Recurrence relations and vector equilibrium problems arising from a model of non-intersecting squared Bessel paths

In this paper we consider the model of $n$ non-intersecting squared Bessel processes with parameter $\alpha$, in the confluent case where all particles start, at time $t=0$, at the same positive value $x=a$, remain positive, and end, at time $T=t$, at the position $x=0$. The positions of the paths have a limiting mean density as $n\to\infty$ which is characterized by a vector equilibrium problem. We show how to obtain this equilibrium problem from different considerations involving the recurrence relations for multiple orthogonal polynomials associated with the modified Bessel functions. We also extend the situation by rescaling the parameter $\alpha$, letting it increase proportionally to $n$ as $n$ increases. In this case we also analyze the recurrence relation and obtain a vector equilibrium problem for it.Comment: 28 pages, 10 figure

The Genetics Of Mosquito Heat-Seeking Behavior

Temperature is a highly dynamic feature of the world, and one that deeply affects living things. Organisms have evolved sophisticated sensory-­motor systems to detect and avoid excessive heat or cold—a behavior termed thermotaxis. In rare cases, however, animals use thermosensation not only to regulate their body temperature, but also to locate food sources in their environment. One example of such an adaptation is found in the female Aedes aegypti mosquito, which becomes attracted to the body heat of endothermic (“warm-­blooded”) hosts when in pursuit of a blood meal. Mosquitoes are remarkably adept at finding hosts in their environment and have become major vectors of human disease, but much remains to be understood about the ethology and sensory neurogenetics of this notorious insect. In this thesis, we used high-­throughput quantitative behavioral assays and genome-­editing techniques to investigate the behavioral rules and molecular basis of mosquito thermotaxis. We have found that female Aedes aegypti are exquisitely sensitive to thermal contrast, and are capable of heat-­seeking in diverse ambient environmental temperatures. By seeking relative warmth and avoiding relative cool, mosquitoes can thermotax towards heated targets. However, mosquitoes also avoid stimuli exceeding the body temperature of their hosts. In this manner, Ae. aegypti are maximally attracted to thermal stimuli approximating endothermic hosts such as humans. We have discovered that the insect thermosensor TRPA1, in addition to playing conserved roles in thermoregulation and chemosensation, is important for thermotactic tuning of heat-­seeking. AaegTRPA1-­/-­ mutant mosquitoes fail to avoid high-­temperature stimuli, and do not distinguish between thermal targets that resemble hosts and those that are inappropriately hot. This AaegTRPA1-­dependent tuning of thermotaxis may be critical for mosquitoes host-­seeking in a complex thermal environment in which hosts are warmer than ambient air, but cooler than surrounding sun-­warmed surfaces. These results demonstrate that evolutionarily conserved thermosensors, conventionally used for maintaining thermoregulatory homeostasis, can be repurposed by blood-­feeding arthropods to help locate and recognize the thermal signatures of their hosts. Our characterization of the behavioral strategies underlying heat-­seeking also helps to establish mosquitoes as a promising model system for the study of thermosensation and thermotaxis. These efforts may inform the design of next-­generation repellents and traps for the control mosquito-­borne diseases

Weakly-entangled states are dense and robust

Motivated by the mathematical definition of entanglement we undertake a rigorous analysis of the separability and non-distillability properties in the neighborhood of those three-qubit mixed states which are entangled and completely bi-separable. Our results are not only restricted to this class of quantum states, since they rest upon very general properties of mixed states and Unextendible Product Bases for any possible number of parties. Robustness against noise of the relevant properties of these states implies the significance of their possible experimental realization, therefore being of physical -and not exclusively mathematical- interest.Comment: 4 pages, final version, accepted for publication in PR

¿Es la globalización consecuencia necesaria de las nuevas tecnologías de la información? El caso de la televisión

El capítulo es parte de una obra sobre diversas aproximaciones al fenómeno de la globalización desde diversas perspectivas. Este capítulo trata de mostrar que el uso de las tecnologías vinculadas al proceso de digitalización de la televisión no supone necesariamente fomento de la globalización

Los bosquetes de los khaloa (morabitos) del Rif, Atlas Medio y región del Sus de Marruecos

La franja del norte de África está salpicada de pequeños santuarios en los que se encuentran los restos de hombres de clara significación en la historia local o regional. Estos lugares se distinguen bien en el territorio por la cubierta vegetal que suele acompañarlos, fruto del espíritu devoto de respeto que tienen hacia ellos los habitantes de la zona. El origen de los mismos se encuentra en los altares del politeísmo preislámico y precristiano. En diversas campañas se ha muestreado un pequeño grupo de estos khaloas (marabuts o morabitos) en las principales cadenas montañosas de Marruecos, tomando en consideración ciertos parámetros ambientales y biológicos. El clima parece ser el principal responsable de la entidad de la cubierta vegetal que rodea las construcciones. El Rif es la zona marroquí que mantiene las mejores masas arbóreas de los morabitos, pudiéndose hallar árboles de una envergadura impresionante. Se ha profundizado en el estudio en una caracterización de un grupo de 24 marabuts de la región Jbala del Rif occidental, su riqueza florística y de sus dimensiones espaciales, en un intento de definir una tipología de los mismos. La realidad de hoy no puede asegurar la persistencia de estas islas del paisaje porque las corrientes de los grupos más extremistas no toleran a los intermediarios en la liturgia.The strip of North Africa is sprinkled of small sanctuaries in which are the rests of men of clear meaning in local or regional history. These places are clearly distinguished by the vegetal cover that usually accompanies them, fruit of the devotee spirit of respect shown by local inhabitants. The origin of these khaloas is in the altars of preIslamic and preChristian politeism. In several field campaigns, a small group of khaloas has been sampled in the main mountainous chains of Morocco, taking into consideration certain environmental and biological parameters. Climate seems to be the main factor controlling the composition and structure of the vegetal cover surrounding these constructions. The Rif is the Moroccan zone maintaining the best arboreal masses in khaloas, which commonly shelter monumental trees. We have carried out a detailed study of 24 khaloas in the Region of Jbala (western Rif), in an attempt to define khaloas tipologies based on floristic richness and structure. Current socio-cultural conditions cannot assure the persistence of these islands in the landscape because most extremist groups do not tolerate intermediaries in their liturgy.Trabajo realizado mediante un proyecto conjunto de colaboración financiado por la Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional (AECI-PCI Hispano-Marroquí). Proyecto nº 19/03/P

Trends and Investigation requests on Children Communication

La Asociación Infancia y Comunicación (Kids&com) se ha propuesto la promoción de números monográficos en revistas científicas de prestigio que den cuenta de la tarea investigadora que muchos grupos de investigación están desarrollando. Con esa finalidad se publicó en 2014 un monográfico en la revista Comunicar coordinado por las Dras. García Galera y Valdivia (2014) sobre prosumidores mediáticos. En esa línea, ve ahora la luz en la Revista Mediterránea de Comunicación esta colección de investigaciones que hemos titulado “Infancia y Comunicación. Tendencias y demandas de investigación”

La delimitación del derecho a la intimidad en función de los actos previos del ofendido ante la opinión pública

Se propone la delimitación del derecho a la intimidad en función de los actos previos realizados por la persona que reclama el derecho a la intimidad. Cada ciudadano decide con sus actos hasta dónde llega su intimidad. Y será el ordenamiento jurídico y los tribunales de justicia quienes faciliten los procedimientos para defender la intimidad en función de lo que cada persona haya delimitado