Inverse Problems for multiple invariant curves

Planar polynomial vector fields which admit invariant algebraic curves, Darboux integrating factors or Darboux first integrals are of special interest. In the present paper we solve the inverse problem for invariant algebraic curves with a given multiplicity and for integrating factors, under generic assumptions regarding the (multiple) invariant algebraic curves involved. In particular we prove, in this generic scenario, that the existence of a Darboux integrating factor implies Darboux integrability. Furthermore we construct examples where the genericity assumption does not hold and indicate that the situation is different for these.

The Ideas Debate in International and European Studies: Towards a Cartography and Critical Assessment

The appeal to ideas as causal variables and/or constitutive features of political processes increasingly characterises political analysis. Yet, perhaps because of the pace of this ideational intrusion, too often ideas have simply been grafted onto pre-existing explanatory theories at precisely the point at which they seem to get into difficulties, with little or no consideration either of the status of such ideational variables or of the character or consistency of the resulting theoretical hybrid. This is particularly problematic for ideas are far from innocent variables – and can rarely, if ever, be incorporated seamlessly within existing explanatory and/or constitutive theories without ontological and epistemological consequence. We contend that this tendency along with the limitations of the prevailing Humean conception of causality, and associated epistemological polemic between causal and constitutive logics, continue to plague almost all of the literature that strives to accord an explanatory role to ideas. In trying to move beyond the current vogue for epistemological polemic, we argue that the incommensurability thesis between causal and constitutive logics is only credible in the context of a narrow, Humean, conception of causation. If we reject this in favour of a more inclusive (and ontologically realist) understanding then it is perfectly possible to chart the causal significance of constitutive processes and reconstrue the explanatory role of ideas as causally constitutive.

Random graphs on surfaces

Counting labelled planar graphs, and typical properties of random labelled planar graphs, have received much attention recently. We start the process here of extending these investigations to graphs embeddable on any fixed surface S. In particular we show that the labelled graphs embeddable on S have the same growth constant as for planar graphs, and the same holds for unlabelled graphs. Also, if we pick a graph uniformly at random from the graphs embeddable on S which have vertex set {1, . . . , n}, then with probability tending to 1 as n → ∞, this random graph either is connected or consists of one giant component together with a few nodes in small planar components.

Inverse problems for invariant algebraic curves: explicit computations

Given an algebraic curve in the complex affine plane, we describe how to determine all planar polynomial vector fields which leave this curve invariant. If all (finite) singular points of the curve are nondegenerate, we give an explicit expression for these vector fields. In the general setting we provide an algorithmic approach, and as an alternative we discuss sigma processes.

On graphs with few disjoint t-stars

"Vegeu el resum a l'inici del document del fitxer adjunt."

Predicting the potential for lightning activity in mediterranean storms based on the WRF model dynamic and microphysical fields

A new parameter is introduced: the lightning potential index (LPI), which is a measure of the potential for charge generation and separation that leads to lightning flashes in convective thunderstorms. The LPI is calculated within the charge separation region of clouds between 0 C and 20 C, where the noninductive mechanism involving collisions of ice and graupel particles in the presence of supercooled water is most effective. As shown in several case studies using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with explicit microphysics, the LPI is highly correlated with observed lightning. It is suggested that the LPI may be a useful parameter for predicting lightning as well as a tool for improving weather forecasting of convective storms and heavy rainfall.

Temporal changes in the expression and distribution of adhesion molecules during liver development and regeneration

We have compared by immunocytochemistry and immunoblotting the expression and distribution of adhesion molecules participating in cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions during embryonic development and regeneration of rat liver. Fibronectin and the fibronectin receptor, integrin alpha 5 beta 1, were distributed pericellularly and expressed at a steady level during development from the 16th day of gestation and in neonate and adult liver. AGp110, a nonintegrin fibronectin receptor was first detected on the 17th day of gestation in a similar, nonpolarized distribution on parenchymal cell surfaces. At that stage of development haemopoiesis is at a peak in rat liver and fibronectin and receptors alpha 5 beta 1 and AGp110 were prominent on the surface of blood cell precursors. During the last 2 d of gestation (20th and 21st day) hepatocytes assembled around lumina. AGp110 was initially depolarized on the surface of these acinar cells but then confined to the lumen and to newly-formed bile canaliculi. At birth, a marked increase occurred in the canalicular expression of AGp110 and in the branching of the canalicular network. Simultaneously, there was enhanced expression of ZO-1, a protein component of tight junctions. On the second day postpartum, presence of AGp110 and of protein constituents of desmosomes and intermediate junctions, DGI and E-cadherin, respectively, was notably enhanced in cellular fractions insoluble in nonionic detergents, presumably signifying linkage of AGp110 with the cytoskeleton and assembly of desmosomal and intermediate junctions. During liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy, AGp110 remained confined to apical surfaces, indicating a preservation of basic polarity in parenchymal cells. A decrease in the extent and continuity of the canalicular network occurred in proliferating parenchyma, starting 24 h after resection in areas close to the terminal afferent blood supply of portal veins and spreading to the rest of the liver within the next 24 h. Distinct acinar structures, similar to the ones in prenatal liver, appeared at 72 h after hepatectomy. Restoration of the normal branching of the biliary tree commenced at 72 h. At 7 d postoperatively acinar formation declined and one-cell-thick hepatic plates, as in normal liver, were observed.

RTS,S/AS02A malaria vaccine does not induce parasite CSP T cell epitope selection and reduces multiplicity of infection

Objective: The candidate malaria vaccine RTS,S/AS02A is a recombinant protein containing part of the circumsporozoite protein (CSP) sequence of Plasmodium falciparum, linked to the hepatitis B surface antigen and formulated in the proprietary adjuvant system AS02A. In a recent trial conducted in children younger than age five in southern Mozambique, the vaccinedemonstrated significant and sustained efficacy against both infection and clinical disease. In a follow-up study to the main trial, breakthrough infections identified in the trial were examined to determine whether the distribution of csp sequences was affected by the vaccine and to measure the multiplicity of infecting parasite genotypes. Design: P. falciparum DNA from isolates collected during the trial was used for genotype studies. Setting: The main trial was carried out in the Manhiça district, Maputo province, Mozambique, between April 2003 and May 2004. Participants: Children from the two cohorts of the main trial provided parasite isolates as follows: children from Cohort 1 who were admitted to hospital with clinical malaria; children from Cohort 1 who were parasite-positive in a cross-sectional survey at study month 8.5; children from Cohort 2 identified as parasite-positive during follow-up by active detection of infection. Outcome: Divergence of DNA sequence encoding the CSP T cell-epitope region sequence from that of the vaccine sequence was measured in 521 isolates. The number of distinct P. falciparum genotypes was also determined. Results: We found no evidence that parasite genotypes from children in the RTS,S/AS02A arm were more divergent than those receiving control vaccines. For Cohort 1 (survey at studymonth 8.5) and Cohort 2, infections in the vaccine group contained significantly fewer genotypes than those in the control group, (p 1/4 0.035, p 1/4 0.006), respectively, for the two cohorts. This was not the case for children in Cohort 1 who were admitted to hospital (p 1/4 0.478). Conclusions: RTS,S/AS02A did not select for genotypes encoding divergent T cell epitopes in the C-terminal region of CSP in this trial. In both cohorts, there was a modest reduction in the mean number of parasite genotypes harboured by vaccinated children compared with controls, but only among those with asymptomatic infections.

Dinámica de poblaciones de vectores y transmisión del virus Y de la patata en cultivos de pimiento

En 1990 se colocaron 7 trampas horizontales de baldosa verde del tipo utilizado por IRWIN (1980), situadas a la misma altura que el cultivo, en diferentes zonas productoras de pimiento en España: Aranjuez (Madrid), Balboa (Badajoz), Cadreita (Navarra), Mendavia (La Rioja), Torrepacheco (Murcia) y Montañana (Zaragoza). El muestreo abarcó de 18 a 19 semanas en cada localidad. El total de pulgones recolectados durante el período que duró el muestreo fue de 3.186 que corresponden a 29 especies distintas, de los que 1.019 individuos corresponden a la especie Aphis fabae Scopoli (31,98 % del total) y 500 a Aphis gossypii Glover (15,69 %). Otras especies capturadas en menor proporción han sido: Aphis craccivora Koch, Aphis nasturtii Kaltenbach, Diuraphis noxia (Mordvilko) y Brachycaudus spp., entre otras. Se realizaron ensayos de transmisión en laboratorio con el virus Y de la patata (PVY) utilizando las especies más importantes desde el punto de vista del número de capturas realizadas. Se emplearon dos aislados de este virus: uno de ellos obtenido en campo infectando pimiento y que pertenece al patotipo 0 (infecta a «Yolo Wonder» pero no a «Yolo Y») y otro obtenido de patata y perteneciente al grupo N de PVY (patata). Los resultados indican que ambas cepas son transmisibles por Myzus persicae (Sulzer) a pimiento «Yolo Wonder», aunque PVYN se transmite con mucha menor eficiencia. En ensayos de comparación entre distintas especies de vectores en cuanto a la capacidad de transmisión de PVY*, se observa que M. persicae es el más eficaz, seguido de A. gossypii que es el segundo en importancia. Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris fue también capaz de transmitir PVY0, pero con mucha menor eficacia. A la vista de los resultados obtenidos, y a pesar de su gran eficacia de transmisión en condiciones controladas, M. persicae parece tener escasa importancia en cuanto a su capacidad de transmisión de PVY en campo, ya que presenta una baja actividad de vuelo en cultivo de pimiento en todas las localidades muestreadas.

Convergencias y divergencias de los intereses económicos y políticos del Reino Unido, España y la UE en América Latina

En el presente trabajo se analizan los intereses económicos y políticos del Reino Unido, de España y de la UE en América Latina. Se pretende explicar las convergencias y las divergencias de los intereses de los tres y en que medida esto supone una Europeización de las políticas de la UE hacia América Latina. Es decir, si la convergencia de intereses de los dos estados miembros tiene incidencia en la elaboración y aplicación de las políticas comunitarias.

Ensayos sobre nuevas metodologías para la limpieza y consolidación de documento gráfico

Desde el año 2012, en el grupo Conservació-Restauració del Patrimoni de la Facultat de Belles Arts, Universitat de Barcelona (Grup de Recerca Consolidat 2014- 16 SGR 459G reconocido porla Generalitat de Catalunya), se está desa rrollando un proyecto de investigación sobre el uso de nuevos procedimientos de limpieza mecánica y consolidación de documento gráfico mediante fibrasde celulosa. La limpieza mecánica más extendida en documento gráfico se realiza con gomas. El procedimiento, apesar de habitual, comporta riesgos potenciales para el soporte y para los elementos sustentados albasarse en mecanismos de fricción y/o abrasión que pueden ultrapasar la suciedad. Así, modificaciónde textura y/o brillo (Pearlstein et al., 1982; Sterlini, 1995), cambios en las propiedades físicas(James & Cohn, 1997; Mclnnis, 1980) y alteraciones químicas y/o mecánicas a largo plazo (DaudinSchotteet al., 2010; Moffatt & Laver, 1981; Moy, 2007; Silverman & Irwin, 2009) son los riesgos habitualmente referidos en la literatura. Para minimizar estos inconvenientes y como posible alternativa, se está eva luando la limpieza conmicroproyección de fibras de celulosa como alternativa a las gomas. Una de las principales ventajasprincipales de este procedimiento radica en el hecho de que el agente de limpieza es altamente compatible con la obra ya que tiene una composición muy similar. Por lo tanto, su empleo podríareducir la posibilidad de afectar negativamente la estabilidad química de la pieza a corto o largo plazo.Hasta el momento se han realizado ensayos comparativos entre gomas y microproyección para la limpieza de grabados calcográficos con resultados satisfactorios en eficacia y preservación de la obra a corto y medio plazo (Iglesias-Campos et al., 2014a; Iglesias-Campos & Ruiz-Recasens, 2014 enprensa; Iglesias-Campos, et al., 2014 en prensa). Paralelamente se realizan ensayos de envejecimiento artificial con los que comparar los posibles efectos en el tiempo entre ambas técnicas.

Ensayos sobre nuevas metodologías para la limpieza y consolidación de documento gráfico

Desde el año 2012, en el grupo Conservació-Restauració del Patrimoni de la Facultat de Belles Arts, Universitat de Barcelona (Grup de Recerca Consolidat 2014- 16 SGR 459G reconocido porla Generalitat de Catalunya), se está desa rrollando un proyecto de investigación sobre el uso de nuevos procedimientos de limpieza mecánica y consolidación de documento gráfico mediante fibrasde celulosa. La limpieza mecánica más extendida en documento gráfico se realiza con gomas. El procedimiento, apesar de habitual, comporta riesgos potenciales para el soporte y para los elementos sustentados albasarse en mecanismos de fricción y/o abrasión que pueden ultrapasar la suciedad. Así, modificaciónde textura y/o brillo (Pearlstein et al., 1982; Sterlini, 1995), cambios en las propiedades físicas(James & Cohn, 1997; Mclnnis, 1980) y alteraciones químicas y/o mecánicas a largo plazo (DaudinSchotteet al., 2010; Moffatt & Laver, 1981; Moy, 2007; Silverman & Irwin, 2009) son los riesgos habitualmente referidos en la literatura. Para minimizar estos inconvenientes y como posible alternativa, se está eva luando la limpieza conmicroproyección de fibras de celulosa como alternativa a las gomas. Una de las principales ventajasprincipales de este procedimiento radica en el hecho de que el agente de limpieza es altamente compatible con la obra ya que tiene una composición muy similar. Por lo tanto, su empleo podríareducir la posibilidad de afectar negativamente la estabilidad química de la pieza a corto o largo plazo.Hasta el momento se han realizado ensayos comparativos entre gomas y microproyección para la limpieza de grabados calcográficos con resultados satisfactorios en eficacia y preservación de la obra a corto y medio plazo (Iglesias-Campos et al., 2014a; Iglesias-Campos & Ruiz-Recasens, 2014 enprensa; Iglesias-Campos, et al., 2014 en prensa). Paralelamente se realizan ensayos de envejecimiento artificial con los que comparar los posibles efectos en el tiempo entre ambas técnicas.