Shack - Hartmann spot dislocation map determination using an optical flow method

We present a robust, dense, and accurate Shack-Hartmann spot dislocation map determination method based on a regularized optical flow algorithm that does not require obtaining the spot centroids. The method is capable to measure in presence of strong noise, background illumination and spot modulating signals, which are typical limiting factors of traditional centroid detection algorithms. Moreover, the proposed approach is able to face cases where some of the reference beam spots have not a corresponding one in the distorted Hartmann diagram, and it can expand the dynamic range of the Shack-Hartmann sensor unwrapping the obtained dense dislocation maps. We have tested the algorithm with both simulations and experimental data obtaining satisfactory results. A complete MATLAB package that can reproduce all the results can be downloaded from [http://goo.gl/XbZVOr]

Recapturas de Chorlitejo patinegro (Charadrius alexandrinus) en el delta del Llobregat (Barcelona, NE Spain)

Es detallen dues recaptures d'ocells anellats prèviament al delta del Llobregat: una femella reproductora controlada durant dues estacions seguides, i un ocell anellat com a poll i recapturat com a femella reproductora dos anys més tard. Aquestes dades i l'observació d'un ocell anellat a l'hivern suggereixen que les poblacions mediterranies mostren certa fidelitat al lloc de cria i filopatria. Això concorda amb la informació disponible per a altres àrees

Modeling and analysis of random and stochastic input flows in the chemostat model

In this paper we study a new way to model noisy input flows in the chemostat model, based on the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process. We introduce a parameter β as drift in the Langevin equation, that allows to bridge a gap between a pure Wiener process, which is a common way to model random disturbances, and no noise at all. The value of the parameter β is related to the amplitude of the deviations observed on the realizations. We show that this modeling approach is well suited to represent noise on an input variable that has to take non-negative values for almost any time.European Commission (EC). Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER)Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO). EspañaJunta de Andalucí

Insights on the acting role of Martian atmosphere in the fragmentation pathways of organic and C-containing inorganic compounds using LIBS

In the present work, a preliminary fundamental study about the influence of background gas in Martian surface conditions (CO2, P=7 mbar) on the formation of emitting species in laser-induced plasmas of ablated C-containing compounds was performed. Results were compared with those obtained using ambient air as surrounding gas of irradiated samples. Energy thresholds were evaluated for excited atomic and molecular species of interest resulting in the plasma using a home-made LIBS system coupled to a pressure chamber for simulating Martian environment during the analysis of samples. Inorganic salts as calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate besides pyrene as organic reference compound were analyzed in order to discern the origin of C-containing species coexisting in the plasma plume (C, C2 and CN, mainly). Results from acquired emission spectra shed light on the different carbon sources of emitting species as a function of energetic and pressure conditions.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Efficiency at maximum power of a discrete feedback ratchet

Efficiency at maximum power is found to be of the same order for a feedback ratchet and for its open-loop counterpart. However, feedback increases the output power up to a factor of five. This increase in output power is due to the increase in energy input and the effective entropy reduction obtained as a consequence of feedback. Optimal efficiency at maximum power is reached for time intervals between feedback actions two orders of magnitude smaller than the characteristic time of diffusion over a ratchet period length. The efficiency is computed consistently taking into account the correlation between the control actions. We consider a feedback control protocol for a discrete feedback flashing ratchet, which works against an external load. We maximize the power output optimizing the parameters of the ratchet, the controller, and the external load. The maximum power output is found to be upper bounded, so the attainable extracted power is limited. After, we compute an upper bound for the efficiency of this isothermal feedback ratchet at maximum power output. We make this computation applying recent developments of the thermodynamics of feedback-controlled systems, which give an equation to compute the entropy reduction due to information. However, this equation requires the computation of the probability of each of the possible sequences of the controller's actions. This computation becomes involved when the sequence of the controller's actions is non-Markovian, as is the case in most feedback ratchets. We here introduce an alternative procedure to set strong bounds to the entropy reduction in order to compute its value. In this procedure the bounds are evaluated in a quasi-Markovian limit, which emerge when there are big differences between the stationary probabilities of the system states. These big differences are an effect of the potential strength, which minimizes the departures from the Markovianicity of the sequence of control actions, allowing also to minimize the departures from the optimal performance of the system. This procedure can be applied to other feedback ratchets and, more in general, to other control systems

La disparidad de fijación: concepto y manejo clínico

La diferencia de alineación de los ejes visuales en la Disparidad de Fijación en la gran mayoría de situaciones se produce como un efecto fisiológico no produciendo sintomatología al paciente. Sin embargo, existen ciertas situaciones en las que la Disparidad de Fijación sí que produce sintomatología al paciente, produciéndose como consecuencia del estrés de los sistemas de vergencia y acomodativo con el objetivo de mantener la visión binocular. Existen además evidencias científicas de que determinados hábitos de lectura, patologías como las migrañas y pacientes disléxicos con problemas de lectura y de aprendizaje pueden observar un incremento significativo de la Disparidad de Fijación, estando asociados a Disparidades de Fijación anormales. Debido a la información que proporciona la medida de la Disparidad de Fijación resulta de especial interés la cuantificación de la misma en la práctica clínica, existiendo en la actualidad diferentes tests y dispositivos clínicos que se utilizan comúnmente para la medida de la Disparidad de Fijación, como la Curva de Vergencias Forzadas, el Disparómetro de Sheedy, la Unidad de Mallet y la Carta de Wesson entre otros

Modelos epistemológicos de referencia en el análisis de la actividad matemática en libros de texto: el caso del número en la escuela infantil

El análisis de los procesos de transposición didáctica es un importante dominio de investigación en didáctica de las matemáticas. En este artículo planteamos la necesidad del investigador de elaborar sus propios modelos epistemológicos de referencia cuando aborda el análisis de procesos transpositivos. En particular, nos centramos en la enseñanza y el aprendizaje del “número” en la Educación Infantil. Proponemos un modelo epistemológico alternativo del número en dicha institución, que utilizamos para el análisis de manuales escolares, identificando algunos problemas y fenómenos didácticos