Exploring the Relationship between IT Use and Wellbeing

This study explores the relationship between use of tablet PCs in daily life and individuals’ perceptions of wellbeing. Our results indicate that the number of features used and the degree to which different features are used directly influence individuals’ subjective wellbeing and exert indirect effects on physical wellbeing. These findings suggest that more research is needed to advance understanding of the phenomenon. Developing understanding of these relationships could facilitate efforts to engage people meaningfully with IT and support improvements in wellbeing for individuals, social groups, and society

Micromorfología y anatomía foliar de Myrceugenia rufa (Myrtaceae). Un arbusto costero endémico de la zona centro-norte de Chile

Species of fleshy-fruited Myrtaceae are generally associated with humid environments and their vegetative anatomy is mainly mesophytic. Myrceugenia rufa is an endemic and rare species from arid zones of the coast of central Chile and there are no anatomical studies regarding its leaf anatomy and environmental adaptations. Here we describe the leaf micromorphology and anatomy of the species using standard protocols for light and scanning electron microscopy. The leaf anatomy of M. rufa matches that of other Myrtaceae, such as presence of druses, schizogenous secretory ducts and internal phloem. Leaves of M. rufa exhibit a double epidermis, thick cuticle, abundant unicellular hairs, large substomatal chambers covered by trichomes and a dense palisade parenchyma. Leaf characters of M. rufa confirm an anatomical adaptation to xerophytic environments.Las especies con frutos carnosos de Myrtaceae están generalmente asociadas a ambientes húmedos y su anatomía vegetativa es principalmente mesofítica. Myrceugenia rufa es una especie rara y endémica de lugares secos de la costa de Chile central y no hay estudios anatómicos de sus hojas en términos de adaptaciones ambientales. En este artículo describimos la micromorfología y anatomía foliar de la especie usando protocolos estándar para microscopia óptica y electrónica de barrido. La anatomía foliar de M. rufa es similar a otras especies de Myrtaceae, en lo que respecta a presencia de drusas, canales secretores esquizógenos y floema interno. Las hojas de M. rufa tienen una epidermis doble, cutícula gruesa, pelos unicelulares abundantes, cavidades subestomáticas amplias y cubiertas por tricomas, y un denso parénquima en empalizada. Los caracteres foliares de la especie confirman una afinidad morfoanatómica a ambientes xerofíticos

The First Science Results from SPHERE: Disproving the Predicted Brown Dwarf around V471 Tau

Variations of eclipse arrival times have recently been detected in several post common envelope binaries consisting of a white dwarf and a main sequence companion star. The generally favoured explanation for these timing variations is the gravitational pull of one or more circumbinary substellar objects periodically moving the center of mass of the host binary. Using the new extreme-AO instrument SPHERE, we image the prototype eclipsing post-common envelope binary V471 Tau in search of the brown dwarf that is believed to be responsible for variations in its eclipse arrival times. We report that an unprecedented contrast of 12.1 magnitudes in the H band at a separation of 260 mas was achieved, but resulted in a non-detection. This implies that there is no brown dwarf present in the system unless it is three magnitudes fainter than predicted by evolutionary track models, and provides damaging evidence against the circumbinary interpretation of eclipse timing variations. In the case of V471 Tau, a more consistent explanation is offered with the Applegate mechanism, in which these variations are prescribed to changes in the quadrupole moment within the main-sequence sta

Sistema de informacion de apoyo a la licitacion y adjudicacion de obras sanitarias

69 p.Se construirá un sistema de Información para el proceso de licitación y adjudicación de obras sanitarias en ESSAM S.A. Este sistema considera el registro de información proveniente desde distintas fuentes, como por ejemplo, el registro de las bases de una determinada obra, las propuestas presentadas por los contratistas y las calificaciones que obtengan en terreno por la realización de una obra en particular. Con la información recolectada, el sistema debe ser capaz de: primero, gestionar el proceso de licitación y adjudicación; segundo, realizar un análisis multicriterio de las propuestas presentadas por los contratistas participantes de una licitación; tercero, construir un historial de las calificaciones de contratistas en obras ejecutadas para ESSAM S.A.; cuarto, llevar un registro cruzado de obras y contratistas. En este sentido, el sistema de información contendrá un subsistema de ayuda a la decisión

Efecto de inmersiones en calcio sobre peteca en limones amarillos y plateados, cosechados despu\ue9s de una lluvia y almacenados en refrigeraci\uf3n

Peteca (rind pitting) is a physiological disorder that produces decay in lemon peels ( Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f.), affecting fruit quality. The objective of this assay was to evaluate in lemons cv. Genova, with yellow and silver green rinds, , the effect of post-harvest calcium immersion, on rind pitting incidence in cold stored fruit after rainfall induced stress. The fruit was harvested, 3, 6 and 9 days after a rainfall, and dipped in calcium solutions: calcium nitrate 0.8%; calcium chloride at 0.5% and 1% of commercial product, and later stored at 7\ub0C for 0, 15, 30 and 45 days. The presence of rind pitting and calcium percentage in the rind was evaluated. Also, histological analyse of fruit affected with rind pitting was carried out. At each harvest date, lemons harvested with yellow rinds developed more rind pitting than silver green lemons, and extending days after harvest rainfall reduced rind pitting intensity. Yellow lemons harvested three days after a rainfall, treated with 1% of commercial calcium chloride product, didn't show development of petaca compared with the control. It was not possible to associate the calcium level of the rind with rind pitting development.La peteca es un desorden fisiol\uf3gico que produce da\uf1o en la corteza de limones ( Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f.), afectando la calidad de la fruta. El objetivo de este ensayo fue evaluar en limones cv. G\ue9nova, amarillos y plateados, el efecto de inmersiones de calcio en poscosecha, sobre la incidencia de peteca en almacenaje refrigerado de frutos sometidos a un estr\ue9s producido por lluvia. La fruta fue cosechada 3, 6 y 9 d\uedas despu\ue9s de una lluvia, y sometida a una inmersi\uf3n, en soluciones de: nitrato de calcio 0,8%, cloruro de calcio al 0,5% y 1% de producto comercial, siendo posteriormente almacenada a 7\ub0C, por 0; 15; 30 y 45 d\uedas. Se evalu\uf3 presencia de peteca y contenido de calcio total en la corteza. Adem\ue1s, se efectu\uf3 un an\ue1lisis histol\uf3gico de los frutos que presentaron peteca. En cada fecha de cosecha por separado, los limones amarillos presentaron mayor incidencia de peteca que los plateados, y a medida que la cosecha se distanci\uf3 de la lluvia, el desorden redujo su intensidad. Limones amarillos cosechados tres d\uedas despu\ue9s de una lluvia, tratados con cloruro de calcio 1% de producto comercial no mostraron desarrollo de peteca comparado con el testigo. No fue posible asociar contenido de calcio en la corteza con desarrollo de peteca en los frutos

JUICE: a data management system that facilitates the analysis of large volumes of information in an EST project workflow

BACKGROUND: Expressed sequence tag (EST) analyses provide a rapid and economical means to identify candidate genes that may be involved in a particular biological process. These ESTs are useful in many Functional Genomics studies. However, the large quantity and complexity of the data generated during an EST sequencing project can make the analysis of this information a daunting task. RESULTS: In an attempt to make this task friendlier, we have developed JUICE, an open source data management system (Apache + PHP + MySQL on Linux), which enables the user to easily upload, organize, visualize and search the different types of data generated in an EST project pipeline. In contrast to other systems, the JUICE data management system allows a branched pipeline to be established, modified and expanded, during the course of an EST project. The web interfaces and tools in JUICE enable the users to visualize the information in a graphical, user-friendly manner. The user may browse or search for sequences and/or sequence information within all the branches of the pipeline. The user can search using terms associated with the sequence name, annotation or other characteristics stored in JUICE and associated with sequences or sequence groups. Groups of sequences can be created by the user, stored in a clipboard and/or downloaded for further analyses. Different user profiles restrict the access of each user depending upon their role in the project. The user may have access exclusively to visualize sequence information, access to annotate sequences and sequence information, or administrative access. CONCLUSION: JUICE is an open source data management system that has been developed to aid users in organizing and analyzing the large amount of data generated in an EST Project workflow. JUICE has been used in one of the first functional genomics projects in Chile, entitled "Functional Genomics in nectarines: Platform to potentiate the competitiveness of Chile in fruit exportation". However, due to its ability to organize and visualize data from external pipelines, JUICE is a flexible data management system that should be useful for other EST/Genome projects. The JUICE data management system is released under the Open Source GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL). JUICE may be downloaded from or

Loading protocols for European regions of low to moderate seismicity

Existing loading protocols for quasi-static cyclic testing of structures are based on recordings from regions of high seismicity. For regions of low to moderate seismicity they overestimate imposed cumulative damage demands. Since structural capacities are a function of demand, existing loading protocols applied to specimens representative of structures in low to moderate seismicity regions might underestimate structural strength and deformation capacity. To overcome this problem, this paper deals with the development of cyclic loading protocols for European regions of low to moderate seismicity. Cumulative damage demands imposed by a set of 60 ground motion records are evaluated for a wide variety of SDOF systems that reflect the fundamental properties of a large portion of the existing building stock. The ground motions are representative of the seismic hazard level corresponding to a 2% probability of exceedance in 50 years in a European moderate seismicity region. To meet the calculated cumulative damage demands, loading protocols for different structural types and vibration periods are developed. For comparison, cumulative seismic demands are also calculated for existing protocols and a set of records that was used in a previous study on loading protocols for regions of high seismicity. The median cumulative demands for regions of low to moderate seismicity are significantly less than those of existing protocols and records of high seismicity regions. For regions of low to moderate seismicity the new protocols might therefore result in larger strength and deformation capacities and hence in more cost-effective structural configurations or less expensive retrofit measures

Cytotoxic T cells expressing the co-stimulatory receptor NKG2 D are increased in cigarette smoking and COPD

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A suggested role for T cells in COPD pathogenesis is based on associations between increased lung cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CD8⁺) numbers and airflow limitation. CD69 is an early T cell activation marker. Natural Killer cell group 2 D (NKG2D) receptors are co-stimulatory molecules induced on CD8⁺T cells upon activation. The activating function of NKG2 D is triggered by binding to MHC class 1 chain-related (MIC) molecules A and B, expressed on surface of stressed epithelial cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of MIC A and B in the bronchial epithelium and NKG2 D and CD69 on BAL lymphocytes in subjects with COPD, compared to smokers with normal lung function and healthy never-smokers.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Bronchoscopy with airway lavages and endobronchial mucosal biopsy sampling was performed in 35 patients with COPD, 21 healthy never-smokers and 16 smokers with normal lung function. Biopsies were immunohistochemically stained and BAL lymphocyte subsets were determined using flow cytometry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Epithelial CD3⁺lymphocytes in bronchial biopsies were increased in both smokers with normal lung function and in COPD patients, compared to never-smokers. Epithelial CD8⁺lymphocyte numbers were higher in the COPD group compared to never-smoking controls. Among gated CD3⁺cells in BAL, the percentage of CD8⁺NKG2D⁺cells was enhanced in patients with COPD and smokers with normal lung function, compared to never-smokers. The percentage of CD8⁺CD69⁺cells and cell surface expression of CD69 were enhanced in patients with COPD and smokers with normal lung function, compared to never-smokers. No changes in the expression of MIC A or MIC B in the airway epithelium could be detected between the groups, whereas significantly decreased soluble MICB was detected in bronchial wash from smokers with normal lung function, compared to never-smokers.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In COPD, we found increased numbers of cytotoxic T cells in both bronchial epithelium and airway lumen. Further, the proportions of CD69- and NKG2D-expressing cytotoxic T cells in BAL fluid were enhanced in both subjects with COPD and smokers with normal lung function and increased expression of CD69 was found on CD8⁺cells, indicating the cigarette smoke exposure-induced expansion of activated cytotoxic T cells, which potentially can respond to stressed epithelial cells.</p

Prevention of elastase-induced emphysema in placenta growth factor knock-out mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although both animal and human studies suggested the association between placenta growth factor (PlGF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), especially lung emphysema, the role of PlGF in the pathogenesis of emphysema remains to be clarified. This study hypothesizes that blocking PlGF prevents the development of emphysema.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Pulmonary emphysema was induced in PlGF knock-out (KO) and wild type (WT) mice by intra-tracheal instillation of porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE). A group of KO mice was then treated with exogenous PlGF and WT mice with neutralizing anti-VEGFR1 antibody. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and VEGF were quantified. Apoptosis measurement and immuno-histochemical staining for VEGF R1 and R2 were performed in emphysematous lung tissues.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After 4 weeks of PPE instillation, lung airspaces enlarged more significantly in WT than in KO mice. The levels of TNF-α and MMP-9, but not VEGF, increased in the lungs of WT compared with those of KO mice. There was also increased in apoptosis of alveolar septal cells in WT mice. Instillation of exogenous PlGF in KO mice restored the emphysematous changes. The expression of both VEGF R1 and R2 decreased in the emphysematous lungs.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In this animal model, pulmonary emphysema is prevented by depleting PlGF. When exogenous PlGF is administered to PlGF KO mice, emphysema re-develops, implying that PlGF contributes to the pathogenesis of emphysema.</p