spain, May 27 - 30, 2009In this work we present a quantitative comparison at 7T of the most common partial fourier reconstruction algorithms: conjugate synthesis with phase correction, Margosian method, homodyne reconstruction, PoCS algorithm and iterative homodyne reconstructionThis work is supported in part by the projects CdTeaM (CeniT-ingenio 2010), Ministerio de Ciencia e innovación, and Ciber Cb07/09/0031 CiberSaM, Ministerio de Sanidad y Consumo.Publicad

Reduction of respiratory blurring in small-animal CT scans based on a fast retrospective gating method

[Abstract] The 22nd International Congress and Exhibition, Barcelona, Spain, June 25-28, 2008The purpose of the present work was to develop a fast retrospective method to extract the respiratory signal from the CT projections in cone beam geometry and to obtain dynamic breathing studies in small animal scans. The whole process had to be software-based and automatic, avoiding the use of any additional respiratory gating instrumentsPublicad