Functional output-controllability of time-invariant singular linear systems

In the space of finite-dimensional singular linear continuous-time-invariant systems described in the form \begin{equation}\label{eq1}\left . \begin{array}{rl} E \dot x(t)&= Ax(t)+Bu(t)\\ y(t)&=Cx(t)\end{array}{\kern-1mm}\right \}\end{equation} where $E,A\in M=M_{n}(\mathbb{C})$, $B\in M_{n\times m}(\mathbb{C})$, $C\in M_{p\times n}(\mathbb{C})$, functional output-controllability character is considered. A simple test based in the computation of the rank of a certain constant matrix that can be associated to the system is presentedPeer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Microbiome network analysis in skin and gills of Sparus aurata fed with Nannochloropsis gaditana microalgae

1416 and 694 ASVs in gills and skin respectively were preserved in the taxonomic analysis after filtering. The predominant phylum in gills was Proteobacteria (~50%) in the control and hydrolyzed groups and reached 70.58% in the raw diet. The Bacteroidota phylum was the most represented and Firmicutes and Actinobacteria were close to 3% in all treatments in this tissue. However, in all three different treatments, the phyla abundance was similar in skin samples, ~90% of which corresponded to Proteobacteria. Bateroidota (5.5%–5.9%), Firmicutes (1.8%–2%) and Actinobacteria (<1%) constitute the other phyla. In gills, 13 significantly higher ASVs were obtained in the control (such as Achromobacter, Acidobacter) versus 4 whose abundance was higher in the hydrolyzed diet. The number of ASVs that differed significantly between the gill microbiota in the control vs. raw group amounted to 70, most of them being ASVs corresponding to the genus Shewanella (43) higher in the raw diet. Nevertheless, in the skin samples, Control group showed a significant increase of abundance related to Acinetobacter, Achromobacter, Pseudomonas, Shewanella, Vibrio and Sphingomonas among others. In the hydrolyzed group, the most significant abundance was associated with the genus Pseudomonas, Vibrio, Pseudoalteromonas, Ralstonia o Cutibacterium. In the case of the skin raw samples, there were ASVs corresponding to the genus Acinetobacter, Streptococcus or Pseudoalteromonas that were significantly different respect of control. Taking ASV abundance matrix for each diet and tissue, 6 co-occurrence networks were constructed. In all treatments in gills, Acinetobacter was a central genus in the network, and exhibited a negative correlation with Polaribacter. Besides, in the raw group, Polaribacter also showed negative correlation with Aeromonas, Pseudomonas and Francisellacea. This work shows that Acinetobacter has a key role in the balance of mucosa microbiota and was in co-exclusion with Polaribacter.This work was funded by research projects for young researchers, CEIMAR 2019 (Evaluation of hydrolysates of Nannochloropsis gaditana for use in high value-added finishing feed for farmed gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) (NAN2BREAM))

Economic Valuation of Health Care Services in Public Health Systems: A Study about Willingness to Pay (WTP) for Nursing Consultations

Background: Identifying the economic value assigned by users to a particular health service is of principal interest in planning the service. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perception of economic value of nursing consultation in primary care (PC) by its users. Methods and Results: Economic study using contingent valuation methodology. A total of 662 users of nursing consultation from 23 health centers were included. Data on demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, health needs, pattern of usage, and satisfaction with provided service were compiled. The validity of the response was evaluated by an explanatory mixed-effects multilevel model in order to assess the factors associated with the response according to the welfare theory. Response reliability was also evaluated. Subjects included in the study indicated an average Willingness to Pay (WTP) of €14.4 (CI 95%: €13.2–15.5; median €10) and an average Willingness to Accept [Compensation] (WTA) of €20.9 (CI 95%: €19.6–22.2; median €20). Average area income, personal income, consultation duration, home visit, and education level correlated with greater WTP. Women and older subjects showed lower WTP. Fixed parameters explained 8.41% of the residual variability, and response clustering in different health centers explained 4–6% of the total variability. The influence of income on WTP was different in each center. The responses for WTP and WTA in a subgroup of subjects were consistent when reassessed after 2 weeks (intraclass correlation coefficients 0.952 and 0.893, respectively). Conclusions: The economic value of nursing services provided within PC in a public health system is clearly perceived by its user. The perception of this value is influenced by socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the subjects and their environment, and by the unique characteristics of the evaluated service. The method of contingent valuation is useful for making explicit this perception of value of health services

Astrophysical Axion Bounds

Axion emission by hot and dense plasmas is a new energy-loss channel for stars. Observational consequences include a modification of the solar sound-speed profile, an increase of the solar neutrino flux, a reduction of the helium-burning lifetime of globular-cluster stars, accelerated white-dwarf cooling, and a reduction of the supernova SN 1987A neutrino burst duration. We review and update these arguments and summarize the resulting axion constraints.Comment: Contribution to Axion volume of Lecture Notes in Physics, 20 pages, 3 figure

Recommendations of the Spanish Antibiogram Committee (COESANT) for selecting antimicrobial agents and concentrations for in vitro susceptibility studies using automated systems

Automated antimicrobial susceptibility testing devices are widely implemented in clinical microbiology laboratories in Spain, mainly using EUCAST (European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing) breakpoints. In 2007, a group of experts published recommendations for including antimicrobial agents and selecting concentrations in these systems. Under the patronage of the Spanish Antibiogram Committee (Comité Español del Antibiograma, COESANT) and the Study Group on Mechanisms of Action and Resistance to Antimicrobial Agents (GEMARA) from the Spanish Society of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology (SEIMC), and aligned with the Spanish National Plan against Antimicrobial Resistance (PRAN), a group of experts have updated this document. The main modifications from the previous version comprise the inclusion of new antimicrobial agents, adaptation of the ranges of concentrations to cover the EUCAST breakpoints and epidemiological cut-off values (ECOFFs), and the inference of new resistance mechanisms. This proposal should be considered by different manufacturers and users when designing new panels or cards. In addition, recommendations for selective reporting are also included. With this approach, the implementation of EUCAST breakpoints will be easier, increasing the quality of antimicrobial susceptibility testing data and their microbiological interpretation. It will also benefit epidemiological surveillance studies as well as the clinical use of antimicrobials aligned with antimicrobial stewardship programs

Anisotropic flow of charged hadrons, pions and (anti-)protons measured at high transverse momentum in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=2.76\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}}=2.76 TeV

The elliptic, $v_2$, triangular, $v_3$, and quadrangular, $v_4$, azimuthal anisotropic flow coefficients are measured for unidentified charged particles, pions and (anti-)protons in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm NN}} = 2.76$ TeV with the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider. Results obtained with the event plane and four-particle cumulant methods are reported for the pseudo-rapidity range $|\eta|<0.8$ at different collision centralities and as a function of transverse momentum, $p_{\rm T}$, out to $p_{\rm T}=20$ GeV/$c$. The observed non-zero elliptic and triangular flow depends only weakly on transverse momentum for $p_{\rm T}>8$ GeV/$c$. The small $p_{\rm T}$ dependence of the difference between elliptic flow results obtained from the event plane and four-particle cumulant methods suggests a common origin of flow fluctuations up to $p_{\rm T}=8$ GeV/$c$. The magnitude of the (anti-)proton elliptic and triangular flow is larger than that of pions out to at least $p_{\rm T}=8$ GeV/$c$ indicating that the particle type dependence persists out to high $p_{\rm T}$.Comment: 16 pages, 5 captioned figures, authors from page 11, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/186

Centrality dependence of charged particle production at large transverse momentum in Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=2.76\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}} = 2.76 TeV

The inclusive transverse momentum ($p_{\rm T}$) distributions of primary charged particles are measured in the pseudo-rapidity range $|\eta|<0.8$ as a function of event centrality in Pb-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{\rm{NN}}}=2.76$ TeV with ALICE at the LHC. The data are presented in the $p_{\rm T}$ range $0.15<p_{\rm T}<50$ GeV/$c$ for nine centrality intervals from 70-80% to 0-5%. The Pb-Pb spectra are presented in terms of the nuclear modification factor $R_{\rm{AA}}$ using a pp reference spectrum measured at the same collision energy. We observe that the suppression of high-$p_{\rm T}$ particles strongly depends on event centrality. In central collisions (0-5%) the yield is most suppressed with $R_{\rm{AA}}\approx0.13$ at $p_{\rm T}=6$-7 GeV/$c$. Above $p_{\rm T}=7$ GeV/$c$, there is a significant rise in the nuclear modification factor, which reaches $R_{\rm{AA}} \approx0.4$ for $p_{\rm T}>30$ GeV/$c$. In peripheral collisions (70-80%), the suppression is weaker with $R_{\rm{AA}} \approx 0.7$ almost independently of $p_{\rm T}$. The measured nuclear modification factors are compared to other measurements and model calculations.Comment: 17 pages, 4 captioned figures, 2 tables, authors from page 12, published version, figures at http://aliceinfo.cern.ch/ArtSubmission/node/284