Optimal Control Realizations of Lagrangian Systems with Symmetry

A new relation among a class of optimal control systems and Lagrangian systems with symmetry is discussed. It will be shown that a family of solutions of optimal control systems whose control equation are obtained by means of a group action are in correspondence with the solutions of a mechanical Lagrangian system with symmetry. This result also explains the equivalence of the class of Lagrangian systems with symmetry and optimal control problems discussed in \cite{Bl98}, \cite{Bl00}. The explicit realization of this correspondence is obtained by a judicious use of Clebsch variables and Lin constraints, a technique originally developed to provide simple realizations of Lagrangian systems with symmetry. It is noteworthy to point out that this correspondence exchanges the role of state and control variables for control systems with the configuration and Clebsch variables for the corresponding Lagrangian system. These results are illustrated with various simple applications

Essential Notes on the Passiflora incarnata-Agraulis vanillae insularis Relation

Context: The local vegetation was studied to identify elements that could host butterfly rearing (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in the butterfly refuge at the Camaguey’s Botanical Park Aim: To unveil the nomenclature, taxonomy, phenotypical characterization, differences from akin taxa, distribution, and ethnobiological traits of a host plant (Passiflora incarnata L.), and one of the butterflies that lives in it (Agraulis vanillae insularis Maynard, 1889). Methods: Field observation, work with biological collections, digital image processing, specimen identification through descriptive catalogs and analytical keys, experimental breeds in controlled conditions. Results: The recorded history of P. incarnata L. in Cuba was reconstructed, and the origin of the germplasm found at the Camaguey’s Botanical Park was elucidated. A. vanillae insularis Maynard (1889) demonstrated a potential as a host plant in Cuba. Different criteria were defined to contrast the two taxa with their akin. The feasibility of using the plant to rear butterflies for exhibition purposes was discussed. Conclusions: Due to the frequency P. incarnata L. is cultivated in Cuba, it should be acknowledged as part of the economic flora of the nation. Considering that it acts as a host plant at the Camaguey’s Botanical Park, and is capable of host the rearing of A. vanillae insularis Maynard (1889) butterflies, which have the potential to be included in the butterfly refuge under construction in the park

P3-062: Wood-smoke exposure as a survival predictor in non-small cell lung cancer with response to erlotinib: an open label phase II study

This paper explores the opportunity for New Zealand to establish and sustain an internationally competitive sheep dairy industry. As part of this it evaluates the role of responsible innovation (RI) within the New Zealand sheep dairy (NZSD) industry and whether this can assist in achieving a sustainable competitive advantage. In the context of agrifood supply chains RI has received little attention despite the fact that these industries have significant environmental, ethical and social impacts. The research also addresses the lack of evidence as how to put RI into practice and the claim that the practical applicability of RI is not possible. The French sheep dairy industry was used as a comparative case study for the New Zealand industry. Information was gathered through a literature search, the comparative case study and interviews with New Zealand and French industry experts. Comparisons were made between the strategic capabilities and structural forces of the sheep dairy industries in both France and New Zealand. The study found that for the NZSD industry to achieve a competitive advantage it would need to pursue a differentiation strategy that focused on customer responsiveness, innovation, sustainability and quality. Furthermore, the study identified that RI had the potential to assist the NZSD industry by providing distinctive competencies to develop a competitive advantage. This is because there were existing resources and capabilities that provided a platform for differentiation. There were also strategic and economic drivers in the NZSD industry that encouraged RI as a competitive strategy. This indicated that for RI to occur there needed to be economic incentives that encouraged companies to pursue this strategy

Towards the dehydration of ethanol using pervaporation cross-linked poly (vinyl alcohol)/graphene oxide membranes

Highly hydrophilic inorganic material graphene oxide (GO) was successfully prepared and incorporated into a cross-linked poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) matrix. The obtained mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) have been used for the dehydration of ethanol (10: 90% water-ethanol) by pervaporation (PV), monitoring their performance in terms of total permeate flux, partial components fluxes, as well as their separation factor. The effect of filler was analyzed by doubling the GO content (at 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 wt%) in the MMMs. A complete analysis of the operating temperature (between 40 and 70 degrees C) was carried out by means of Arrhenius relationship. Moreover, the membranes were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), measurements of degree of swelling (uptake), water contact angle (CA) and mechanical properties. At 40 degrees C, the best performance was provided by the MMMs containing 1 wt% GO, showing a separation factor of 263 and a permeate flux of about 0.137 kg m(-2) h(-1) (in which 0.133 kg m(-2) h(-1) corresponds to water). This represents a 75% enhancement of the original permeation rate of pristine cross-linked PVA membranes. Taking into account the promising results, it is likely that these MMMs will provide featured benefits in green processes, e.g. ethanol purification by means of less-energy consumption

Concepción para la formación laboral investigativa del profesor de biología como educador ambiental para el desarrollo sostenible

Background: The preparation of an environmental educator constitutes one of the general objectives in the training of the Bachelor of Education in Biology and requires the improvement of work methodologies and curricular designs to move from the conception of environmental education to the conception of education for sustainable development in order to change behaviors, promote participation, self-determination and autonomy of thought in the professional future.Objective: The methodological line of work carried out as for the investigative-working formation of the students during four school years is revealed.Methods: The historical-logical, inductive - deductive and analytical-synthetic are used from the theoretical level; from the empirical level the documentary analysis, the interview with teachers and from the mathematical-statistical level the percentage analysis, all necessary for the curricular and disciplinary analyzes in order to establish links with this line of formation. They also made possible the assessment of the diagnostic results and their corresponding processing.Results: Some theoretical elements, thematic lines and actions to serve of basis for the orientation of the investigative-working formation in the sense to form an environmental educator where exposed.Conclusions: The proposed line of work integrates the teaching-educational, labor-research and extension components; it is related to university research projects and is contextualized to the environmental problems of the province.Contexto: La preparación de un educador ambiental constituye uno de los objetivos generales en la formación del Licenciado en Educación Biología y requiere del perfeccionamiento de las metodologías de trabajo y diseños curriculares para transitar de la concepción de la educación ambiental a la concepción de la educación para el desarrollo sostenible en aras de cambiar comportamientos, fomentar la participación, autodeterminación y autonomía del pensamiento en el futuro profesional.Objetivo: Se revela la línea de trabajo metodológica ejecutada como para la formación laboral investigativa de los estudiantes durante cuatro cursos escolares.Métodos: Se utilizan del nivel teórico el histórico-lógico, el inductivo – deductivo y el analítico-sintético; del nivel empírico el análisis documental, la entrevista a docentes y del nivel matemático – estadístico el análisis porcentual, todos necesarios para los análisis curriculares y disciplinares en aras de establecer vínculos con esta línea de formación. Posibilitaron, además, la valoración de los resultados del diagnóstico y su correspondiente procesamiento.Resultados: Se presentan algunos elementos teóricos, líneas temáticas y acciones que sirven de base para orientar la formación laboral investigativa en el sentido de formar un educador ambiental.Conclusiones: La línea de trabajo propuesta integra el componente docente-educativo, laboral-investigativo y extensionista; se relaciona con proyectos de investigación de la universidad y se contextualiza a la problemática ambiental de la provincia

Sobre la relación Passiflora incarnata - Agraulis vanillae insularis; precisiones necesarias

Context: The local flora is studied to identify elements that could support the breeding of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in the butterfly farm that is built in the Camagüey Botanical Park. Objective: To reveal the nomenclature, taxonomy, phenotypic characterization, differences with related taxa, distribution and ethnobiological traits of a host plant (Passiflora incarnata L.) and one of the butterflies it hosts (Agraulis vanillae insularis Maynard 1889). Methods: Observation in the field, work with biological collections, digitized image processing, identification of specimens through the use of descriptive catalogs and analytical keys, experimental breeding under controlled conditions. Results: The history of the records of P. incarnata in Cuba is reconstructed and the origin of the germplasm currently cultivated in the Camagüey Botanical Park is clarified. Its condition as a host plant for A. vanillae insularis in Cuba, is demonstrated. Criteria are stablished to differentiate both taxa from their relatives. The feasibility of using the plant to support the baby butterfly with a view to its being exhibited to the public is discussed.Contexto: Se estudia la flora local para identificar elementos que pudieran sustentar la cría de mariposas (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) en el mariposario que se construye en el Parque Botánico de Camagüey. Objetivo: Develar la nomenclatura, taxonomía, caracterización fenotípica, diferencias con taxones afines, distribución y rasgos etnobiológicos de una planta hospedera (Passiflora incarnata L.) y una de las mariposas que hospeda (Agraulis vanillae insularis Maynard 1889). Métodos: Observación en el terreno, trabajo con colecciones biológicas, procesamiento de imágenes digitalizadas, identificación de especímenes mediante la utilización de catálogos descriptivos y claves analíticas, cría experimental en condiciones controladas. Resultados: Se reconstruye la historia de los registros de P. incarnata L. en Cuba y se esclarece la procedencia del germoplasma cultivado actualmente en el Parque Botánico de Camagüey. Se demuestra su condición de planta hospedera para A. vanillae insularis Maynard 1889, en Cuba. Se precisan criterios que permiten diferenciar ambos taxones de sus afines. Se discute la factibilidad de utilizar la planta para sustentar la cría de la mariposa con vistas a que sea exhibida al público. Conclusiones: Dada la frecuencia con que se cultiva actualmente en Cuba, P. incarnata L. debe ser reconocida como parte de la flora económica del país. Teniendo en cuenta que, en el Parque Botánico de Camagüey, esta última actúa como planta hospedera, puede sustentar la cría de A. vanillae insularis Maynard 1889, mariposa que tienen potencialidades para ser incorporada al mariposario que actualmente se construye allí

Propuesta estratégica de mejora en la implementación de los estándares mínimos del Sistema de Gestión de la Seguridad y Salud en el Trabajo en la empresa Banco Caja Social para el segundo semestre del 2019 y principios del 2020

Trabajo orientado a establecer propuestas estratégicas sobre las acciones y el plan de mejora de los estándares mínimos del sistema de gestión de la seguridad y salud en el trabajo en la empresa Banco Caja Social para el segundo semestre del 2019 y principios del 2020 y poder así garantizar el cumplimiento de la normatividad.Work oriented to establish strategic proposals on the actions and the plan to improve the minimum standards of the occupational health and safety management system in the Banco Caja Social company for the second half of 2019 and early 2020 and thus guarantee Compliance with regulations

Efectividad del tratamiento con radiación láser de baja potencia en la estomatitis aftosa recurrente

Introduction: recurrent aphthous stomatitis is one of the most frequent lesions of the oral mucosa. Objective: to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment with low-level laser radiation. Material and method: an analytical, prospective study in a sample of 90 patients having the clinical diagnosis of aphthous stomatitis. These patients attended at “Briones Montoto” Provincial Teaching Dentistry Clinic, Pinar del Rio from September 2011-2012. Two groups of 45 patients each one, applying treatment by means of low-level laser radiation with analgesic, anti-inflammatory and cicatrizing parameters to the study group. The second, control group (45) was treated using propolis tincture at 5%; chi square test of independence, fixed level of significance α = 0.05 and the test of 2 proportions of independent groups were used to carry out the statistical analysis of the results. Results: 75,5% of the patients treated with laser therapy expressed remission of pain; 30 % of them felt the recovery in one session. Scar formation was reduced in 42 patients in less than a seven-day-period. A significant association between the use of laser therapy and remission of symptoms was observed, as well as the need of less treatment sessions.Conclusions: effectiveness of the treatment proposed was demonstrated, so as to recommend it as an adequate therapeutic option.Introducción: la estomatitis aftosa recurrente es la más frecuente de las lesiones de la mucosa bucal. Objetivo: evaluar la efectividad del tratamiento de la radiación láser de baja potencia. Material y método: se realizó un estudio analítico, prospectivo en una muestra de 90 pacientes con diagnóstico clínico de estomatitis aftosa, que asistieron a consulta en la Clínica Provincial Docente “Antonio Briones Montoto” de Pinar del Río desde septiembre de 2011 a septiembre de 2012. Se conformaron 2 grupos de 45 pacientes cada uno. Un grupo de estudio al que se le aplicó tratamiento con radiación láser de baja potencia con parámetros analgésicos, antinflamatorios y cicatrizantes. Un segundo grupo control con igual cantidad de pacientes que fueron tratados con Tintura de propóleo al 5%. Para el análisis de los resultados se aplicó la prueba Chi cuadrado de independencia, fijando un nivel de significación α = 0.05 y la prueba de 2 proporciones de grupos independientes. Resultados: el 75,5% de los pacientes tratados con láser terapia refirieron remisión del dolor. El 30% de los expuestos a este tratamiento experimentó la cura en una sesión. El tiempo de cicatrización se redujo en 42 pacientes a un período menor a los siete días. Se constató asociación significativa entre el empleo del láser y la remisión de los síntomas así como la menor necesidad de sesiones de tratamiento. Conclusiones: se demostró la efectividad del tratamiento propuesto permitiendo recomendarlo como una opción terapéutica adecuada

HACEK infective endocarditis: epidemiology, clinical features outcome: A case-control study

OBJECTIVES: The study aimed to describe the epidemiology, microbiological and clinical features of a population sample of 17 patients with HACEK-IE and to compare them with matched control patients with IE caused by Viridans group Streptococci (VGS-IE). METHODS: Description of definite (14; 82.2%) and possible (3; 17.6%) HACEK-IE included in the 'Infective Endocarditis Hospital Clínic of Barcelona' (IE-HCB) database between 1979 and 2016. Furthermore, a retrospective case-control analysis was performed, matching each case to three VGS-IE controls registered in the same database during the same period of time. RESULTS: Seventeen out of 1,209 IE cases (1.3%, 95%CI 0.69-1.91) were due to HACEK group. The most frequent isolated HACEK species were Aggregatibacter spp (11; 64.7%). Intracardiac vegetations were present in 70.6% of cases. Left heart failure (LHF) was present in 29.4% of cases. Ten patients (58.8%) required in-hospital surgery and none died during hospitalization. In the case-control analysis, there was a trend toward larger vegetations in the HACEK-IE group (median (IRQ) size=11.5 (10.0-20.0) mm vs 9.0 (7.0-13.0) mm; p=0.068). Clinical manifestations, echocardiographic findings, LHF rate, systemic emboli and other complications were all comparable (p >0.05). In-hospital surgery and mortality were similar for both groups. One-year mortality was lower for HACEK-IE (1/17 vs. to 6/48, p=0.006). CONCLUSIONS: HACEK-IE represented 1.3% of all IE cases. Clinical features and outcome were comparable with the VGS-IE control group. Despite the trend to

Validación de un inmunoensayo tipo ELISA para la cuantificación de los niveles séricos de antígeno de superficie en pacientes con infección crónica por virus de la hepatitis B.

Introducción: Durante la etapa aguda de la infección por el virus de la hepatitis B y el período inicial de una infección crónica, el DNA está en forma episomal (libre o extracromosomal) y replica en el hepatocito produciendo entre otros viriones infectivos, DNA polimerasa y antígeno de superficie del virus (HBsAg). Objetivo: Validar un inmunoensayo tipo ELISA para cuantificar los niveles de HBsAg en pacientes con hepatitis B crónica. Método: Se realizó un estudio experimental de desarrollo tecnológico. Se llevó a cabo la normalización y validación de un inmunoensayo enzimático heterogéneo de doble anticuerpo para la cuantificación de HBsAg en sueros humanos. 115 muestras de sueros de pacientes con hepatitis B crónica con resultados de carga viral se correlacionaron con las concentraciones de HBsAg. Resultados y discusión: El método presentó coeficientes de variación intra e interensayo de 9,8 y 13,2% respectivamente. El rango de trabajo se estimó entre 0.15 y 60ng/mL. El porcentaje de recuperación estuvo entre el 90 y 110% y el ajuste lineal de la curva estándar presentó un coeficiente de determinación superior a 0,99. La correlación alcanzada entre los niveles de DNA y la concentración de HBsAg fue de 62.5%. Conclusiones: La evaluación del ELISA para la cuantificación de HBsAg desarrollado en el laboratorio mostró que cumple los parámetros de validación para su uso clínico