Searching for light long-lived neutralinos at Super-Kamiokande

Light neutralinos could be copiously produced from the decays of mesons generated in cosmic-ray air showers. These neutralinos can be long-lived particles in the context of R-parity violating (RPV) supersymmetric models, implying that they could be capable of reaching the surface of the earth and decay within the instrumental volume of large neutrino detectors. In this letter, we use atmospheric neutrino data from the Super-Kamiokande experiment to derive novel constraints for the RPV couplings involved in the production of long-lived light neutralinos from the decays of charged $D$-mesons and kaons. Our results highlight the potential of neutrino detectors to search for long-lived particles, by demonstrating that it is possible to explore regions of parameter space that are not yet constrained by any fixed-target nor collider experiments.Comment: Version accepted for publication in PRD. 11 pages, 7 figure

Cloud flexibility using DIRAC interware

Communities of different locations are running their computing jobs on dedicated infrastructures without the need to worry about software, hardware or even the site where their programs are going to be executed. Nevertheless, this usually implies that they are restricted to use certain types or versions of an Operating System because either their software needs an definite version of a system library or a specific platform is required by the collaboration to which they belong. On this scenario, if a data center wants to service software to incompatible communities, it has to split its physical resources among those communities. This splitting will inevitably lead to an underuse of resources because the data centers are bound to have periods where one or more of its subclusters are idle. It is, in this situation, where Cloud Computing provides the flexibility and reduction in computational cost that data centers are searching for. This paper describes a set of realistic tests that we ran on one of such implementations. The test comprise software from three different HEP communities (Auger, LHCb and QCD phenomelogists) and the Parsec Benchmark Suite running on one or more of three Linux flavors (SL5, Ubuntu 10.04 and Fedora 13). The implemented infrastructure has, at the cloud level, CloudStack that manages the virtual machines (VM) and the hosts on which they run, and, at the user level, the DIRAC framework along with a VM extension that will submit, monitorize and keep track of the user jobs and also requests CloudStack to start or stop the necessary VM's. In this infrastructure, the community software is distributed via the CernVM-FS, which has been proven to be a reliable and scalable software distribution system. With the resulting infrastructure, users are allowed to send their jobs transparently to the Data Center. The main purpose of this system is the creation of flexible cluster, multiplatform with an scalable method for software distribution for several VOs. Users from different communities do not need to care about the installation of the standard software that is available at the nodes, nor the operating system of the host machine, which is transparent to the userThis work was supported by projects FPA2007-66437- C02-01/02 assigned to UB and FPA2010-21885-C02- 01/02 and TIN 2010-17541 USC. FPA2007-66152-C02-01/02 and FPA2010-21816-C02-01/02, assigned to PICS

Converging Future Internet, “Things”, and Big Data: An Specification Following NovaGenesis Model

The convergence of Internet of “things” (IoT) with big data platforms and cloud computing is already happening. However, the vast majority, if not all the proposals are based on the current Internet technologies. The convergence of IoT, big data and cloud in “clean slate” architectures is an unexplored topic. In this article, we discuss this convergence considering the viewpoint of a “clean slate” proposal called NovaGenesis. We specify a set of NovaGenesis services to publish sensor device’s data in distributed hash tables employing selfverifying addresses and contract-based trust network formation. IoT devices capabilities and configurations are exposed to software-controllers, which control their operational parameters. The specification covers how the “things” sensed information are subscribed by a big data service and injected in Spark big data platform, allowing NovaGenesis services to subscribe data analytics from Spark. Future work include implementation of the proposed specifications and further investigation of NovaGenesis services performance and scalability

Algunas consideraciones teóricas sobre la asesoría y el apoyo psicológico de las personas con VIH/sida

Introducción: las personas infectadas con el VIH/sida en el mundo son cada vez mayores, los cuales no reciben el apoyo psicológico que en verdad necesitan como parte de su tratamiento integral. Objetivo: modelar algunas consideraciones teóricas sobre la asesoría y el apoyo psicológico de las personas con VIH/sida como complemento esencial en su atención integral. Método: se evaluaron criterios de varios autores desde el punto de vista psicosocial y la revisión bibliográfica según los métodos del nivel teórico de la investigación: análisis-síntesis, inducción-deducción, modelación y enfoque sistémico. Resultados: se ofrece orientación para el personal de salud que trabaja con personas que viven con el VIH/sida. De esta manera se guiarán a profesionales y estudiantes del sector de la salud acerca de cómo enfocar el proceso de atención psicológica de los pacientes con esta infección. Conclusiones: para cualquier asesoría o apoyo es necesario valorar el impacto psicológico y emocional, que las preocupaciones actuales tienen en el afectado o afectada. Aunque el asesor o el que apoya no sea un especialista en alguno de los campos de la salud mental, debe siempre estar atento a las reacciones psicológicas actuales y potenciales que esta persona con VIH/sida puede desarrollar en el futuro

Physical characterization of sunflower seeds dehydrated by using electromagnetic induction and low-pressure system

Drying is a widely used food preservation process in which water removal minimizes much of the moisture that causes deterioration reactions that impact the bioproduct quality. The objects of studying are high oleic sunflower seeds which are recognized as a worldwide source of edible oil; consequently, they have significant importance on health and food security. This work presents part of the results of a systematic study to compare the affectations on the several physical parameters of sunflower seeds and kernels with the Thermo-Solar Dehydration method (TSD) compared to Dehydration with Electromagnetic Induction at Low Pressures (DEMILP), finding that the in the last one the time to reach the 8% of the total moisture content was 2.5 times shorter, interesting physical effects and an increment of 5% in the volumetric expansion coefficient, reflected in a reduction of the cut resistance (Dehull) of 0.5KgF significant advantages for the food drying industry

Aspectos metodológicos e psicológicos para aconselhar e acompanhar pessoas com HIV/AIDS

Introduction: the counseling process for people with HIV/AIDS is specific and particular, so there are certain very important aspects to take into account.Objective: they propose some methodological and psychological aspects to advise and accompany people living with HIV/AIDS.Method: criteria of several authors and the literature review were considered according to the methods of the theoretical level of research: analysis-synthesis, induction-deduction, modeling and systemic approach.Results: essential elements were taken into account according to professional practice such as: depression, feelings of guilt, helplessness, anxiety, poor life expectancy, deterioration of the couple's relationship, life expectancy, level of acceptance, fatalism or poor optimism and that some of the aspects are not taken into account when we know that we must do it and, for this work, a specific and particular methodology is also followed.Conclusions: therapeutic meetings are very effective in reducing the suffering and anger that family members present. It is recommended to start individual sessions with people who ask for help.Introducción: el proceso de asesoría para las personas con VIH/sida es específico y particular, por ello, hay ciertos aspectos muy importantes a tomar en cuenta.Objetivo: proponen algunos aspectos metodológicos y psicológicos para asesorar y acompañar a las personas que viven con VIH/sida.Método: se consideraron criterios de varios autores y la revisión bibliográfica según los métodos del nivel teórico de la investigación: análisis-síntesis, inducción-deducción, modelación y enfoque sistémico.Resultados: se tuvieron en cuenta elementos esenciales según la práctica profesional como: depresión, sentimientos de culpas, indefensos, ansiedad, pobre expectativa de vida, deterioro de la relación de pareja, esperanza de vida, nivel de aceptación, fatalismo o poco optimismo y que no se tienen en cuenta algunos de los aspectos cuando sabemos que debemos hacerlo y para esta labor se sigue también una metodología concreta y particular.Conclusiones: según lo explicado anteriormente se recomienda iniciar sesiones individuales con las personas que soliciten ayuda. Las reuniones terapéuticas son muy eficaces para disminuir el sufrimiento y la ira que presentan los miembros de la familia.Introdução: o processo de aconselhamento para pessoas com HIV/AIDS é específico e particular, portanto, há certos aspectos muito importantes a serem levados em consideração.Objetivo: eles propõem alguns aspectos metodológicos e psicológicos para aconselhar e acompanhar as pessoas que vivem com HIV/AIDS.Método: foram considerados critérios de vários autores e a revisão da literatura de acordo com os métodos do nível teórico da pesquisa: análise-síntese, indução-dedução, modelagem e abordagem sistêmica.Resultados: elementos essenciais foram considerados de acordo com a prática profissional, tais como: depressão, sentimentos de culpa, desamparo, ansiedade, baixa expectativa de vida, deterioração do relacionamento do casal, expectativa de vida, nível de aceitação, fatalismo ou pouco otimismo e que alguns dos aspectos não são levados em consideração quando sabemos que devemos fazê-lo e, para este trabalho, uma metodologia específica e particular também é seguida.Conclusões: as reuniões terapêuticas são muito eficazes na redução do sofrimento e da raiva que os membros da família apresentam. Recomenda-se iniciar sessões individuais com pessoas que solicitam ajuda

Knowledge to Serve the City: Insights from an Emerging Knowledge-Action Network to Address Vulnerability and Sustainability in San Juan, Puerto Rico

This paper presents initial efforts to establish the San Juan Urban Long-Term Research Area Exploratory (ULTRA-Ex), a long-term program aimed at developing transdisciplinary social-ecological system (SES) research to address vulnerability and sustainability for the municipality of San Juan. Transdisciplinary approaches involve the collaborations between researchers, stakeholders, and citizens to produce socially-relevant knowledge and support decision-making. We characterize the transdisciplinary arrangement emerging in San Juan ULTRA-Ex as a knowledge-action network composed of multiple formal and informal actors (e.g., scientists, policymakers, civic organizations and other stakeholders) where knowledge, ideas, and strategies for sustainability are being produced, evaluated, and validated. We describe in this paper the on-the-ground social practices and dynamics that emerged from developing a knowledge-action network in our local context. Specifically, we present six social practices that were crucial to the development of our knowledge-action network: 1) understanding local framings; 2) analyzing existing knowledge-action systems in the city; 3) framing the social-ecological research agenda; 4) collaborative knowledge production and integration; 5) boundary objects and practices; and 6) synthesis, application, and adaptation. We discuss key challenges and ways to move forward in building knowledge-action networks for sustainability. Our hope is that the insights learned from this process will stimulate broader discussions on how to develop knowledge for urban sustainability, especially in tropical cities where these issues are under-explored

Desafíos en ciencia, tecnología e innovación en tiempo de Coronavirus Covid-19

El objetivo del presente estudio consistió en determinar el impacto de actividad física en la percepción de bienestar y salud en adolescentes, durante el periodo de confinamiento condicionado por la pandemia COVID-19. Se realizó un estudio observacional-longitudinal. N = 50 participantes (28 mujeres, 22 hombres; edad X = 15.12), quienes llevaron a cabo un programa de actividad física diseñado para espacios pequeños, además de realizar un pre y post-test. Los resultados muestran que hubo una mejora en la percepción de bienestar y salud después del periodo de actividad física (p=.05). Se concluye que, en la población de estudio, el programa de actividad física en espacios pequeños fue efectivo en la mejora de la percepción del bienestar y la salud