Computations in Relative Algebraic K-Groups

Let G be finite group and K a number field or a p-adic field with ring of integers O_K. In the first part of the manuscript we present an algorithm that computes the relative algebraic K-group K_0(O_K[G],K) as an abstract abelian group. We solve the discrete logarithm problem, both in K_0(O_K[G],K) and the locally free class group cl(O_K[G]). All algorithms have been implemented in MAGMA for the case K = \IQ. In the second part of the manuscript we prove formulae for the torsion subgroup of K_0(\IZ[G],\IQ) for large classes of dihedral and quaternion groups.

Influence of the buffer environment on the Relative Biological Effectiveness of carbon ion radiation, investigated by Scanning Force Microscopy and gel electrophoresis

This work focuses on the analysis of the influence of environment on the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of carbon ions on molecular level. Due to the high relevance of RBE for medical applications, such as tumor therapy, and radiation protection in space, DNA damages have been investigated in order to understand the biological efficiency of heavy ion radiation. The contribution of this study to the radiobiology research consists in the analysis of plasmid DNA damages induced by carbon ion radiation in biochemical buffer environments, as well as in the calculation of the RBE of carbon ions on DNA level by mean of scanning force microscopy (SFM). In order to study the DNA damages, besides the common electrophoresis method, a new approach has been developed by using SFM. The latter method allows direct visualisation and measurement of individual DNA fragments with an accuracy of several nanometres. In addition, comparison of the results obtained by SFM and agarose gel electrophoresis methods has been performed in the present study. Sparsely ionising radiation, such as X-rays, and densely ionising radiation, such as carbon ions, have been used to irradiate plasmid DNA in trishydroxymethylaminomethane (Tris buffer) and 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES buffer) environments. These buffer environments exhibit different scavenging capacities for hydroxyl radical (HO0), which is produced by ionisation of water and plays the major role in the indirect DNA damage processes. Fragment distributions have been measured by SFM over a large length range, and as expected, a significantly higher degree of DNA damages was observed for increasing dose. Also a higher amount of double-strand breaks (DSBs) was observed after irradiation with carbon ions compared to X-ray irradiation. The results obtained from SFM measurements show that both types of radiation induce multiple fragmentation of the plasmid DNA in the dose range from D = 250 Gy to D = 1500 Gy. Using Tris environments at two different concentrations, a decrease of the relative biological effectiveness with the rise of Tris concentration was observed. This demonstrates the radioprotective behavior of the Tris buffer solution. In contrast, a lower scavenging capacity for all other free radicals and ions, produced by the ionisation of water, was registered in the case of HEPES buffer compared to Tris solution. This is reflected in the higher RBE values deduced from SFM and gel electrophoresis measurements after irradiation of the plasmid DNA in 20 mM HEPES environment compared to 92 mM Tris solution. These results show that HEPES and Tris environments play a major role on preventing the indirect DNA damages induced by ionising radiation and on the relative biological effectiveness of heavy ion radiation. In general, the RBE calculated from the SFM measurements presents higher values compared to gel electrophoresis data, for plasmids irradiated in all environments. Using a large set of data, obtained from the SFM measurements, it was possible to calculate the survive rate over a larger range, from 88% to 98%, while for gel electrophoresis measurements the survive rates have been calculated only for values between 96% and 99%. While the gel electrophoresis measurements provide information only about the percentage of plasmids DNA that suffered a single DSB, SFM can count the small plasmid fragments produced by multiple DSBs induced in a single plasmid. Consequently, SFM generates more detailed information regarding the amount of the induced DSBs compared to gel electrophoresis, and therefore, RBE can be calculated with more accuracy. Thus, SFM has been proven to be a more precise method to characterize on molecular level the DNA damage induced by ionizing radiations.

Prediction of the azimuth angle dependence of the quasimolecular anisotropy in heavy ion collisions

Within the quasimolecular (MO) kinematic dipole model we predict a strong dependence of the anisotropy of the MO radiation on the orientation of the heavy ion scattering plane relative to the direction of the photon detection plane.

Highly Sensitive Sensor Based On Intracavity Laser Absorption Spectroscopy By Means of Relative Intensity Noise

This thesis concerns with the main aspects of medical trace molecules detection by means of intracavity laser absorption spectroscopy (ICLAS), namely with the equirements for highly sensitive, highly selective, low price, and compact size sensor. A novel two modes semiconductor laser sensor is demonstrated. Its operation principle is based on the competition between these two modes. The sensor sensitivity is improved when the sample is placed inside the two modes laser cavity, and the competition between the two modes exists. The effects of the mode competition in ICLAS are discussed theoretically and experimentally. The sensor selectivity is enhanced using external cavity diode laser (ECDL) configuration, where the tuning range only depends on the external cavity configuration. In order to considerably reduce the sensor cost, relative intensity noise (RIN) is chosen for monitoring the intensity ratio of the two modes. RIN is found to be an excellent indicator for the two modes intensity ratio variations which strongly supports the sensor methodology. On the other hand, it has been found that, wavelength tuning has no effect on the RIN spectrum which is very beneficial for the proposed detection principle. In order to use the sensor for medical applications, the absorption line of an anesthetic sample, propofol, is measured. Propofol has been dissolved in various solvents. RIN has been chosen to monitor the sensor response. From the measured spectra, the sensor sensitivity enhancement factor is found to be of the order of 10^(3) times of the conventional laser spectroscopy.

Enterprise Modelling Approach based on Maturity and Business Scope perspectives

This paper introduces a framework that supports users to implement enterprise modelling within collaborative companies. These enterprise models are the basis for a holistic interoperability measurement and management methodology which will be presented in the second part of the paper. The discipline of enterprise modelling aims at capturing all dimensions of an enterprise in a simplified model. Thus enterprise models are the appropriate basis for managing collaborative enterprise as they reduce the complexity of interoperability problems. Therefore, a first objective of this paper is to present an approach that enables companies to get the most effect out of enterprise modelling in a collaborative environment based on the maturity of their organisation relative to modelling. Within this first step, the user will get recommendations e.g. for the correct modelling language as well as the right level of detail.

Is export orientation a major motivator for the adoption of food safety systems in the Turkish dried fig firms?

Food safety management systems (FSMSs) and the scrutinisation of the food safety practices that are intended for adoption on the firm level both offer strategic value to the dried fig sector. This study aims to prove the hypothesis that export orientation is a major motivating force for the adoption of food safety systems in the Turkish dried fig firms. Data were obtained from 91 dried fig firms located in Aydin, Turkey. Interviews were carried out with firms’ managers/owners using a face-to-face questionnaire designed from May to August of 2010. While 36.3 percent of the interviewed firms had adopted one or more systems, the rest had no certification. A binomial logistic econometric model was employed. The parameters that influenced this decision included contractual agreements with other firms, implementation of good practices by the dried fig farmers, export orientation and cost-benefit ratio. Interestingly, the rest of the indicators employed had no statistically significant effect on adoption behaviour. This paper focusses on the export orientation parameter directly in order to test the validity of the main research hypothesis. The estimated marginal effect suggests that when dried fig firms are export-oriented, the probability that these firms will adopt food safety systems goes up by 39.5 percent. This rate was the first range observed among all the marginal probability values obtained and thus verified the hypothesis that export orientation is a major motivator for the adoption of food safety systems in the Turkish dried fig firms.

From Market- to Development Orientation - The Trade Aspect of Food Security and Agriculture

Trade rules are suggested to be one of the reasons for the hunger in the world and environmental damage. As current trade rules encourage market orientation and therefore specialization and industrialization of agriculture, which has as side effects rural hunger and environmental damage, there is room for improvement in the international trade regime. One main finding of Nexus Foundations' work in Geneva is a possible new orientation for agricultural and food markets – an orientation on development, rather than purely on markets. This development orientation consists of several elements from development of soil fertility to local markets and consumer relatedness. Since the Bali Ministerial in 2013, the WTO has set up a four year work programme on the issue of food security related to food reserves. This opens the chance to discuss broader food security issues in the realm of trade negotiations.

El río Guadalquivir como recurso educativo para un programa multidisciplinar de intervención ambiental.

Se presenta memoria final de proyecto educativo que pretende generar una gran cantidad de actividades y plantear estrategias educativas que sean capaces de aprovechar todos y cada uno de los recursos que el río Guadalquivir ofrece, desde una perspectiva multidisciplinar e implicando a la totalidad del centro. Los objetivos: reestablecer los vínculos afectivos entre el río y la población más cercana; sensibilizar al alumnado de la conservación y mejora del medio ambiente promoviendo actitudes pro-ambientales partiendo desde su realidad más cercana -río Guadalquivir- para extrapolarlo a los demás entornos; participar dentro de la dinámica de los colectivos ciudadanos que vienen trabajando para la integración del río en la ciudad; utilizar el río como centro de interés que puede aglutinar todo un programa de actividades interdisciplinares; diseñar proyectos de actividades y realizarlos -si se obtienen los permisos necesarios- que sirvan para promocionar el río y sus márgenes. El proceso consta de varias fases: fase de sensibilización, que pretende cuestionar la imagen que el alumnado tiene sobre el río; fase de conocimiento-conceptualización, que pretende que el alumnado adquiera un conocimiento básico de todo lo relacionado con el río y su entorno; fase de producción, que pretende implicar al alumnado en el diseño de actividades culturales, físicas, deportivas, lúdicas, respetuosas y solidarias con el entorno; fase de evaluación, se realiza una evaluación de todo el proyecto en diferentes momentos. Los resultados: se percibe un cierto cambio en la percepción del alumnado con respecto al río; se ha conseguido una percepción afectiva y de interés, por parte del alumnado y profesorado, hacia el río Guadalquivir a su paso por Córdoba y su importancia y repercusión en la vida diaria y cotidiana; se ha apreciado cierto cambio positivo en la concienciación de respeto hacia el medio ambiente en la mayoría de alumnado; aglutinar al profesorado del centro para realizar actividades interdisciplinares basadas en el río Guadalquivir. Los materiales producidos: folleto explicativo para el taller de bicicletas, folleto explicativo para el taller de fotografía, fotografías realizadas por el alumnado sobre el entorno del río Guadalquivir, fichas de trabajo para el estudio básico de la calidad del agua de un río y estudio de vegetación de la ribera, entrevista estructurada a padres, madres y familiares sobre sus vivencias, recuerdos y lazos afectivos con el río, fotografías antiguas recopiladas del río Guadalquivir, composiciones escritas sobre el río por el alumnado, vídeos sobre la carrera popular, documento de trabajo para el alumnado sobre los 'Sotos de Albolafia', plano de orientación sobre el entorno del río Guadalquivir a su paso por Córdoba, acuarelas sobre el río elaboradas por el alumnado para promocionar el río, láminas de trabajo básicas sobre el ciclo integral del agua y sobre los molinos, calendario del año 2006 sobre el río Guadalquivir elaborado por el alumnado, documento de trabajo para la gymkhana, recopilación de algunos juegos populares y tradicionales, tres diálogos dramatizados con diferentes personajes y situaciones clave, guiones de trabajo para las actividades relacionadas con la música, cuaderno de campo para la ruta de senderismo, paneles en madera con ejercicios de condición física para ser colocados en el muro del río.

Los molinos del río Segura : los molinos nuevos.

Folleto incluido como material complementario dentro de la carpeta que bajo el título 'Los Molinos informan' realiza el Museo hidráulico

Informe sobre detección de necesidades de formación : zona formativa 4 : Río Mula.

Resultados del trabajo realizado por la Comisión Territorial de Formación Profesional en el que se detectan las necesidades formativas en los municipios de la comarca del Noroeste y comarca del Río Mula pertenecientes a la Región de Murcia; zona de influencia de esta Comisión. El objetivo de este trabajo es dar respuesta a la demanda de recursos humanos por parte del sistema productivo, porporcionando al sistema formativo las bases para redefinir y actualizar de forma constante tanto el conjunto de perfiles profesionales presentes como los que se puedan detectar en el futuro. En este informe se estudia la situación de cuatro escenarios relevantes: población, mercado laboral, sistema productivo y oferta formativa. Para ello se han analizado las siguientes fuentes de información: matriz DAFO; encuesta realizada por el Observatorio Regional de Empleo sobre necesidades formativas y ocupacionales; análisis de las principales variables socioeconómicas de la zona formativa y, por último el estudio de la oferta formativa, tanto de formación profesional reglada, como ocupacional.

El río de mi comarca.

Hacer que los escolares de las escuelas rurales de Tineo conozcan la importancia y utilidad del agua, su condición de recurso escaso, el modo como se administra, el cuidado y la atención que requiere, al mismo tiempo que favorecer el conocimiento del medio en que viven los niños. Curso del río Narcea y su aprovechamiento. Se estudia el agua como fuente de energía, (propiedades, clases, usos, procesos), los ríos y su aprovechamiento (velocidad, caudal, rápidos y cataratas, aguas subterraneas), el río Narcea (encuadre biológico, complejo hidro-termo-eléctrico del Narcea, etc). Bibliografía. Se propone una serie de unidades didácticas y a partir de ellas, una guía para el alumno en la que se plantean cuestionarios, resúmenes sobre apartados concretos y ejercicios a realizar en clase. Se observa que el agua detenida en los pantanos se emplea para producir electricidad. Esto es lo que hace en realidad una central hidroeléctrica, que no deja de ser un conjunto de instalaciones que tienen por objeto generar electricidad mediante la energía potencial de un salto de agua. Las centrales hidroeléctricas se pueden dividir en centrales a pie de presa o centrales con canal de derivación, de 'caída alta' o de 'caída baja'. En el Principado de Asturias más de la cuarta parte de la potencia eléctrica es generada por el complejo hidro-termo-eléctrico del Narcea (afluente más importante del Nalón), río que a su paso por las tierras de Tineo, está aprovechado como fuente de energía eléctrica merced a los embalses de Pilotuerto y de Calabazón y, en Soto de la Barca, para el funcionamiento de la central térmica ubicada allí. La energía eléctrica no produce ningún tipo de residuo que pueda afectar al medio ambiente, pero la forma de producir esa electricidad sí puede ejercer ciertas acciones sobre el mismo: transforma un sistema fluvial en otro lacustre, acumula materia orgánica procedente de vertidos residuales, produce contaminación acústica, etc.

Biologically Plausible Neural Circuits for Realization of Maximum Operations

Object recognition in the visual cortex is based on a hierarchical architecture, in which specialized brain regions along the ventral pathway extract object features of increasing levels of complexity, accompanied by greater invariance in stimulus size, position, and orientation. Recent theoretical studies postulate a non-linear pooling function, such as the maximum (MAX) operation could be fundamental in achieving such invariance. In this paper, we are concerned with neurally plausible mechanisms that may be involved in realizing the MAX operation. Four canonical circuits are proposed, each based on neural mechanisms that have been previously discussed in the context of cortical processing. Through simulations and mathematical analysis, we examine the relative performance and robustness of these mechanisms. We derive experimentally verifiable predictions for each circuit and discuss their respective physiological considerations.

Relative Contributions of Internal and External Features to Face Recognition

The central challenge in face recognition lies in understanding the role different facial features play in our judgments of identity. Notable in this regard are the relative contributions of the internal (eyes, nose and mouth) and external (hair and jaw-line) features. Past studies that have investigated this issue have typically used high-resolution images or good-quality line drawings as facial stimuli. The results obtained are therefore most relevant for understanding the identification of faces at close range. However, given that real-world viewing conditions are rarely optimal, it is also important to know how image degradations, such as loss of resolution caused by large viewing distances, influence our ability to use internal and external features. Here, we report experiments designed to address this issue. Our data characterize how the relative contributions of internal and external features change as a function of image resolution. While we replicated results of previous studies that have shown internal features of familiar faces to be more useful for recognition than external features at high resolution, we found that the two feature sets reverse in importance as resolution decreases. These results suggest that the visual system uses a highly non-linear cue-fusion strategy in combining internal and external features along the dimension of image resolution and that the configural cues that relate the two feature sets play an important role in judgments of facial identity.

Investigating shape representation in area V4 with HMAX: Orientation and Grating selectivities

The question of how shape is represented is of central interest to understanding visual processing in cortex. While tuning properties of the cells in early part of the ventral visual stream, thought to be responsible for object recognition in the primate, are comparatively well understood, several different theories have been proposed regarding tuning in higher visual areas, such as V4. We used the model of object recognition in cortex presented by Riesenhuber and Poggio (1999), where more complex shape tuning in higher layers is the result of combining afferent inputs tuned to simpler features, and compared the tuning properties of model units in intermediate layers to those of V4 neurons from the literature. In particular, we investigated the issue of shape representation in visual area V1 and V4 using oriented bars and various types of gratings (polar, hyperbolic, and Cartesian), as used in several physiology experiments. Our computational model was able to reproduce several physiological findings, such as the broadening distribution of the orientation bandwidths and the emergence of a bias toward non-Cartesian stimuli. Interestingly, the simulation results suggest that some V4 neurons receive input from afferents with spatially separated receptive fields, leading to experimentally testable predictions. However, the simulations also show that the stimulus set of Cartesian and non-Cartesian gratings is not sufficiently complex to probe shape tuning in higher areas, necessitating the use of more complex stimulus sets.

Estudio de la situación ecológica del río Narcea.

Estudio de la contaminación del río Narcea por alumnos de últimos cursos de Bachillerato y COU en los seminarios de Física y Química, Ciencias Naturales y Geografía. Se intentan integrar métodos y conocimientos de Ciencias distintas para averiguar la capacidad de los alumnos en trabajos de investigación. Objeto del trabajo : estudio interdisciplinar de las posibles causas de contaminación del río Narcea, en el que se implica a alumnos de últimos cursos de BUP y COU del Instituto de Bachillerato de Cangas de Narcea. Se estudia la contaminación del río y cómo está determinada por sustancias producidas en tres puntos fundamentales: minas, centros urbanos y la central térmica. Se parte de una recogida de la información y legislación existente sobre el tema. Se efectúan recogida de muestras en el curso del agua, que serán sometidas a análisis físicos y biológicos para estudiar los parámetros indicadores de contaminación, y comprobar si las sustancias anteriormente señaladas son los agentes contaminantes principales. Los alumnos se organizan en grupos de trabajo coordinados por los profesores. Sondas turbimétricas, conductímetros, fluroscopio, aparatos de filtración del agua, densímetros, reostatos, test de oxidabilidad al permanganato potásico, y otra serie de instrumentos de laboratorio para el análisis químico del agua. Recuento de bacterias y prueba normalizada para las del grupo coliforme. Indice de Shannon-Weaver para ver la diversidad de macroinvertebrados. Análisis químicos: color, olor, turbidez, materias decantables, materias en suspensión, determinación de residuos, temperatura, densidad, PH, conductividad eléctrica, alcalinidad, acidez, CO2 libre, O2 disuelto, oxidabilidad al permanganato potásico del agua. Análisis biológicos del agua con elaboración de los índices que expresan la riqueza en macroinvertebrados. Correlación entre: temperatura y PH, CO2, O2 disuelto y conductividad; O2 disuelto y macroinvertebrados, PH y DBO5; residuos en suspensión y macroinvertebrados, etc. La mayor parte de los tramos de la cuenca alta se pueden considerar no contaminados. Se comprueba que los factores de máxima incidencia contaminante son los que se apuntaban al principio: aprovechamientos mineros, vertidos residuales, acción de la central térmica. El trabajo consigue la interdisciplinareidad entre los tres seminarios didácticos que se pretendía y una toma de conciencia de la unidad de la ciencia superando la tradicional visión de la misma como compartimentos estancos aislados. Los alumnos encuentran más facilidad en el tratamiento de fuentes bibliográficas que en la organización del material recogido. Como se parte de conocimientos adquiridos con anterioridad, la experimentación y contrastación de hipótesis por parte de los alumnos se considera aceptable. La aplicación de estas pequeñas investigaciones a la enseñanza de las Ciencias Naturales favorece una mayor valoración del entorno por parte de los alumnos y fomenta la actitud crítica hacia la aplicación de las nuevas tecnologías.