Insights into mechanism kinematics for protein motion simulation

Background: The high demanding computational requirements necessary to carry out protein motion simulations make it difficult to obtain information related to protein motion. On the one hand, molecular dynamics simulation requires huge computational resources to achieve satisfactory motion simulations. On the other hand, less accurate procedures such as interpolation methods, do not generate realistic morphs from the kinematic point of view. Analyzing a protein's movement is very similar to serial robots; thus, it is possible to treat the protein chain as a serial mechanism composed of rotational degrees of freedom. Recently, based on this hypothesis, new methodologies have arisen, based on mechanism and robot kinematics, to simulate protein motion. Probabilistic roadmap method, which discretizes the protein configurational space against a scoring function, or the kinetostatic compliance method that minimizes the torques that appear in bonds, aim to simulate protein motion with a reduced computational cost. Results: In this paper a new viewpoint for protein motion simulation, based on mechanism kinematics is presented. The paper describes a set of methodologies, combining different techniques such as structure normalization normalization processes, simulation algorithms and secondary structure detection procedures. The combination of all these procedures allows to obtain kinematic morphs of proteins achieving a very good computational cost-error rate, while maintaining the biological meaning of the obtained structures and the kinematic viability of the obtained motion. Conclusions: The procedure presented in this paper, implements different modules to perform the simulation of the conformational change suffered by a protein when exerting its function. The combination of a main simulation procedure assisted by a secondary structure process, and a side chain orientation strategy, allows to obtain a fast and reliable simulations of protein motion.

Modeling Innovative Power Take-Off Based on Double-Acting Hydraulic Cylinders Array for Wave Energy Conversion

One of the key systems of a Wave Energy Converter for extraction of wave energy is the Power Take-Off (PTO) device. This device transforms the mechanical energy of a moving body into electrical energy. This paper describes the model of an innovative PTO based on independently activated double-acting hydraulic cylinders array. The model has been developed using a simulation tool, based on a port-based approach to model hydraulics systems. The components and subsystems used in the model have been parameterized as real components and their values experimentally obtained from an existing prototype. In fact, the model takes into account most of the hydraulic losses of each component. The simulations show the flexibility to apply different restraining torques to the input movement depending on the geometrical configuration and the hydraulic cylinders on duty, easily modified by a control law. The combination of these two actions allows suitable flexibility to adapt the device to different sea states whilst optimizing the energy extraction. The model has been validated using a real test bench showing good correlations between simulation and experimental tests.

Plan de Marketing Fisioterapia BE GOOD

El objetivo del presente documento es definir y presentar el Plan de Marketing asociado a una empresa basada en una propuesta empresarial. La empresa a la que se va a hacer referencia en dicho Plan es un centro fisioterapéutico que se denominará “Be Good”. La clínica fisioterapia “Be Good”, se situará en la calle “Villa de Plencia” localizada en el municipio de Getxo y nacerá con el objetivo de ofrecer un servicio de calidad dirigido a la cura y prevención de lesiones músculo-esqueléticas, afecciones respiratorias, patologías neurológicas y, en general, a la satisfacción de cualquier tipo de persona que solicite sus servicios. Aunque existan diferentes metodologías, para llevar a cabo el Plan de Marketing se ha decidido seguir el procedimiento propuesto por José María Sainz de Vicuña (2013). Por medio de la metodología seleccionada, el Plan de Marketing descrito en el presente documento tratará de mejorar la eficacia en la toma de decisiones que influyan en la empresa. Adicionalmente, se actuará de medio para el logro de los objetivos planteados a continuación. Por último, facilitará y optimizará la comunicación interna de la empresa de cara a disponer de procesos de evaluación y control más eficientes responsabilizando al área de marketing de los resultados obtenidos.

Structural Integrity of the Contralesional Hemisphere Predicts Cognitive Impairment in Ischemic Stroke at Three Months

After stroke, white matter integrity can be affected both locally and distally to the primary lesion location. It has been shown that tract disruption in mirror's regions of the contralateral hemisphere is associated with degree of functional impairment. Fourteen patients suffering right hemispheric focal stroke (S) and eighteen healthy controls (HC) underwent Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI) and neuropsychological assessment. The stroke patient group was divided into poor (SP; n = 8) and good (SG; n = 6) cognitive recovery groups according to their cognitive improvement from the acute phase (72 hours after stroke) to the subacute phase (3 months post-stroke). Whole-brain DWI data analysis was performed by computing Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) followed by Tract Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS). Assessment of effects was obtained computing the correlation of the projections on TBSS skeleton of Fractional Anisotropy (FA) and Radial Diffusivity (RD) with cognitive test results. Significant decrease of FA was found only in right brain anatomical areas for the S group when compared to the HC group. Analyzed separately, stroke patients with poor cognitive recovery showed additional significant FA decrease in several left hemisphere regions; whereas SG patients showed significant decrease only in the left genu of corpus callosum when compared to the HC. For the SG group, whole brain analysis revealed significant correlation between the performance in the Semantic Fluency test and the FA in the right hemisphere as well as between the performance in the Grooved Pegboard Test (GPT) and theTrail Making Test-part A and the FA in the left hemisphere. For the SP group, correlation analysis revealed significant correlation between the performance in the GPT and the FA in the right hemisphere.

El Buen Vivir (Sumak Kawsay), una alternativa para transformar el modelo actual de desarrollo. Un principio facilitador para la Educación Social

[es] La finalidad de esta investigación consiste en dar significado y comprender el enfoque del Buen Vivir como una alternativa al modelo actual de desarrollo. El situar la solidaridad y el pensamiento colectivo en las acciones dirigidas al cambio social, es un reto asumido en esta investigación. Para ello, se ha realizado un análisis en profundidad de los principios y teorías que están en la base de este enfoque y, a partir de este, se proponen cinco claves a tener en cuenta en una intervención social, inspiradas en el Sumak Kawsay. Finalmente, se exponen directrices para construir puentes entre el Buen Vivir y la Educación Social, para dotar a la acción comunitaria de una visión holística que se asiente en la concepción del Bien Común.

Musikaren erabilera eskoletan harremanak kudeatzeko tresna gisa

[eus] Gradu Amaierako Lan honetan, Lehen Hezkuntzako talde batean ikasleen parte-hartzea eta harremanak aztertu, eta hauek hobetzeko musikan oinarritutako lau proposamen didaktiko planteatzen dira, ikerketa-akzioaren bidez batetik besterako birmoldaketak eginez. Hainbat autoreen esanetan, musika harremanak sustatzeko baliabide eraginkorra da. Era berean, ikasleen zein irakaslearen arteko harremanak positiboak izanez gero, ikasleak ondo eta eroso sentitu, eta eguneroko jardueretan jarrera aktibo eta baikorragoaz arituko dira. Lortutako emaitzen aurrean, baiezta daiteke taldean hitz eginez parte hartzeko zailtasunak dituzten ikasleak musikaren bidez harremantzeko erosoago sentitu direla.

Towards Application of One-Class Classification Methods to Medical Data

In the problem of one-class classification (OCC) one of the classes, the target class, has to be distinguished from all other possible objects, considered as nontargets. In many biomedical problems this situation arises, for example, in diagnosis, image based tumor recognition or analysis of electrocardiogram data. In this paper an approach to OCC based on a typicality test is experimentally compared with reference state-of-the-art OCC techniques-Gaussian, mixture of Gaussians, naive Parzen, Parzen, and support vector data description-using biomedical data sets. We evaluate the ability of the procedures using twelve experimental data sets with not necessarily continuous data. As there are few benchmark data sets for one-class classification, all data sets considered in the evaluation have multiple classes. Each class in turn is considered as the target class and the units in the other classes are considered as new units to be classified. The results of the comparison show the good performance of the typicality approach, which is available for high dimensional data; it is worth mentioning that it can be used for any kind of data (continuous, discrete, or nominal), whereas state-of-the-art approaches application is not straightforward when nominal variables are present.

The von Bertalanffy growth curve: when a good fit is not good enough

The von Bertalanffy growth function is used for length based analysis of growth and mortality patterns for management of fisheries. However, certain fish have growth patterns that the VBGF may not be able to describe adequately.e.g. the Acanthurus lineatus in Samoa. In such cases a two phase VBGF may be a useful approach.

Scalable quantum memory in the ultrastrong coupling regime

Circuit quantum electrodynamics, consisting of superconducting artificial atoms coupled to on-chip resonators, represents a prime candidate to implement the scalable quantum computing architecture because of the presence of good tunability and controllability. Furthermore, recent advances have pushed the technology towards the ultrastrong coupling regime of light-matter interaction, where the qubit-resonator coupling strength reaches a considerable fraction of the resonator frequency. Here, we propose a qubit-resonator system operating in that regime, as a quantum memory device and study the storage and retrieval of quantum information in and from the Z(2) parity-protected quantum memory, within experimentally feasible schemes. We are also convinced that our proposal might pave a way to realize a scalable quantum random-access memory due to its fast storage and readout performances.

A Cooperative Management Solution to a Fishery Commons

A common property resource with open access, such as a fishery, will be used to excess when faced with sufficient demand. This will lead to an excessive amount of effort on the part of the fishery, resulting in a depletion of the stock. This paper discusses the development of a property rights regime for the Atlantic calico scallop, Argopecten gibbus, fishery of Florida. The management solution of the Calico Scallop Conservation Association (CSCA) provides an example of the assignment of property rights to a common property resource without resorting to governmental intervention. In this particular fishery, self-regulation limited early harvesting which would be uneconomic; there may be other fisheries in which self-regulation could be economically efficient and biologically appropriate. While this solution may not be applicable to all common property resources, for those cases which may be similar; the example of the CSCA provides valuable information that may be helpful in establishing a more efficient use of the resource. Some types of government facilitation may also be useful.