Order statistics for d-dimensional diffusion processes

We present results for the ordered sequence of first passage times of arrival of N random walkers at a boundary in Euclidean spaces of d dimensions

Miniaturización y automatización de sistema de captura de imágenes vasculares

La identificación biométrica es la identificación basada en las características biológicas, físicas o de comportamiento de una persona. Desde hace ya varios años es uno de los métodos más usados para confirmar la identidad de una persona. Su excelente tasa de reconocimiento, sumado a su riesgo prácticamente nulo de falsificación (si el sensor dispone de mecanismos de detección de sujeto vivo), ha hecho notable su uso para infinidad de aplicaciones. Por otra parte hay modalidades o mecanismos de identificación biométrica más desarrollados que otros, debido a su mayor antigüedad. En el presente Trabajo de Fin de Grado se va a desarrollar una parte de un sistema de identificación vascular. Partiendo del sensor de captura de imágenes vasculares ya construido, nos vamos a encargar de que la máquina tome las imágenes más apropiadas (la que mejor nos vengan para el sistema de identificación biométrica) y que lo haga de manera automática. Si a este trabajo se le añadiera una base de datos (que almacenara las imágenes de los sujetos) y un algoritmo capaz de comparar el patrón de las venas de la mano, se podría obtener un sistema de identificación biométrico completo y valido para gran variedad de usos, como el paso a zonas privadas, el reconocimiento para algún tipo de transacción, etc.Biometric identification is the identification based on biological, physical or behavioral characteristics of a person. For several years is one of the most used methods to confirm the identity of a person. Its excellent recognition rate, coupled with low risk of forgery, has made remarkable its use for many applications. On the other hand there are methods or biometric identification mechanisms more developed than others, due to their greater antiquity. This Final Project Grade is going to develop a portion of a vein identification system. Starting from the machine and vascular imaging built, we`re going to take care of the machine to pick the most appropriate images (the best one that applies to the biometric identification system). If this work is augmented by a database (which will store the images of subjects) and an algorithm able to compare the pattern of the veins of the hand, you will get a full biometric identification system and valid for a huge variety of uses such as granting access to private areas, recognition for some sort of transaction, etc.Ingeniería Electrónica Industrial y Automátic

Carrollian Motion in Magnetized Black Hole Horizons

We revisit the motion of massless particles with anyonic spin in the horizon of Kerr--Newman geometry. As recently shown, such particles can move within the horizon of the black hole due to the coupling of charges associated with a 2-parametric central extension of the 2-dimensional Carroll group to the magnetic field generated by the black hole -- the so called ``anyonic spin-Hall effect''. We show that the previously computed magnetic field is not invariant under Carroll diffeomorphisms and find another result which respects these symmetries of the horizon. We also consider a more astrophysically relevant case of a (weakly charged) rotating back hole placed in a uniform magnetic field, which could, for instance, be induced by the surrounding plasma. We show that a qualitatively similar magnetic field assisted anyonic spin-Hall effect takes place, even in the absence of black hole rotation. The theoretical possibility of a motion induced by a magnetic monopole is also studied.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figure

Genesis and stability of textural pedofeatures along a soil transect in the siliceous Iberian Chain (NE Spain)

Textural features are widespread in many soils, provide pedogenetic evidence, and are fundamental in soil classification systems. The presence of these features and their conservation over time require certain processes and soil forming factors. This study investigates the genesis of textural pedofeatures, especially clay coatings, and the stressful conditions that can eventually lead to their disappearance. To achieve this goal, four profiles with clay-enriched horizons have been studied (macro- and micromorphology, physical, chemical and mineralogical properties and classification) along a transect in the siliceous Iberian Chain (NE-Spain). The profiles, which have unmistakable illuvial accumulations in various horizons (Bhs, Bt, Btk), are classified (ST/WRB) as: a Spodosol/Podzol in the headslope, two Alfisol/Luvisols in the backslope and an Alfisol/Calcisol in the footslope. For the latter soil, the apparently strong difference in their classification to the first hierarchical level is due to the weight that the WRB places on the presence of an argic recarbonated horizon on a calcic horizon. Clay illuviation was identified in all the soils, with coatings and infillings of microlaminated clay. These clayey pedofeatures are mostly mechanically fragmented or deformed, which is micromorphologically evidenced by an undulating, wavy extinction that does not run completely parallel to the surfaces they cover. Different destructive processes are identified along the soil transect; so, cryoturbation is the dominant process in the Podzol located at the highest elevation (Moncayo Massif). Instead, the clay coatings in the Btk horizon of the footslope (Calcisol) are covered and deformed by the growth of secondary calcite. The textural pedofeatures in this soil, which is very clayey, can also undergo argilloturbation processes, like in the backslope soils (Luvisols). In conclusion, several ongoing stress processes, that sometimes require different environmental conditions (polygenetic), affect most textural pedofeatures and lead to their progressive alteration and disappearance.Different projects of the Research Results Transfer Office of the University of Zaragoza (Ref. 2017/0535, ref. 2018/0416; ref. UZ2020-TEC-01) provided financial support for this research

Vapor SIMD: Auto-Vectorize Once, Run Everywhere

International audienceJust-in-Time (JIT) compiler technology offers portability while facilitating target- and context-specific specialization. Single-Instruction-Multiple-Data (SIMD) hardware is ubiquitous and markedly diverse, but can be difficult for JIT compilers to efficiently target due to resource and budget constraints. We present our design for a synergistic auto-vectorizing compilation scheme. The scheme is composed of an aggressive, generic offline stage coupled with a lightweight, target-specific online stage. Our method leverages the optimized intermediate results provided by the first stage across disparate SIMD architectures from different vendors, having distinct characteristics ranging from different vector sizes, memory alignment and access constraints, to special computational idioms.We demonstrate the effectiveness of our design using a set of kernels that exercise innermost loop, outer loop, as well as straight-line code vectorization, all automatically extracted by the common offline compilation stage. This results in performance comparable to that provided by specialized monolithic offline compilers. Our framework is implemented using open-source tools and standards, thereby promoting interoperability and extendibility

Enhanced In Vivo Activity of Cefditoren in Pre-Immunized Mice against Penicillin-Resistant S. pneumoniae (Serotypes 6B, 19F and 23F) in a Sepsis Model

Background Specific antibodies are likely to be present before S. pneumoniae infection. We explored cefditoren (CDN) total and free values of serum concentrations exceeding the MIC (t>MIC) related to efficacy in a mice sepsis model, and the effect of specific gammaglobulins on in-vitro phagocytosis and in-vivo efficacy. Methodology/Principal Findings We used three pneumococcal isolates (serotype, MIC of CDN): Strain 1 (6B, 1 µg/ml), Strain 2 (19F, 2 µg/ml) and Strain 3 (23F, 4 µg/ml). Hyperimmune serum (HS) was obtained from mice immunized with heat-inactivated strains. In-vitro, phagocytosis by HS diluted 1/10 in presence/absence of sub-inhibitory concentrations was measured by flow cytometry including fluorescent bacteria and a neutrophil cell line. In-vivo dose-ranging experiments with HS (dilutions 1/2–1/16) and CDN (6.25 mg/kg–100 mg/kg tid for 48 h) were performed to determine the minimal protective dilution/dose (highest survival) and the non-protective highest dilution/dose (highest mortality: HS-np dilution and CDN-np dose) over 7 days. Efficacy of CDN-np in animals pre-immunized with HS-np (combined strategy) was explored and blood bacterial clearance determined. The CDN measured protein binding was 86.9%. In-vitro, CDN significantly increased phagocytosis (vs. HS 1/10). In non pre-immunized animals, t>MIC values for CDN of ≈35% (total) and ≈19% (free) were associated with 100% survival. Significant differences in survival were found between HS-np alone (≤20%) or CDN-np alone (≤20%) vs. the combined strategy (90%, 60% and 60% for Stains 1, 2 and 3), with t>MIC (total/free) of 22.8%/14.3%, 26.8%/16.0%, and 22.4%/12.7% for Strains 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Prior to the second dose (8 h), median bacterial counts were significantly lower in animals surviving vs. dead at day 7. Conclusions/Significance In mice (CDN protein binding similar to humans) total t>MIC values of ≈35% (≈19% free) were efficacious, with a decrease in the required values in pre-immunized animals. This reinforces that immunoprotection to overcome resistance may provide lifesaving strategies.This study was supported by an unrestricted grant from Tedec-Meiji Farma S.A., Madrid, Spain. Tedec-Meiji Farma S.A. had a role in providing reagents, materials and analysis toolsPeer reviewe

Bioactive compounds content and total antioxidant activity of two savoy cabbages

Se han identificado, cuantificado y comparado los compuestos bioactivos, así como la actividad antioxidante in vitro, de dos cultivos de repollo, Dama y Leticia, cultivados en el oeste de España. Encontramos que el cv. Dama, presentado en general, mejora los resultados en comparación con el cv. Leticia. El cv. Dama presentó una mayor concentración de clorofila (2,26 mg / 100 g de peso en fresco), un contenido fenólico total (102,71 mg de equivalente de ácido clorogénico / 100 g en peso fresco) y unos glucosinolatos totales intactos (195,22 μmol de equivalente de sinigrina / 100 g de peso fresco). Así, el cv. Dama exhibió unos valores más altos de actividad antioxidante in vitro.The bioactive compounds, as well as the in vitro antioxidant activity of two Savoy cabbage cultivars, Dama and Leticia, grown in west of Spain under similar conditions were identified, quantified and compared. We found that cv. Dama presented in general betters results when compared with cv. Leticia. Cv. Dama presented higher concentrations of chlorophyll a (2.26 mg/100 g fresh weight), total phenolic content (102.71 mg of chlorogenic acid equivalent/100 g fresh weight) and total intact glucosinolates (195.22 μmol of sinigrin equivalent/100 g fresh weight). Thus, cv. Dama exhibited higher values of in vitro antioxidant activity.María Fernanda Fernández León agradece la ayuda prestada por el Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria (INIA) Trabajo parcialmente patrocinado por la Junta de Extremadura y Fondos FEDER. Proyecto GR10006 Los autores agradecen el estudio de campo realizado en la Finca La Orden-Valdesequera (Junta de Extremadura) a partir de muestras de colpeerReviewe

Evaluation of different postharvest conditions to preserve the amount of bioactive compounds, physicochemical quality parameters and sensory attributes of ‘Sweetheart’ cherries.

Sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) ‘Sweetheart’ were harvested at different production regions from Portugal (Cova da Beira and Portalegre) and Spain (Valle de Jerte). Cherries were harvested at their commercial maturation according to the empirical knowledge of external color corresponding to good quality. Fruits were stored and evaluated in order to study their quality on the harvest day and during a period of 21 days, at cold storage (1 ºC, 95% RH). The sweet cherry ‘Sweetheart’ is a well-known variety and a highly appreciated one but fruits present a short shelf life. On the other hand the effect of different “terroir” on cherry characteristics should be known and clarified. Fruits from day 0, considered without storage, were kept at 20ºC and analyzed. Every weak, 3 replicas were randomly picked up and 10 fruits from each one were submitted to several analyses after fruit temperature stabilized at 20ºC. Several quality parameters were evaluated: external colour (L*, a*, b*), texture, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA) and the ratio between soluble solid contents (SSC) and tritratable acidity (TA). Fruits from different orchards and locations were significantly different according to these parameters. Fruits from Cova da Beira were less firm comparing with other two regions, Valle de Jerte and Portalegre, which may indicate a higher maturation rate at harvest in those fruits. This is in accordance with SSC/titratable acidity rate suggesting a late harvest in Cova da Beira comparing with other two orchards, however fruits from Cova da Beira exhibit a poor color at harvest. These results clearly showed a lower correlation between SSC and firmness considering fruits origin

Behaviour of fresh cut broccoli under different modified atmosphere conditions

El brócoli recién cortado es un producto con una demanda creciente debido a su conveniencia y beneficios comprobados para la salud humana, pero es muy perecedero debido a su alta tasa de respiración. Con el fin de mantener la calidad y extender la vida útil, se llevaron a cabo dos enfoques diferentes. En primer lugar, las muestras se empaquetaron en bandejas selladas bajo una atmósfera modificada pasiva, y la mitad de ellas se calentaron con aire (48 ° C durante 3 horas). Todas las bandejas se almacenaron a 5 ° C y se analizaron a 0, 7, 14 y 21 días. Se evaluaron parámetros físico-químicos básicos, clorofila a y concentraciones b, fenólicos totales, actividad antioxidante, calidad microbiológica y sensorial. Los resultados mostraron que el brócoli tratado térmicamente mostró una calidad sensorial deficiente debido a los malos olores y no se observó un aumento en la vida útil del producto. Por esta razón, se realizó un segundo experimento utilizando atmósferas pasivas y activas modificadas (10% de O2 y 5% de CO2) y se comparó con un control en aire. Las muestras también se almacenaron a 5 ° C y se analizaron a 0, 5, 10 y 21 días. La atmósfera modificada, ya sea activa o pasiva, permitió mantener la vida útil de los flósculos de brócoli hasta 21 días, con una mayor calidad en comparación con el control, siendo la atmósfera pasiva modificada más adecuada debido a su simplicidad y menor costo.Fresh cut broccoli is a product with an increasing demand due to its convenience and proved benefits on human health, but is very perishable due to its high respiration rate. In order to maintain quality and extend shelf-life, two different approaches were carried out. Firstly, samples were packaged in sealed trays under passive modified atmosphere, and half of them were heated with air (48°C for 3 hours). All trays were stored at 5 °C, and analyzed at 0, 7, 14 and 21 days. Basic physical-chemical parameters, chlorophyll a and b concentration, total phenolics, antioxidant activity, microbiological and sensory quality were assessed. Results showed that heat treated broccoli showed poor sensory quality due to off-odors and no increase in the shelf-life of the product was observed. For this reason, a second experiment was carried using passive and active modified atmospheres (10% O2 and 5% CO2) and compared to a control in air. Samples were also stored at 5 °C and analyzed at 0, 5, 10 and 21 days. Modified atmosphere, either active or passive, allowed maintaining broccoli florets shelf-life up to 21 days, with higher quality compared to the control, being most suitable the passive modified atmosphere due to its simplicity and lower cost.• Fundación Carolina (España). Beca para Paola Fernanda Argüello Hernández • Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA). Contrato de investigación para Diego Bohoyo Gil y David González GómezpeerReviewe

Cefditoren and ceftriaxone enhance complement-mediated immunity in the presence of specific antibodies against antibiotic-resistant pneumococcal strains

8 p.-4 fig.Background: Specific antibodies mediate humoral and cellular protection against invading pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae by activating complement mediated immunity, promoting phagocytosis and stimulating bacterial clearance. The emergence of pneumococcal strains with high levels of antibiotic resistance is of great concern worldwide and a serious threat for public health. Methodology/Principal Findings: Flow cytometry was used to determine whether complement-mediated immunity against three antibiotic-resistant S. pneumoniae clinical isolates is enhanced in the presence of sub-inhibitory concentrations of cefditoren and ceftriaxone. The binding of acute phase proteins such as C-reactive protein and serum amyloid P component, and of complement component C1q, to pneumococci was enhanced in the presence of serum plus either of these antibiotics. Both antibiotics therefore trigger the activation of the classical complement pathway against S. pneumoniae. C3b deposition was also increased in the presence of specific anti-pneumococcal antibodies and sub-inhibitory concentrations of cefditoren and ceftriaxone confirming that the presence of these antibiotics enhances complementmediated immunity to S. pneumoniae. Conclusions/Significance: Using cefditoren and ceftriaxone to promote the binding of acute phase proteins and C1q to pneumococci, and to increase C3b deposition, when anti-pneumococcal antibodies are present, might help reduce the impact of antibiotic resistance in S. pneumoniae infections.This work was supported by grants SAF2009-10824 from Dirección General de Investigación Científica y Técnica, MPY 1350/10 from ISCIII and an unrestricted educational grant from Tedec-Meiji Farma S. A. (Madrid, Spain).Peer reviewe