Neuro-fuzzy chip to handle complex tasks with analog performance

This paper presents a mixed-signal neuro-fuzzy controller chip which, in terms of power consumption, input–output delay, and precision, performs as a fully analog implementation. However, it has much larger complexity than its purely analog counterparts. This combination of performance and complexity is achieved through the use of a mixed-signal architecture consisting of a programmable analog core of reduced complexity, and a strategy, and the associated mixed-signal circuitry, to cover the whole input space through the dynamic programming of this core. Since errors and delays are proportional to the reduced number of fuzzy rules included in the analog core, they are much smaller than in the case where the whole rule set is implemented by analog circuitry. Also, the area and the power consumption of the new architecture are smaller than those of its purely analog counterparts simply because most rules are implemented through programming. The Paper presents a set of building blocks associated to this architecture, and gives results for an exemplary prototype. This prototype, called multiplexing fuzzy controller (MFCON), has been realized in a CMOS 0.7 um standard technology. It has two inputs, implements 64 rules, and features 500 ns of input to output delay with 16-mW of power consumption. Results from the chip in a control application with a dc motor are also provided

A Modular Programmable CMOS Analog Fuzzy Controller Chip

We present a highly modular fuzzy inference analog CMOS chip architecture with on-chip digital programmability. This chip consists of the interconnection of parameterized instances of two different kind of blocks, namely label blocks and rule blocks. The architecture realizes a lattice partition of the universe of discourse, which at the hardware level means that the fuzzy labels associated to every input (realized by the label blocks) are shared among the rule blocks. This reduces the area and power consumption and is the key point for chip modularity. The proposed architecture is demonstrated through a 16-rule two input CMOS 1-μm prototype which features an operation speed of 2.5 Mflips (2.5×10^6 fuzzy inferences per second) with 8.6 mW power consumption. Core area occupation of this prototype is of only 1.6 mm 2 including the digital control and memory circuitry used for programmability. Because of the architecture modularity the number of inputs and rules can be increased with any hardly design effort.This work was supported in part by the Spanish C.I.C.Y.T under Contract TIC96-1392-C02- 02 (SIVA)

Assessment of hormonal parameters in long-term karate Practitioners

Introduction: Karate is a Japanese martial art which is widely practiced in the Western world as a form of self-defense, as well as a discipline to achieve physical and mental balance.However, little is known with respect to its specific psychobiological effects, particularly in relation to the influence that karate may exert on the endocrine system. Thus, in the present study we analyzed the effects of regular karate practice on several hormonal parameters. Methods: 27 healthy volunteer subjects participated in the study, of whom 15 were allocated to the experimental group, and 12 were assigned to the control group. Experimental subjects were karate players with a minimum of 3 years of practice in this discipline. Blood samples for the quantification of hormonal parameters (TSH, T3, T4, PTH, ACTH, cortisol, and DHEA) were taken in both groups. To compare the means of the control and experimental group, a t-test for independent groups was performed in each dependent variable. Results: Significant differences between the experimental and control group were found in T3, T4, and cortisol, with karate players showing lower blood levels of these hormones than control. Conclusions: These findings reveal that long-term karate practice is associated to a significant endocrine modulation, which suggests interesting psychobiological implications, and lends itself to potential clinical considerations. Further research is needed to properly assess the scope of the peculiar hormonal profile displayed by advanced karate practitioners.Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Immune modulation after long-term karate practice

Introduction: Karate is a Japanese martial arts system which traces its roots back to China, and is nowadays widely popular both as a method of self-defense, as well as a discipline with potential physical and psychological benefits. However, karate has been scarcely investigated from a psychobiological perspective, and its effects on the immune system remain virtually unknown. Therefore, we designed the present study with the aim of analyzing the effects of several years of regular karate practice on different immune parameters. Methods: 27 healthy volunteer subjects participated in the study, 15 being allocated to the experimental group, and 12 to the control group. Experimental subjects were all karate players who had practiced this martial art for a minimum of three years. Blood samples for the quantification of immune parameters (leukocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes, IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE) were taken in both groups. As statistical analysis, a t-test for independent groups was performed in each dependent variable. Results: Compared to the control group, karate practitioners exhibited a significantly higher number of leukocytes, monocytes, and lymphocytes, as well as greater serum concentrations of IgG and IgM. Conclusions: Our findings show that long-term karate practice is related to a broad modulation of immune parameters, including leukocytes counts as well as immunoglobulin concentrations. This peculiar immunomodulatory profile, apart from its psychobiological relevance, may have noteworthy clinical implications. Further investigation would be necessary to fully elucidate the influence that long-term karate training can exert on the immune system.Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Evaluation of toxic effects of several carboxylic acids on bacterial growth by toxicodynamic modelling

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Effects of organic acids on microbial fermentation are commonly tested in investigations about metabolic behaviour of bacteria. However, they typically provide only descriptive information without modelling the influence of acid concentrations on bacterial kinetics.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We developed and applied a mathematical model (secondary model) to capture the toxicological effects of those chemicals on kinetic parameters that define the growth of bacteria in batch cultures. Thus, dose-response kinetics were performed with different bacteria (<it>Leuconostoc mesenteroides</it>, <it>Carnobacterium pisicola</it>, <it>Escherichia coli</it>, <it>Bacillus subtilis </it>and <it>Listonella anguillarum</it>) exposed at increasing concentrations of individual carboxylic acids (formic, acetic, propionic, butyric and lactic). In all bioassays the acids affected the maximum bacterial load (<it>X_m</it>) and the maximum growth rate (<it>v_m</it>) but only in specific cases the lag phase (λ) was modified. Significance of the parameters was always high and in all fermentations the toxicodynamic equation was statistically consistent and had good predictability. The differences between D and L-lactic acid effects were significant for the growth of <it>E. coli</it>, <it>L. mesenteroides </it>and <it>C. piscicola</it>. In addition, a global parameter (<it>EC</it>_50,τ) was used to compare toxic effects and provided a realistic characterization of antimicrobial agents using a single value.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The effect of several organic acids on the growth of different bacteria was accurately studied and perfectly characterized by a bivariate equation which combines the basis of dose-response theory with microbial growth kinetics (secondary model). The toxicity of carboxylic acids was lower with the increase of the molecular weight of these chemicals.</p

Densidad de mysis de Penaeus aztecus Ives, 1891 en un arrecife del suroeste del Golfo de México

Background. The Parque Nacional Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano (PNSAV) is in the southern Gulf of Mexico and supports an important shrimp fishery based on three species of Dendrobranchiata: the brown shrimp, Penaeus aztecus, the white shrimp, P. setiferus and the pink shrimp, P. duorarum. Objective. Analyze the distribution and abundance of P. aztecus during the mysis stage and determine its relationship with environmental factors in the PNSAV. Methods. We measured temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen in situ. The planktonic samples from four transects were collected during cold fronts and rainy weather conditions from 2011 to 2013. Results. In rainy conditions the temperature varied from 27.49 ± 0.46 to 29.98 ± 0.02°C, salinity from 32.18 ± 0.06 to 35.40 ± 0.52, and dissolved oxygen from 3.64 ± 0.13 to 6.18 ± 0.64 mgL-1; during cold fronts the temperature varied from 23.21 ± 0.05 to 25.74 ± 0.37 °C, salinity from 34.59 ± 0.39 to 35.84 ± 0.17, and dissolved oxygen from 4.04 ± 0.06 to 6.02 ± mgL-1. The highest average density with 6,938 ± 326 mysis 100 m−3, was found during rainy season in 2011 in the southern transect nearshore, followed by 3,321 ± 339 mysis 100 m−3 in the offshoresouth-central transect during cold fronts weather conditions in 2013, and 3,056 ± 236 mysis 100 m−3 in the south-central foreshore transect during cold fronts weather condition in 2011. Conclusions. The highest density of P. aztecus during mysis stage was recorded in southward foreshore area from PNSAV, during rainy conditions and related to large values of dissolved oxygen concentrations.Antecedentes. El Parque Nacional Sistema Arrecifal Veracruzano (PNSAV) está ubicado en el sur del Golfo de México y soporta una importante pesquería de camarones basada en tres especies de Dendrobranchiata: el camarón café, Penaeus aztecus, el camarón blanco, P. setiferus y el camarón rosado, P duorarum. Objetivo. Analizar la distribución y abundancia de P. aztecus en estadio de mysis y determinar su relación con los factores ambientales en el PNSAV. Métodos. Se midió la temperatura, la salinidad y el oxígeno disuelto in situ. Se recolectaron muestras planctónicas de cuatro transectos durante frentes fríos y condiciones climáticas lluviosas de 2011 a 2013. Resultados. La temperatura varió de 27.49 ± 0.46 a 29.98 ± 0.02 °C, la salinidad de 32.18 ± 0.06 a 35.40 ± 0.52 y el oxígeno disuelto de 3.64 ± 0.13 a 6.18 ± 0.64 mgL-1 en época de lluvias. Durante los frentes fríos, la temperatura varió de 23.21 ± 0.05 a 25.74 ± 0.37 °C, la salinidad de 34.59 ± 0.39 a 35.84 ± 0.17 y el oxígeno disuelto de 4.04 ± 0.06 a 6.02 ± mgL-1. La densidad media más alta fue de 6,938 ± 326 mysis 100 m−3, que se encontró durante las lluvias en 2011 en el transecto sur, cercano a la costa, seguido por 3,321 ± 339 mysis 100 m−3 en el transecto centro-sur, costa afuera durante los frentes fríos en 2,013 y 3,056 ± 236 mysis 100 m−3 en el transecto centro-sur durante los frentes fríos en 2011, en la zona de la costa. Conclusiones. La mayor densidad de mysis de P. aztecus se registró en la zona de playa al sur del PNSAV, durante las condiciones de lluvia y se relacionó con el aumento de las concentraciones del oxígeno disuelto.&nbsp

Influence of Multiple Conformations and Paths on Rate Constants and Product Branching Ratios. Thermal Decomposition of 1-Propanol Radicals

The potential energy surface involved in the thermal decomposition of 1-propanol radicals was investigated in detail using automated codes (tsscds2018 and Q2DTor). From the predicted elementary reactions, a relevant reaction network was constructed to study the decomposition at temperatures in the range 1000–2000 K. Specifically, this relevant network comprises 18 conformational reaction channels (CRCs), which in general exhibit a large wealth of conformers of reactants and transition states. Rate constants for all the CRCs were calculated using two approaches within the formulation of variational transition-state theory (VTST), as incorporated in the TheRa program. The simplest, one-well (1W) approach considers only the most stable conformer of the reactant and that of the transition state. In the second, more accurate approach, contributions from all the reactant and transition-state conformers are taken into account using the multipath (MP) formulation of VTST. In addition, kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations were performed to compute product branching ratios. The results show significant differences between the values of the rate constants calculated with the two VTST approaches. In addition, the KMC simulations carried out with the two sets of rate constants indicate that, depending on the radical considered as reactant, the 1W and the MP approaches may display different qualitative pictures of the whole decomposition processThis work was partially supported by the Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Ordenación Universitaria e da Consellería de Economía, Emprego e Industria (Axuda para Consolidación e Estructuración de unidades de investigación competitivas do Sistema Universitario de Galicia, Xunta de Galicia ED431C 2017/17 & Centro singular de investigación de Galicia acreditación 2016-2019, ED431G/09), the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad of Spain (Research Grant No CTQ2014-58617-R), and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). D.F.-C. also thanks Xunta de Galicia for financial support through a postdoctoral grant. The authors thank “Centro de Supercomputación de Galicia (CESGA)” for the use of their computational facilitiesS

Endometriosis umbilical.

La endometriosis umbilical es la forma clínica más común de endometriosis extrapélvica y el tipo más habitual de endometriosis cutánea. Puede ser primaria o secundaria. Las endometriosis umbilicales secundarias se producen sobre cicatrices de laparotomías o laparoscopias en las que ha habido exposición al tejido endometrial. La endometriosis umbilical es relativamente rara, pero se debe tener en cuenta al realizar el diagnóstico diferencial de lesiones de localización umbilical. Presentamos un caso de endometriosis umbilical en una mujer de 39 años sin antecedentes de cirugía abdominal previa.Umbilical endometriosis is the most common clinical form of extrapelvic and cutaneous endometriosis and can be primary or secondary. Secondary umbilical endometriosis is produced in surgical scars from laparotomy or laparoscopy with exposure to endometrial tissue. Umbilical endometriosis is a rare disease but must be considered in the differential diagnosis of an umbilical node. We report a case of umbilical endometriosis in a 39-year-old woman without previous abdominal surgery

Optimization of an Ultrasound-Assisted Extraction Method Applied to the Extraction of Flavonoids from Moringa Leaves (Moringa oleifera Lam.)

Interest in phenolic compounds has recently increased due to their potential as antioxidant agents. Moringa leaves (Moringa oleifera) have a high content of phenolic compounds, which presents them as a promising source for the extraction of these compounds. However, it is necessary to use analytical techniques to identify and quantify their actual compound content to determine the quality of the raw material and the potential of the final product. Ultrasound assisted extraction is a green, rapid and environmentally friendly extraction technique that produces high quality extracts from natural products. Hence, the aim of this research is to optimize the variables of the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) process for the extraction of moringa leaves using response surface methodology (RSM) to extract the main flavonoids using methanol as the extraction solvent. A Box-Behnken design (BBD) has been used to evaluate the effect of the ultrasound extraction process variables. Finally, the optimal extraction time in the range between 2 and 30 min was determined. The results revealed that the methanol concentration was the most influential variable. The optimal extraction time was established at 15 min. Six of the main flavonoids were quantified by UHPLC-DAD and identified by UHPLC-QToF-MS. The results confirmed that UAE is an efficient method for the extraction and subsequent analysis and quality control of the flavonoids that can be found in moringa leaves

Visual Magreb

Memoria ID-130. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2019-2020.[ES]Los alumnos adquirirán conocimientos sobre la geografía, historia, diversidad religiosa y social del Magreb, y competencias tecnológicas mediante el montaje de videos sencillos y el uso de bancos de imágenes, sonidos y contenido multimedia, para desarrollar la comprensión y expresión oral en otros idiomas, especialmente el árab