Programa para diseño de cimentaciones superficiales

Proyecto de Graduación (Licenciatura en Ingeniería en Construcción) Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Escuela de Ingeniería en Construcción, 2008.The laying of foundation constitutes the intermediate element which transmit the load of an structure in a way that it doesn´t overload the capacity of the ground and that the deformities produced can be admissible for the structure. Therefore, to realize a correct laying of foundations it will be necessary to consider the geotechnical characteristics of the ground and in addition to determine the proportions to the own foundation, so that he is sufficiently resistant. Next we will develop a web based application using the programming language Ruby, and it´s complement Rails. Rails facilitate the configuration and programming of the application with the purpose to create an accessible with a rich interface tool for the user. This tool will help the user to design laying foundations as well as the structural design. This tool will create a final report with the results and data given by the user to the application. In the other hand a manual is given to the users so they can learn how to use the application.Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica. Escuela de Ingeniería en Construcción

Structural basis of control of inward rectifier Kir2 channel gating by bulk anionic phospholipids

Inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channel activity is controlled by plasma membrane lipids. Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP(2)) binding to a primary site is required for opening of classic inward rectifier Kir2.1 and Kir2.2 channels, but interaction of bulk anionic phospholipid (PL(−)) with a distinct second site is required for high PIP(2) sensitivity. Here we show that introduction of a lipid-partitioning tryptophan at the second site (K62W) generates high PIP(2) sensitivity, even in the absence of PL(−). Furthermore, high-resolution x-ray crystal structures of Kir2.2[K62W], with or without added PIP(2) (2.8- and 2.0-Å resolution, respectively), reveal tight tethering of the C-terminal domain (CTD) to the transmembrane domain (TMD) in each condition. Our results suggest a refined model for phospholipid gating in which PL(−) binding at the second site pulls the CTD toward the membrane, inducing the formation of the high-affinity primary PIP(2) site and explaining the positive allostery between PL(−) binding and PIP(2) sensitivity

Correction:Stakeholders' views and experiences of care and interventions for addressing frailty and pre-frailty: A meta-synthesis of qualitative evidence

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180127.]

On charge 3 cyclic monopoles

Monopoles are solutions of an SU(2) gauge theory in R3 satisfying a lower bound for energy and certain asymptotic conditions, which translate as topological properties encoded in their charge. Using methods from integrable systems, monopoles can be described in algebraic-geometric terms via their spectral curve, i.e. an algebraic curve, given as a polynomial P in two complex variables, satisfying certain constraints. In this thesis we focus on the Ercolani-Sinha formulation, where the coefficients of P have to satisfy the Ercolani-Sinha constraints, given as relations amongst periods. In this thesis a particular class of such monopoles is studied, namely charge 3 monopoles with a symmetry by C3, the cyclic group of order 3. This class of cyclic 3-monopoles is described by the genus 4 spectral curve ^X , subject to the Ercolani-Sinha constraints: the aim of the present work is to establish the existence of such monopoles, which translates into solving the Ercolani-Sinha constraints for ^X . Exploiting the symmetry of the system,we manage to recast the problem entirely in terms of a genus 2 hyperelliptic curve X, the (unbranched) quotient of ^X by C3 . A crucial step to this aim involves finding a basis forH1(^X; Z), with particular symmetry properties according to a theorem of Fay. This gives a simple formfor the period matrix of ^X ; moreover, results by Fay and Accola are used to reduce the Ercolani-Sinha constraints to hyperelliptic ones on X. We solve these constraints onX numerically, by iteration using the tetrahedral monopole solution as starting point in the moduli space. We use the Arithmetic-GeometricMean method to find the periods onX: this method iswell understood for a genus 2 curve with real branchpoints; in this work we propose an extension to the situation where the branchpoints appear in complex conjugate pairs, which is the case for X. We are hence able to establish the existence of a curve of solutions corresponding to cyclic 3-monopoles

The Geometry of Integrable and Superintegrable Systems

The group of automorphisms of the geometry of an integrable system is considered. The geometrical structure used to obtain it is provided by a normal form representation of integrable systems that do not depend on any additional geometrical structure like symplectic, Poisson, etc. Such geometrical structure provides a generalized toroidal bundle on the carrier space of the system. Non--canonical diffeomorphisms of such structure generate alternative Hamiltonian structures for complete integrable Hamiltonian systems. The energy-period theorem provides the first non--trivial obstruction for the equivalence of integrable systems

La crisi politica e la difficile gestione delle misure contro il COVID-19: il caso di Israele: Global efforts to stop COVID-19 pandemic

The measures taken in Israel against the spread of the pandemic seem difficult to implement and the long-standing religious and social problems affecting Israeli society appear to have worsen in the last months. Although some social control actions appear to be effective, the Jewish fear extremist religious groups withdraw political support from the Government did not allow a strict application of the rules, while the Arab minority, that is about to celebrate the ritual fast, will have to deal with a real curfew. However, it seems that the crisis generated by the virus is leading political forces, that have been polarized for about a year, to form a government of national unity.The measures taken in Israel against the spread of the pandemic seem difficult to implement and the long-standing religious and social problems affecting Israeli society appear to have worsen in the last months. Although some social control actions appear to be effective, the Jewish fear extremist religious groups withdraw political support from the Government did not allow a strict application of the rules, while the Arab minority, that is about to celebrate the ritual fast, will have to deal with a real curfew. However, it seems that the crisis generated by the virus is leading political forces, that have been polarized for about a year, to form a government of national unity

A search for the near-infrared counterpart of the eclipsing millisecond X-ray pulsar Swift J1749.4-2807

Swift J1749.4-2807 is a transient accreting millisecond X-ray pulsars, the first that displayed X-ray eclipses. Therefore it holds a great potential for accurate mass measurements in a low mass X-ray binary system. The determination of the companion star radial velocity would make it possible to fully resolve the system and to accurately measure the mass of the neutron star based on dynamical measurements. Unfortunately, no optical/NIR counterpart has been identified to date for this system, either in outburst or in quiescence. We performed a photometric study of the field of Swift J1749.4-2807 during quiescence in order to search for the presence of a variable counterpart. The source direction lies on the Galactic plane, making any search for its optical/NIR counterpart challenging. To minimize the effects of field crowding and interstellar extinction, we carried out our observations using the adaptive optics near-infrared imager NACO mounted at the ESO Very Large Telescope. From the analysis of Swift X-ray data obtained during outburst, we derived the most precise (1.6" radius) position for this source. Due to the extreme stellar crowding of the field, 41 sources are detected in our VLT images within the X-ray error circle, with some of them possibly showing variability consistent with the expectations. We carried out the first deep imaging campaign devoted to the search of the quiescent NIR counterpart of Swift J1749.4-2807. Our results allow to provide constraints on the nature of the companion star of this system. Furthermore, they suggest that future phase-resolved NIR observations (performed with large aperture telescopes and adaptive optics) covering the full orbital period of the system are likely to identify the quiescent counterpart of Swift J1749.4-2807, through the measure of its orbital variability, opening the possibility of dynamical studies of this unique source.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication in Astronomy and Astrophysic

BACE1 activity regulates cell surface contactin-2 levels

Background: Although BACE1 is a major therapeutic target for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), potential side effects of BACE1 inhibition are not well characterized. BACE1 cleaves over 60 putative substrates, however the majority of these cleavages have not been characterized. Here we investigated BACE1-mediated cleavage of human contactin-2, a GPI-anchored cell adhesion molecule. Results: Our initial protein sequence analysis showed that contactin-2 harbors a strong putative BACE1 cleavage site close to its GPI membrane linker domain. When we overexpressed BACE1 in CHO cells stably transfected with human contactin-2, we found increased release of soluble contactin-2 in the conditioned media. Conversely, pharmacological inhibition of BACE1 in CHO cells expressing human contactin-2 and mouse primary neurons decreased soluble contactin-2 secretion. The BACE1 cleavage site mutation 1008MM/AA dramatically impaired soluble contactin-2 release. We then asked whether contactin-2 release induced by BACE1 expression would concomitantly decrease cell surface levels of contactin-2. Using immunofluorescence and surface-biotinylation assays, we showed that BACE1 activity tightly regulates contactin-2 surface levels in CHO cells as well as in mouse primary neurons. Finally, contactin-2 levels were decreased in Alzheimer’s disease brain samples correlating inversely with elevated BACE1 levels in the same samples. Conclusion: Our results clearly demonstrate that mouse and human contactin-2 are physiological substrates for BACE1. BACE1-mediated contactin-2 cleavage tightly regulates the surface expression of contactin-2 in neuronal cells. Given the role of contactin-2 in cell adhesion, neurite outgrowth and axon guidance, our data suggest that BACE1 may play an important role in these physiological processes by regulating contactin-2 surface levels

Approaches to therapy and prevention of frailty in the light of contemporary medicine

Over the last several decades, the growing number of patients with geriatric problems has become a serious challenge for primary care physicians. Frailty is an often encountered condition in older age. This is a state of increased vulnerability and loss of total physiological reserves, needed to maintain physiological and psychosocial homeostasis. Definition of physical frailty is based on the following criteria: unintentional weight loss, self-reported exhaustion, weakness, slow walking speed, and low physical activity, where 3 out of 5 these criteria confirms frailty. It is a dynamic, transitional process which constantly progresses, although it is potentially reversible. Frailty often co-exists with other severe diseases, affecting general well-being of the patient. Therefore, it is important for the family doctor to understand diagnosis and treatment to protect from an invasive procedure or potentially harmful medication, and prevent decline of functional independence. The aim of this review is to present current available treatment options and their effectiveness for frailty. Data from many observational studies were collected. The most beneficial seems to be combined multidisciplinary treatment including physical exercises, nutritional supplementation and cognitive training. Additionally, the further positive results of physical activity training on mobility, balance, coordination, muscle strength and reducing falls in frail elderly were also confirmed by many scientific reports. Pharmacological, nutritional, psychological and other interventions solely can also be helpful but the evidence is low. Preventive actions at many stages in the process leading to frailty can be applied