Theory of extraordinary transmission of light through quasiperiodic arrays of subwavelength holes

By using a theoretical formalism able to work in both real and k-spaces, the physical origin of the phenomenon of extraordinary transmission of light through quasi-periodic arrays of holes is revealed. Long-range order present in a quasiperiodic array selects the wavevector(s) of the surface electromagnetic mode(s) that allows an efficient transmission of light through subwavelength holes.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure

Environmental enrichment results in both brain connectivity efficiency and selective improvement in different behavioral tasks

Exposure to environmental enrichment (EE) has been a useful model for studying the effects of experience on brain plasticity, but to date, few is known about the impact of this condition on the brain functional networks that probably underlies the multiple behavioral improvements. Hence, we assessed the effect of an EE protocol in adult Wistar rats on the performance in several behavioral tasks testing different domains (Open field (OP): locomotor activity; Elevated-zero maze (EZM): anxiety-related behaviors; 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT): attentional processes; 4-arm radial water maze (4-RAWM): spatial memory) in order to check its effectiveness in a wide range of functions. After this, we analyzed the functional brain connectivity underlying each experimental condition through cytochrome C oxidase (COx) histochemistry. Our EE protocol reduced both locomotor activity in the OP and anxiety-related behaviors in the EZM. On the other hand, enriched rats showed more accuracy in the 4-RAWM, whereas 5-CSRTT performance was not significantly ameliorated by EE condition. In relation to COx functional connectivity, we found that EE reduced the number of strong positive correlations both in basal and training conditions, suggesting a modulating effect on specific brain connections. Our results suggest that EE seems to have a selective effect on specific brain regions, such as prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, leading to a more efficient brain connectivity.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. PPIT.UMA.B1.2017/3

g-engineering in hybrid rotaxanes to create AB and AB2 electron spin systems: EPR spectroscopic studies of weak interactions between dissimilar electron spin qubits

Hybrid [2]rotaxanes and pseudorotaxanes are reported where the magnetic interaction between dissimilar spins is controlled to create AB and AB2 electron spin systems,allowing independent control of weakly interacting S =1=2 centers

Geometrically induced modification of surface plasmons in the optical and telecom regimes

We demonstrate that the introduction of a subwavelength periodic modulation into a metallic structure strongly modifies the guiding characteristics of the surface plasmon modes supported by the system. Moreover, it is also shown how a new type of a tightly confined surface plasmon polariton mode can be created by just milling a periodic corrugation into a metallic ridge placed on top of a metal surface

Usability Inspection in Model-Driven Web Development: Empirical Validation in WebML

There is a lack of empirically validated usability evaluation methods that can be applied to models in model-driven Web development. Evaluation of these models allows an early detection of usability problems perceived by the end-user. This motivated us to propose WUEP, a usability inspection method which can be integrated into different model-driven Web development processes. We previously demonstrated how WUEP can effectively be used when following the Object-Oriented Hypermedia method. In order to provide evidences about WUEP’s generalizability, this paper presents the operationalization and empirical validation of WUEP into another well-known method: WebML. The effectiveness, efficiency, perceived ease of use, and satisfaction of WUEP were evaluated in comparison to Heuristic Evaluation (HE) from the viewpoint of novice inspectors. The results show that WUEP was more effective and efficient than HE when detecting usability problems on models. Also, inspectors were satisfied when applying WUEP, and found it easier to use than HE.Fernández Martínez, A.; Abrahao Gonzales, SM.; Insfrán Pelozo, CE.; Matera, M. (2013). Usability Inspection in Model-Driven Web Development: Empirical Validation in WebML. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. 8107:740-756. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-41533-3_457407568107Abrahão, S., Iborra, E., Vanderdonckt, J.: Usability Evaluation of User Interfaces Generated with a Model-Driven Architecture Tool. In: Maturing Usability: Quality in Software, Interaction and Value, pp. 3–32. Springer (2007)Atterer, R., Schmidt, A.: Adding Usability to Web Engineering Models and Tools. In: Lowe, D.G., Gaedke, M. (eds.) ICWE 2005. LNCS, vol. 3579, pp. 36–41. Springer, Heidelberg (2005)Basili, V., Rombach, H.: The TAME Project: Towards Improvement-Oriented Software Environments. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering 14(6), 758–773 (1988)Briand, L., Labiche, Y., Di Penta, M., Yan-Bondoc, H.: An experimental investigation of formality in UML-based development. IEEE TSE 31(10), 833–849 (2005)Carifio, J., Perla, R.: Ten Common Misunderstandings, Misconceptions, Persistent Myths and Urban Legends about Likert Scales and Likert Response Formats and their Antidotes. Journal of Social Sciences 3(3), 106–116 (2007)Ceri, S., Fraternali, P., Bongio, A.: Web modeling language (WebML): a modeling language for designing Web sites. In: 9th International World Wide Web Conference, pp. 137–157 (2000)Ceri, S., Fraternali, P., Acerbis, R., Bongio, A., Butti, S., Ciapessoni, F., Conserva, C., Elli, R., Greppi, C., Tagliasacchi, M., Toffetti, G.: Architectural issues and solutions in the development of data-intensive Web applications. In: Proceedings of the 1st Biennial Conference on Innovative Data Systems Research, Asilomar, CA (2003)Conte, T., Massollar, J., Mendes, E., Travassos, G.H.: Usability Evaluation Based on Web Design Perspectives. In: Proceedings of the International Symposium on Empirical Software Engineering and Measurement (ESEM 2007), pp. 146–155 (2007)Fernandez, A., Insfran, E., Abrahão, S.: Usability evaluation methods for the Web: a systematic mapping study. Information and Software Technology 53, 789–817 (2011)Fernandez, A., Abrahão, S., Insfran, E.: A Web usability evaluation process for model-driven Web development. In: Mouratidis, H., Rolland, C. (eds.) CAiSE 2011. LNCS, vol. 6741, pp. 108–122. Springer, Heidelberg (2011)Fernandez, A., Abrahão, S., Insfran, E., Matera, M.: Further Analysis on the Validation of a Usability Inspection Method for Model-Driven Web Development. In: 6th International Symposium on Empirical Software Engineering and Measurement (ESEM 2012), pp. 153–156 (2012)Fernandez, A., Abrahão, S., Insfran, E.: Empirical Validation of a Usability Inspection Method for Model-Driven Web Development. Journal of Systems and Software 86, 161–186 (2013)Fraternali, P., Matera, M., Maurino, A.: WQA: an XSL Framework for Analyzing the Quality of Web Applications. In: Proceedings of IWWOST 2002 - ECOOP 2002 Workshop, Malaga, Spain (2002)Hornbæk, K.: Dogmas in the assessment of usability evaluation methods. Behaviour & Information Technology 29(1), 97–111 (2010)Hwang, W., Salvendy, G.: Number of people required for usability evaluation: the 10±2 rule. Communications of the ACM 53(5), 130–113 (2010)International Organization for Standardization: ISO/IEC 25000, Software Engineering – Software Product Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE) – Guide to SQuaRE (2005)Juristo, N., Moreno, A.M.: Basics of Software Engineering Experimentation. Kluwer Academic Publishers (2001)Juristo, N., Moreno, A., Sanchez-Segura, M.I.: Guidelines for eliciting usability functionalities. IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering 33(11), 744–758 (2007)Matera, M., Costabile, M.F., Garzotto, F., Paolini, P.: SUE inspection: an effective method for systematic usability evaluation of hypermedia. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics, Part A 32(1), 93–103 (2002)Matera, M., Rizzo, F., Carughi, G.: Web Usability: Principles and Evaluation Methods. In: Web Engineering, pp. 143–180. Springer (2006)Maxwell, K.: Applied Statistics for Software Managers. Software Quality Institute Series. Prentice Hall (2002)Molina, F., Toval, A.: Integrating usability requirements that can be evaluated in design time into Model Driven Engineering of Web Information Systems. Advances in Engineering Software 40(12), 1306–1317 (2009)Moreno, N., Vallecillo, A.: Towards interoperable Web engineering methods. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technolog 59(7), 1073–1092 (2008)Neuwirth, C.M., Regli, S.H.: IEEE Internet Computing Special Issue on Usability and the Web 6(2) (2002)Nielsen, J.: Heuristic evaluation. In: Usability Inspection Methods. John Wiley & Sons, NY (1994)Offutt, J.: Quality attributes of Web software applications. IEEE Software: Special Issue on Software Engineering of Internet Software, 25–32 (2002)Panach, I., Condori, N., Valverde, F., Aquino, N., Pastor, O.: Understandability measurement in an early usability evaluation for MDD. In: International Symposium on Empirical Software Engineering (ESEM 2008), pp. 354–356 (2008)Webratio. Success stories, Online article, http://www.webratio.com/portal/content/en/success-storiesWohlin, C., Runeson, P., Host, M., Ohlsson, M.C., Regnell, B., Weslen, A.: Experimentation in Software Engineering - An Introduction. Kluwer (2000

Jóvenes con discapacidades: sujetos de reconocimiento

Esta investigación se centra en una lectura de la discapacidad desde una perspectiva ético-moral y en concreto desde la ética del reconocimiento como fuente de sentido teórico que, para el grupo de jóvenes con discapacidades participantes, se aprecia en que reivindican su propia condición como sujetos apreciados por ellos mismos, reconocidos juridicamente en equidad y valorados socialmente por sujetos. Metodológicamente se privilegia el uso de relatos de vida, se opta por este tipo de narrativa biográfica por cuanto permite recuperar la valoración intersubjetiva que construyen los jóvenes con discapacidades en diversos ambitos de interacción, así como las heridas morales situándolas posteriormente en dinámicas relacionadas y comunicativas que implica la dimensión procedimental que busca el cambio normativo. Al finalizar el dialogo con Honneth se presentan los aportes de esta tesis a la ética del reconocimiento

The barley a-thionin promotor is rich in negative regulatory motifs and directs tissue-specific expression of a reporter gene in tobacco.

The promoter of the barley α-thionin gene (1.6 kb) fused to the β-glucuronidase (GUS) gene directs temporally-controled, tissue-specific expression in the endosperm of transgenic tobacco. The nucleotide sequence of this promoter shows negative regulatory motifs which have been functionally analyzed in other gene

Amniotic membrane transplantation with fibrin glue as treatment of refractory conjunctivochalasis

Case report: A 63-year-old man with bilateral conjunctivochalasis presented with tearing, irritation, foreign body sensation and a delayed fluorescein clearance test. After no symptomatic improvement with topical treatment, surgery was carried out, with amniotic membrane transplantation and fibrin sealant. Discussion: Conjunctivochalasis is a frequent disorder that shares symptoms with dry eye syndrome. When there is no response to topical treatment, surgical treatment is needed. The surgical technique described by Tseng, and based on amniotic membrane transplantation without suture, resulted in a very useful response, due to less inflammation and a rapid resolution and improvement of symptom

Regeneración de la superficie ocular: stem cells/células madre y técnicas reconstructivas Regeneration of the ocular

La córnea es un tejido transparente constituido microscópicamente por 5 capas bien diferenciadas. El epitelio corneal es esencial para la transparencia corneal y se encuentra en continua renovación a lo largo de la vida a partir de la población de células madre limbocorneales. La localización de estas células madre limbocorneales parece residir en las capas basales del epitelio limbocorneal, de vital importancia para mantener el microambiente de estas células madre limbocorneales, que depende de una variedad de factores intrínsecos y extrínsecos. La insuficiencia límbica se produce cuando ocurre una pérdida parcial o total de estas células madre limbocorneales. Este cuadro lleva a una opacificación corneal con la consiguiente pérdida de visión. En estos casos, el trasplante corneal supone únicamente un reemplazo temporal del epitelio corneal; es necesario llevar a cabo un tratamiento previo con trasplante de limbo autólogo o alogénico, que permita regenerar la población de células limbocorneales dañadas. Para disminuir el riesgo que supone el trasplante de limbo en el ojo donante, se han propuesto técnicas de cultivo de células limbocorneales a partir de pequeñas biopsias limbocorneales