Domain wall description of superconductivity

In the present work we shall address the issue of electrical conductivity in superconductors in the perspective of superconducting domain wall solutions in the realm of field theory. We take our set up made out of a dynamical complex scalar field coupled to gauge field to be responsible for superconductivity and an extra scalar real field that plays the role of superconducting domain walls. The temperature of the system is interpreted through the fact that the soliton following accelerating orbits is a Rindler observer experiencing a thermal bath.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures, Latex. Version to appear in PL

Asymmetrical bloch branes and the hierarchy problem

We investigate a two scalar fields split braneworld model which leads to a possible approach to the hierarchy problem within the thick brane scenario. The model exhibits a resulting asymmetric warp factor suitable for this purpose. The solution is obtained by means of the orbit equation approach for a specific value of one of the parameters. Besides, we analyze the model qualitative behaviour for arbitrary parameters by inspecting the underlying dynamical system defined by the equations which give rise to the braneworld model. We finalize commenting on the metric fluctuation and stability issues.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figure

Smart mobility: a survey

Internet of Things (IoT) describes a world where everyday objects are always connected to the Internet, allowing them to communicate and interact with each other. By connecting these everyday objects to the Internet and making them available everywhere at any time, IoT allows to remotely monitor, manage, and gather status information about them and their surrounding environment. IoT is a revolutionary concept that brought new experiences to everyday life and enabled Smart City initiatives all over the world. These initiatives are using a combination of technology paired with physical infrastructure and services, to improve people's quality of life. One of the high-priority domain to support the Smart City's vision is the field of Smart Mobility. This paper reviews the current IoT approaches and concepts related to Smart Cities and Smart Mobility. In addition, it analyzes distinct features and numerous applications covering both Intelligent Transportation and Real Time Traffic Management Systems

The gut microbiota, bile acids and their correlation in primary sclerosing cholangitis associated with inflammatory bowel disease.

BACKGROUND: Patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis associated with inflammatory bowel disease (PSC-IBD) have a very high risk of developing colorectal neoplasia. Alterations in the gut microbiota and/or gut bile acids could account for the increase in this risk. However, no studies have yet investigated the net result of cholestasis and a potentially altered bile acid pool interacting with a dysbiotic gut flora in the inflamed colon of PSC-IBD. AIM: The aim of this study was to compare the gut microbiota and stool bile acid profiles, as well as and their correlation in patients with PSC-IBD and inflammatory bowel disease alone. METHODS: Thirty patients with extensive colitis (15 with concomitant primary sclerosing cholangitis) were prospectively recruited and fresh stool samples were collected. The microbiota composition in stool was profiled using bacterial 16S rRNA sequencing. Stool bile acids were assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: The total stool bile acid pool was significantly reduced in PSC-IBD. Although no major differences were observed in the individual bile acid species in stool, their overall combination allowed a good separation between PSC-IBD and inflammatory bowel disease. Compared with inflammatory bowel disease alone, PSC-IBD patients demonstrated a different gut microbiota composition with enrichment in Ruminococcus and Fusobacterium genus compared with inflammatory bowel disease. At the operational taxonomic unit level major shifts were observed within the Firmicutes (73%) and Bacteroidetes phyla (17%). Specific microbiota-bile acid correlations were observed in PSC-IBD, where 12% of the operational taxonomic units strongly correlated with stool bile acids, compared with only 0.4% in non-PSC-IBD. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with PSC-IBD had distinct microbiota and microbiota-stool bile acid correlations as compared with inflammatory bowel disease. Whether these changes are associated with, or may predispose to, an increased risk of colorectal neoplasia needs to be further clarified.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Overview of context-sensitive technologies for well-being

Today smart devices such as smartphones, smartwatches and activity trackers are widely available and accepted in most developed societies. These devices present a broad set of sensors capable of extracting detailed information about different situations of daily life, which, if used for good, have the potential to improve the quality of life not only for individuals but also for the society in general. One of the key areas where this type of information can help to improve the quality of life is in healthcare since it allows to monitor and infer the current level of well-being of the smart devices carriers. In this paper, some of the available literature about well-being sensing through context-aware data is reviewed. Also, the main types of mechanisms used in these studies are identified. These mechanisms are related to monitoring, generalization, inference, feedback, energy management and privacy. Furthermore, a description of the mechanisms used in each study is presented.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Stochastic petri-net models to predict the degradation of ceramic claddings

A stochastic Petri-net formalism is proposed to predict the degradation of ceramic claddings over time in order to understand how different environmental exposure conditions contribute to the overall degradation of these claddings. For that purpose, the degradation condition of 195 ceramic claddings located in Lisbon, Portugal, is evaluated through in situ visual inspections. In the first part of the study, a stochastic deterioration Petri-net model is proposed for the entire sample. In the second part, the original sample is divided according to the environmental exposure conditions, evaluating the influence of these conditions on the deterioration process of ceramic claddings. Four main degradation agents are analyzed: exposure to moisture; distance from the sea; orientation; and wind–rain action. The results reveal that Petri nets can accurately describe the deterioration process of ceramic claddings, providing relevant information regarding the performance of these claddings through their life cycle and according to the environmental exposure conditions to which they are subject. These results are extremely relevant for different practitioners: the approach allows the adoption of more sustainable and durable solutions at the design stage, as well as improving the durability of the ceramic claddings by performing optimized maintenance plans and strategies