To which extend is the "neural code" a metric ?

Here is proposed a review of the different choices to structure spike trains, using deterministic metrics. Temporal constraints observed in biological or computational spike trains are first taken into account. The relation with existing neural codes (rate coding, rank coding, phase coding, ..) is then discussed. To which extend the "neural code" contained in spike trains is related to a metric appears to be a key point, a generalization of the Victor-Purpura metric family being proposed for temporal constrained causal spike trainsComment: 5 pages 5 figures Proceeding of the conference NeuroComp200

Development and Testing of an Actively Adjustable Stiffness Mechanism

This study presents the comparison of the theoretical and experimental results of the performance of an adjustable stiffness mechanism. In particular, the use of redundant actuation is emphasized in the design of a one degree-of-freedom Watt II mechanism capable of independently controlling the effective stiffness without a change in equilibrium position. This approach is in contrast to spring mechanism designs unable to actively control the spring rate independent of deflection, and with potential applications in various types of suspension and assembly systems. Results indicate that two direct drive brush-type direct current motors are required to drive the redundantly actuated mechanism and create a system that behaves as an adjustable stiffness spring

Statistics of spikes trains, synaptic plasticity and Gibbs distributions.

ISBN : 978-2-9532965-0-1We introduce a mathematical framework where the statistics of spikes trains, produced by neural networks evolving under synaptic plasticity, can be analysed

Bifunctional CoFe2O4/ZnO Core/Shell Nanoparticles for Magnetic Fluid Hyperthermia with Controlled Optical Response

Conjugation of optical and magnetic responses in a unique system at the nanoscale emerges as a powerful tool for several applications. Here, we fabricated bifunctional CoFe2O4-core/ZnO-shell nanoparticles with simultaneous photoluminescence in the visible range and ac magnetic losses suitable for hyperthermia. The structural characterization confirms that the system is formed by a ≈7 nm CoFe2O4 core encapsulated in a ≈1.5-nm-thick semiconducting ZnO shell. As expected from its high anisotropy, the magnetic losses in an ac magnetic field are dominated by the Brown relaxation mechanism. The ac magnetic response of the core/shell system can be accurately predicted by the linear response theory and differs from that one of bare CoFe2O4 nanoparticles as a consequence of changes in the viscous relaxation process due to the effect of the magnetostatic interactions. Concerning the optical properties, by comparing core/shell CoFe2O4/ZnO and single-phase ZnO nanoparticles, we found that the former exhibits a broader optical absorption and photoluminescence, both shifted to the visible range, indicating that the optical properties are closely associated with the shell-morphology of ZnO. Being focused on bifunctional nanoparticles with an optical response in the visible range and a tunable hyperthermia output, our results can help to address current open questions on magnetic fluid hyperthermia.Fil: Lavorato, Gabriel Carlos. Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Físicas; Brasil. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Lima, Enio Junior. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; ArgentinaFil: Vasquez Mansilla, Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; Argentina. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Troiani, Horacio Esteban. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; ArgentinaFil: Zysler, Roberto Daniel. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; ArgentinaFil: Winkler, Elin Lilian. Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica. Centro Atómico Bariloche; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte; Argentin

Piezoelectric Properties of PVDF-Zn2GeO4 Fine Fiber Mats

The current paper presents the development and characterization of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-Zn2GeO4 (ZGO) fine fiber mats. ZGO nanorods (NRs) were synthesized using a hydrothermal method and incorporated in a PVDF solution to produce fine fiber mats. The fiber mats were prepared by varying the concentration of ZGO NRs (1.25–10 wt %) using the Forcespinning® method. The developed mats showed long, continuous, and homogeneous fibers, with average fiber diameters varying from 0.7 to 1 µm, depending on the ZGO concentration. X-ray diffraction spectra depicted a positive correlation among concentration of ZGO NRs and strengthening of the beta phase within the PVDF fibers. The composite system containing 1.25 wt % of ZGO displayed the highest piezoelectric response of 172 V. This fine fiber composite system has promising potential applications for energy harvesting and the powering of wearable and portable electronics. View Full-Tex

Development and Implementation of An Introduction To Stem Course For Dual-Enrollment Programs

A new Introduction to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) course was developed and taught for the first time during the summer in 2009 to dual enrollment college students at South Texas College (STC). The new Introduction to STEM course was developed in collaboration between STEM Faculty members at the University of Texas-Pan American (UTPA) and STC, with the objective of creating, supporting and strengthening STEM pathways for students in the Dual-Enrollment Engineering Academy (DEEA) and other dual-enrollment or similar programs. The course was offered to two groups of students, at two different campuses in the DEEA program at STC. DEEA students take college courses to accomplish an associate degree in Engineering by the end of their senior year of high school. Challenge-based instruction (CBI) was implemented in this new course; challenges, lecture and handout materials, hands-on activities, and assessment tools were developed and implemented in the areas of basic electronics, mechatronics, renewable energy, statics, dynamics, chemistry, reverse engineering, and forward engineering. This paper describes the new course development and implementation, as well as its impact on students and Faculty, including the student assessment results and the interaction of Faculty members from both institutions. The instruction materials and tools developed for the new course could be modified and adapted for implementation in other engineering and science courses at UTPA, STC, and other institutions to increase and improve educational challenges and hands-on activities in the curricula and in recruiting programs and/or activities

Parametric estimation of spike train statistics by Gibbs distributions : an application to bio-inspired and experimental data

We review here the basics of the formalism of Gibbs distributions and its numerical implementation, (its details published elsewhere \cite{vasquez-cessac-etal:10}, in order to characterizing the statistics of multi-unit spike trains. We present this here with the aim to analyze and modeling synthetic data, especially bio-inspired simulated data e.g. from Virtual Retina \cite{wohrer-kornprobst:09}, but also experimental data Multi-Electrode-Array(MEA) recordings from retina obtained by Adrian Palacios. We remark that Gibbs distribution allow us to estimate the spike statistics, given a design choice, but also to compare different models, thus answering comparative questions about the neural code

La interpretación jurídica en la causal 3 del Artículo 782° del Código Procesal Civil Peruano

La investigación presente tiene como objetivo general analizar la manera en que resulta una evaluación de interpretación jurídica respecto al inciso 3 del artículo 782 del Código Procesal Civil peruano., de allí que, el problema general de investigación sea: ¿De qué manera resulta una evaluación de interpretación jurídica respecto al inciso 3 del artículo 782 del Código Procesal Civil peruano?; debido a que, el inciso citado, sobre la solvencia moral se presta a interpretaciones subjetivas perdiendo el norte de la misma y el aspecto probatorio, ocasionando la dificultad de tener por admitido el proceso de adopción de mayor de edad, en ese contexto, perjudica de gran manera a las personas que quieren construir una familia en la línea protectora de la Constitución Política del Perú, a razón de ello, el presente estudio aplicará un método de investigación concordante al enfoque de la investigación cualitativa, en ese sentido, el método general es la hermenéutica, además el tipo de investigación es básico, con un nivel correlacional y un diseño observacional-teoría fundamentada, en consecuencia, según la naturaleza se utilizará la técnica del análisis documental de leyes nacionales e internacionales, códigos y libros doctrinarios que serán procesados mediante la argumentación jurídica a través de los instrumentos de recolección de datos como la ficha textual y de resumen; además, la tesis obtuvo los siguientes resultados: En resumen, la indeterminación de la “solvencia moral” puede conducir, no solamente a la parte interesada, sino que también al juez, a realizar una errónea aplicación de tal enunciado jurídico y, a su vez, a la falta de seguridad jurídica para el adoptado, tanto como la vulneración del principio de tutela jurisdiccional efectiva para ambas partes

Determinación del desarrollo del cultivo de banano variedad Cavendish bajo 2 tratamientos de aireación de suelo y aporte de materia orgánica en la finca bonito amanecer del municipio de Chigorodó

Anexo 1 planillas para la recolección de datos en campo, anexo 2 descripción de los tratamientos, anexo 3 análisis de varianza de altura, anexo 4 análisis de varianza de DAP, anexo 5 análisis de varianza de hojas funcionales, anexo 6 análisis de varianza de semana de parición, anexo 7 análisis de varianza de semanas necesarias para la cosecha, anexo 8 análisis de varianza de hojas funcionales a cosecha, anexo 9 análisis de varianza de peso de racimo, anexo 10 análisis de varianza de número de manos por racimo, anexo 11 análisis de varianza de peso del vástago, anexo 12 análisis de varianza de peso de la fruta aprovechable, anexo 13 registro fotográfico de los tratamientos, anexo 14 análisis de costosDentro del manejo de suelos es necesario saber cuáles son los factores que causan mayor deterioro y degradación, debido a que gran parte de este deterioro lo ha generado el mismo ser humano, por medio de la realización de malas prácticas agrícolas desarrolladas en el mismo, todo esto ha provocado un gran detrimento en algunos casos irreparable. Actualmente la humanidad ha venido enfrentando graves problemas que se han generado principalmente por la degradación y pérdida de los suelos. Debido a esta situación los agricultores ya no pueden cultivar en algunos terrenos o los productos obtenidos en estos son de baja calidad. Esta degradación también está ocurriendo a otros recursos naturales, con la diferencia e importancia de que el suelo es la capa que da soporte y sustento a la vida vegetal, en esta se realiza la crianza de animales, también se encuentran las fuentes superficiales y subterráneas de agua, nos provee de minerales y de la mayoría de los productos alimenticios que contribuyen a nuestra subsistencia, por lo tanto todo el desarrollo del ecosistema depende en gran parte de él. De allí parte la importancia de la adecuada nutrición y manejo del suelo para mejoramiento productivo de los cultivos.Within the soil management it is necessary to know the factors that cause further deterioration and degradation, because much of this deterioration has generated man himself, through conducting poor farming practices developed in it are all this has caused great detriment in some cases irreparable. Currently humanity has been facing serious problems that have been generated mainly by degradation and soil loss. Because of this situation farmers can no longer grow in some areas or products obtained from these are low quality. This degradation is also happening to other natural resources, with the difference and importance of the soil layer is supported and sustain plant life, in the breeding of animals is carried out, are also surface and underground water sources we provide minerals and most of the food products that contribute to our survival so everything ecosystem development largely depends on it. Hence, the importance of proper nutrition and soil management to improve crop production