A system for gaze-contingent image analysis and multi-sensorial image display

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Caffeine, sleep duration and adolescents’ perception of health related quality of life

© 2016 Matos et al.; This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Introduction: The main objective of this study was to understand the impact of caffeine on adolescents’ health and health related behaviours, namely sleep duration and health related quality of life. Methods: Students in the 6th, 8th and 10th grades were chosen randomly from clusters of schools for this study. A questionnaire designed to measure caffeine consumption, sleep quantity and quality and health related quality of life was used. ANOVAs were used for gender and grade and three multilinear regression models were conducted. Results: Coffee and soft drinks with caffeine have a negative impact in sleep duration. Both sleep duration and quality have a positive effect on health related quality of life. Although the use of energetic drinks with alcohol is low, it has a negative impact on the perception of health quality of life. Males have shown a better perception of health related quality of life and greater quantity and quality of sleep while females report more difficulties falling asleep and report more fatigue. Conclusions: Caffeine intake has a negative impact on sleep duration and perception of health related quality of life, although accounting for a relatively low variance.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Enhancing the prediction of protein pairings between interacting families using orthology information

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It has repeatedly been shown that interacting protein families tend to have similar phylogenetic trees. These similarities can be used to predicting the mapping between two families of interacting proteins (i.e. which proteins from one family interact with which members of the other). The correct mapping will be that which maximizes the similarity between the trees. The two families may eventually comprise orthologs and paralogs, if members of the two families are present in more than one organism. This fact can be exploited to restrict the possible mappings, simply by impeding links between proteins of different organisms. We present here an algorithm to predict the mapping between families of interacting proteins which is able to incorporate information regarding orthologues, or any other assignment of proteins to "classes" that may restrict possible mappings.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>For the first time in methods for predicting mappings, we have tested this new approach on a large number of interacting protein domains in order to statistically assess its performance. The method accurately predicts around 80% in the most favourable cases. We also analysed in detail the results of the method for a well defined case of interacting families, the sensor and kinase components of the Ntr-type two-component system, for which up to 98% of the pairings predicted by the method were correct.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Based on the well established relationship between tree similarity and interactions we developed a method for predicting the mapping between two interacting families using genomic information alone. The program is available through a web interface.</p

Discrete Information from CHL Black Holes

AdS_2/CFT_1 correspondence predicts that the logarithm of a Z_N twisted index over states carrying a fixed set of charges grows as 1/N times the entropy of the black hole carrying the same set of charges. In this paper we verify this explicitly by calculating the microscopic Z_N twisted index for a class of states in the CHL models. This demonstrates that black holes carry more information about the microstates than just the total degeneracy.Comment: LaTeX file, 24 pages; v2: references adde

Las relaciones interpersonales en el desempeño laboral docente

The general objective of this research was to design a program of strategies based on interpersonal relationships to optimize teacher work performance in the Juan Bautista Aguirre Educational Unit, Daule 2020 District. The quantitative approach was used, applied type, non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive design; For data collection, the survey and questionnaire with 24 questions applied to 72 teachers from the three ordinary days were used, then it was processed in Microsoft Excel and the SPSS version 26 program was used for the analysis. The data in the tables show that interpersonal relationships are not appropriate and this affects teacher job performance. The results related to the variable interpersonal relationships, teachers rated 78% poor, 19% fair and 3% good; It is appreciated that teachers do not relate easily and this contributes to the emergence of complications in the development of their work activities; Regarding the variable teacher job performance, 69% rate a poor level, 28% regular and 3% good, they consider that the job performance of teachers in the different pedagogical activities is not optimal.La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo general diseñar un programa de estrategias basadas en relaciones interpersonales para optimizar el desempeño laboral docente en la Unidad Educativa Juan Bautista Aguirre, Distrito Daule 2020. Se empleó el enfoque cuantitativo, tipo aplicada, diseño no experimental, transversal, descriptivo; para la recolección de los datos se utilizó la encuesta y el cuestionario con 24 interrogantes &nbsp;&nbsp;aplicado a 72 docentes de las tres jornadas ordinarias, luego se procesaron en Microsoft Excel y para el análisis se empleó el programa SPSS versión 26. Los datos de las tablas evidencian que las relaciones interpersonales no son apropiadas y ello afecta el desempeño laboral docente. Los resultados relacionados a la variable relaciones interpersonales, los docentes calificaron el 78% deficiente, el 19% regular y el 3% bueno; se aprecia que los docentes no se relacionan fácilmente y ello contribuye al surgimiento de complicaciones en el desarrollo de sus actividades laborales; en torno a la variable desempeño laboral docente el 69% califica nivel deficiente, el 28% regular y el 3% bueno, consideran que el desempeño laboral de los docentes en las diferentes actividades pedagógicas no es óptimo

Multi-scale mechanical characterization of highly swollen photo-activated collagen hydrogels

Biological hydrogels have been increasingly sought after as wound dressings or scaffolds for regenerative medicine, owing to their inherent biofunctionality in biological environments. Especially in moist wound healing, the ideal material should absorb large amounts of wound exudate while remaining mechanically competent in situ. Despite their large hydration, however, current biological hydrogels still leave much to be desired in terms of mechanical properties in physiological conditions. To address this challenge, a multi-scale approach is presented for the synthetic design of cyto-compatible collagen hydrogels with tunable mechanical properties (from the nano- up to the macro-scale), uniquely high swelling ratios and retained (more than 70%) triple helical features. Type I collagen was covalently functionalized with three different monomers, i.e. 4-vinylbenzyl chloride, glycidyl methacrylate and methacrylic anhydride, respectively. Backbone rigidity, hydrogen-bonding capability and degree of functionalization (F: 16 ± 12–91 ± 7 mol%) of introduced moieties governed the structure–property relationships in resulting collagen networks, so that the swelling ratio (SR: 707 ± 51–1996 ± 182 wt%), bulk compressive modulus (Ec: 30 ± 7–168 ± 40 kPa) and atomic force microscopy elastic modulus (EAFM: 16 ± 2–387 ± 66 kPa) were readily adjusted. Because of their remarkably high swelling and mechanical properties, these tunable collagen hydrogels may be further exploited for the design of advanced dressings for chronic wound care

Inteligencia emocional para mejorar el pensamiento crítico

The objective of the research was to propose an emotional intelligence program to improve the critical thinking of second year high school science students of the Aida León de Rodríguez Lara Educational Unit, Guayaquil 2021. The research methodology was of applied type, with a quantitative approach; and non-experimental design of transactional scope, the sample was a census of 60 students, the technique employee for data collection was the survey and as an instrument a questionnaire was used for the two research variables, the instruments were validated according to expert judgment and then proceeded with the reliability test of Cronbach’s Alpha resulting for the independent variable a level of 0.092 and for the dependent variable 0.896 concluding that the instruments are truthful. The most significant conclusion is that students expose their thoughts as they conceive them without stopping to think about the consequences of their statements or those who may be harmed, causing problems in the interrelationship with the peers, they do not usually contribute with solutions to a problem due to lack of initiative. Finally, they do not know how to influence people to get out of any circumstance achieving things a favor.La investigación tuvo como objetivo plantear un programa de inteligencia emocional para mejorar el pensamiento crítico de los estudiantes de segundo año de bachillerato en ciencias de la Unidad Educativa Aida León Rodríguez Lara, Guayaquil 2021. La metodología de investigación fue de tipo aplicado, con un enfoque cuantitativo; y diseño no experimental de alcance transaccional, la muestra fue censal de 60 estudiantes, la técnica empleada para la recolección de datos fue la encuesta y como instrumento se utilizó un cuestionario para las dos variables de investigación, los instrumentos fueron validados según juicio de expertos y luego se procedió con la prueba de confiabilidad del Alfa Cronbach resultando para la variable independiente un nivel de 0,902 y para la variable dependiente 0,896 concluyéndose que los instrumentos son confiables. La conclusión más significativa es que los estudiantes exponen sus pensamientos tal cual los conciben sin detenerse a pensar acerca de las consecuencias de sus declaraciones ni a quienes pueden vulnerar originando problemas en la interrelación con sus compañeros, no suelen contribuir con soluciones frente a un problema debido a la falta de iniciativa, y, por último, no saben influir sobre las personas para lograr salir de cualquier circunstancia logrando cosas a favor

Comparison of I-131 Radioimmunotherapy Tumor Dosimetry: Unit Density Sphere Model Versus Patient-Specific Monte Carlo Calculations

High computational requirements restrict the use of Monte Carlo algorithms for dose estimation in a clinical setting, despite the fact that they are considered more accurate than traditional methods. The goal of this study was to compare mean tumor absorbed dose estimates using the unit density sphere model incorporated in OLINDA with previously reported dose estimates from Monte Carlo simulations using the dose planning method (DPMMC) particle transport algorithm. The dataset (57 tumors, 19 lymphoma patients who underwent SPECT/CT imaging during I-131 radioimmunotherapy) included tumors of varying size, shape, and contrast. OLINDA calculations were first carried out using the baseline tumor volume and residence time from SPECT/CT imaging during 6 days post-tracer and 8 days post-therapy. Next, the OLINDA calculation was split over multiple time periods and summed to get the total dose, which accounted for the changes in tumor size. Results from the second calculation were compared with results determined by coupling SPECT/CT images with DPM Monte Carlo algorithms. Results from the OLINDA calculation accounting for changes in tumor size were almost always higher (median 22%, range -1%-68%) than the results from OLINDA using the baseline tumor volume because of tumor shrinkage. There was good agreement (median -5%, range -13%-2%) between the OLINDA results and the self-dose component from Monte Carlo calculations, indicating that tumor shape effects are a minor source of error when using the sphere model. However, because the sphere model ignores cross-irradiation, the OLINDA calculation significantly underestimated (median 14%, range 2%-31%) the total tumor absorbed dose compared with Monte Carlo. These results show that when the quantity of interest is the mean tumor absorbed dose, the unit density sphere model is a practical alternative to Monte Carlo for some applications. For applications requiring higher accuracy, computer-intensive Monte Carlo calculation is needed.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/90433/1/cbr-2E2011-2E0965.pd