Vanishing Abelian integrals on zero-dimensional cycles

In this paper we study conditions for the vanishing of Abelian integrals on families of zero-dimensional cycles. That is, for any rational function $f(z)$, characterize all rational functions $g(z)$ and zero-sum integers $\{n_i\}$ such that the function $t\mapsto\sum n_ig(z_i(t))$ vanishes identically. Here $z_i(t)$ are continuously depending roots of $f(z)-t$. We introduce a notion of (un)balanced cycles. Our main result is an inductive solution of the problem of vanishing of Abelian integrals when $f,g$ are polynomials on a family of zero-dimensional cycles under the assumption that the family of cycles we consider is unbalanced as well as all the cycles encountered in the inductive process. We also solve the problem on some balanced cycles. The main motivation for our study is the problem of vanishing of Abelian integrals on single families of one-dimensional cycles. We show that our problem and our main result are sufficiently rich to include some related problems, as hyper-elliptic integrals on one-cycles, some applications to slow-fast planar systems, and the polynomial (and trigonometric) moment problem for Abel equation. This last problem was recently solved by Pakovich and Muzychuk (\cite{PM} and \cite{P}). Our approach is largely inspired by their work, thought we provide examples of vanishing Abelian integrals on zero-cycles which are not given as a sum of composition terms contrary to the situation in the solution of the polynomial moment problem.Comment: 35 pages, 1 figure; one reference added; abstract, introduction and structure change

Implementación European Credit Transfer System en un curso de Programación en Ingeniería = European Credit Transfer System implementation in an Introduction to Programming Course for a Mechanical Engineering Degree

Los autores documentan en este artículo el proceso de adaptación a una metodología acorde con los créditos ECTS dentro de una asignatura de introducción a la Programación de ordenadores para ingenieros, equiparable a la que existe en los primeros cursos de las ingenierías superiores de corte más industrial (Ingeniería Industrial, Ingeniería de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Ingeniería Aeronáutica, Ingeniería de Minas e Ingeniería Naval y Oceánica). Para ese proceso de adaptación se han tomado como referencia los modelos de madurez del proceso (CMM) de Ingeniería del Software y se han adaptado estos modelos, sustituyendo los procesos de elaboración de software por los formativos. Se documenta el proceso tratando de que éste sea repetible y sobre todo evaluable por agentes externos. Mientras que la mayoría de las experiencias de adaptación se centran en cuestiones relativas a la cuantificación del esfuerzo realizado por los estudiantes, en este caso se ha querido aprovechar esta oportunidad para realizar una transformación metodológica profunda, incorporando la evaluación a toda la intervención educativa. Se describe con detalle el tipo de evaluación realizada, la cual contempla la realización de un portafolio, el trabajo en grupo, la ponderación explícita de la participación y que no excluye por principio la posibilidad de aprobar sólo mediante un examen final. Se presentan resultados comparativos respecto a cursos anteriores, y correlaciones entre la evaluación ECTS y la basada simplemente en el examen. Los resultados son interesantes y sugieren que estamos cerca de completar el nivel Definido en la escala CMM. In this article, a process of adaptation to an ECTS-type methodology is documented in the context of an introductory programming course for mechanical engineers, similar to the one that exists in the initial years of more industrially-oriented engineering degrees (civil engineering, construction engineering, aeronautical engineering, mining engineering, and naval architecture and offshore engineering). For this adaptation process,Capability Maturing Models (CMM) from Software Engineering have been taken as moulds, adapting them by substituting software elaboration processes by pedagogical ones.The process is documented in a way that can be replicated and assessed by external consultants.While the majority of the ECTS adaptation experiences focus on quantifying the students' efforts, in this case, the authors have taken advantage of this opportunity to perform a profound methodological transformation, incorporating the assessment to the whole learning-teaching activity. The assessment technique is described in detail and it comprises the compiling of a portfolio, group work and explicit student participation assessment. It does not exclude on principle the possibility of passing simply via a final exam. Comparative results with previous academic years are presented, as well as correlations between ECTS assessment and marks based on the final exam. Results are interesting, suggesting we are not far from completing the CMM defined level

Software matemático aplicado a la docencia

La publicación del presente manual forma parte de las actividades desarrolladas durante el curso 2009/10 por el grupo de innovación docente (GID) ʺSoftware Matemático Aplicado a la Docencia (SMAD)ʺ financiado en convocatoria competitiva por el Vicerrectorado de Calidad y Formación Continua de la Universidad de Extremadura y coordinado por D. Ignacio Ojeda Martínez de Castilla.El objetivo de este manual es presentar los tutoriales de los programas Octave/MATLAB (cálculo científico y visualización de datos), R (cálculo estadístico y generación de gráficos) y MAXIMA (cálculo simbólico y numérico) y prácticas, tanto en los ficheros pdf como en los ficheros originales TEX, y ponerlas a disposición de la comunidad universitaria, para que aquellos docentes universitarios que puedan necesitarlos tengan acceso a ellas y puedan adaptarlas a sus necesidades.The objective of this manual is to introduce you to the tutorials of the programs Octave/MATLAB (scientific computing and visualization of data), R (statistical calculus and generation of graphics) and MAXIMA (symbolic computation and numerical calculation) and practice in both pdf files as in the original TEX files, and make them available to the university community, so that those academics who may need it have access to them and can adapt it to their needs

Identification and functional analysis of missense mutations in the lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase gene in a Chilean patient with hypoalphalipoproteinemia

Lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) is a plasma enzyme that esterifies cholesterol in high- and low-density lipoproteins (HDL and LDL). Mutations in LCAT gene causes familial LCAT deficiency, which is characterized by very low plasma HDL-cholesterol levels (Hypoalphalipoproteinemia), corneal opacity and anemia, among other lipid-related traits. Our aim is to evaluate clinical/biochemical features of a Chilean family with a proband showing clinical signs of familial LCAT deficiency, as well as to identify and assess the functional effects of LCAT mutations. LCAT sequencing identified rare p.V333 M and p.M404 V missense mutations in compound heterozygous state in the proband, as well the common synonymous p.L363 L variant. LCAT protein was detected in proband’s plasma, but with undetectable enzyme activity compared to control relatives. HEK-293 T transfected cells with vector expression plasmids containing either p.M404 V or p.V333 M cDNA showed detectable LCAT protein expression both in supernatants and lysates from cultured cells, but with much lower enzyme activity compared to cells transfected with the wild-type sequence. Bioinformatic analyses also supported a causal role of such rare variations in LCAT lack of function. Additionally, the proband carried the minor allele of the synonymous p.L363 L variant. However, this variant is unlikely to affect the clinical phenotype of the proband given its relatively high frequency in the Chilean population (4%) and its small putative effect on plasma HDL-cholesterol levels. Conclusion: Genetic, biochemical, in vitro and in silico analyses indicate that the rare mutations p.M404 V and p. V333 M in LCAT gene lead to suppression of LCAT enzyme activity and cause clinical features of familial LCAT deficiency.This work was supported by Proyecto FONDECYT 1150416 and Proyecto Interdisciplina VRI-PUC II15024 from the Dirección de Investigación, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Genotyping of GOCS was performed in the in the Human Genotyping laboratory at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre, a member of CeGen (PRB2-ISCIII), and was supported by grant PT13/ 0001/0005 of PE I + D + i 2013-2016 funded by ISCIII and ERDF (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional). This research was partially supported by the supercomputing infrastructure of the NLHPC (ECM-02). L.V. and C.B. were supported by VRI, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (Proyecto Investigación Interdisciplinaria VRI-PUC II15024). TG was supported by “Beca de Magíster Nacional” CONICYT. L.V. was additionally supported by FONDECYT postdoctoral grant 3170038. We express our gratitude to the proband and relatives

La gestión de la inteligencia artificial en los contextos universitarios iberoamericanos

La Asamblea General de la RedAGE aprobó la realización de una publicación sobre la gestión de la Inteligencia Artificial (IA) en contextos universitarios. Este documento, parte de la Colección de Testimonios de la RedAGE, aborda cómo la IA puede afectar aspectos curriculares, organizativos y de investigación en las universidades latinoamericanas

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Revista de educación

Monográfico con el título: El análisis de la interacción alumno-profesor: líneas de investigación. Resumen basado en el de la publicaciónSe presenta el proceso de adaptación a una metodología acorde con los créditos ECTS dentro de una asignatura de introducción a la Programación de ordenadores para ingenieros, equiparable a la que existe en los primeros cursos de las ingenierías superiores de corte más industrial (Ingeniería Industrial, Ingeniería de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Ingeniería Aeronáutica, Ingeniería de Minas e Ingeniería Naval y Oceánica). Para ese proceso de adaptación se han tomado como referencia los modelos de madurez del proceso (CMM) de Ingeniería del Software y se han adaptado estos modelos, sustituyendo los procesos de elaboración de software por los formativos. Se documenta el proceso tratando de que éste sea repetible y sobre todo evaluable por agentes externos. Mientras que la mayoría de las experiencias de adaptación se centran en cuestiones relativas a la cuantificación del esfuerzo realizado por los estudiantes, en este caso se ha querido aprovechar esta oportunidad para realizar una transformación metodológica profunda, incorporando la evaluación a toda la intervención educativa. Se describe con detalle el tipo de evaluación realizada, la cual contempla la realización de un portafolio, el trabajo en grupo, la ponderación explícita de la participación y que no excluye por principio la posibilidad de aprobar sólo mediante un examen final. Se presentan resultados comparativos respecto a cursos anteriores, y correlaciones entre la evaluación ECTS y la basada simplemente en el examen. Los resultados son interesantes y sugieren que estamos cerca de completar el nivel Definido en la escala CMM.MadridBiblioteca de Educación del Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte; Calle San Agustín, 5 - 3 Planta; 28014 Madrid; Tel. +34917748000; [email protected]

Aproximación actual a la infección por Helicobacter pylori

Helicobacter pylori es ampliamente reconocida por su altavirulencia y patogenicidad, la severidad de las consecuenciasde su infecci&oacute;n en los seres humanos, y las complejidadesde su manejo cl&iacute;nico. La infecci&oacute;n por Helicobacterpylori (IHP) adem&aacute;s es altamente prevalente a nivel mundial,en particular en los pa&iacute;ses en v&iacute;as de desarrollo. La granmayor&iacute;a de la morbilidad asociada a la IHP deriva de su tendenciaa la cronificaci&oacute;n; siendo cl&aacute;sicas en este sentido laspatolog&iacute;as gastroduodenales, en particular relacionadas conla dispepsia, incluyendo gastritis, &uacute;lceras p&eacute;pticas, enfermedadpor reflujo gastroesof&aacute;gico y el c&aacute;ncer g&aacute;strico (CG);adem&aacute;s de numerosas complicaciones extrag&aacute;stricas. Estascaracter&iacute;sticas condicionan que la IHP sea una condici&oacute;ngravemente costosa, ligada a gastos financieros exorbitantesatribuibles a costos m&eacute;dicos directos e indirectos. Adem&aacute;s,la IHP impone un decremento marcado en la calidad devida de los pacientes. El tratamiento de erradicaci&oacute;n contra laIHP representa la alternativa m&aacute;s efectiva para la prevenci&oacute;ny control de las numerosas complicaciones, especialmentepara la disminuci&oacute;n de la incidencia del CG. No obstante,el diagn&oacute;stico y tratamiento oportuno de esta condici&oacute;n amenudo puede constituir un verdadero reto cl&iacute;nico. En estarevisi&oacute;n se resumen las perspectivas actuales en la aproximaci&oacute;ndiagn&oacute;stica y terap&eacute;utica a la IHP, con &eacute;nfasis en lasalternativas novedosas