aQRdate: assessing how ubiquitous computing can help people with acquired brain injury in their rehabilitation process

This is an electronic version of the paper presented at the International Symposium on Ubiquitous Computing and Ambient Intelligence, held in Riviera Maya on 2011In this paper we present our ideas about how Ubiquitous Computing (UbiComp) could help people with acquired brain injury. Since these people have problems to engage in daily life activities (e.g. how to do the laundry or prepare breakfast), we propose a system based on mobile devices and QR codes to help them to remember these tasks. The environment will be tagged with QR Codes that will provide mobile devices with personal and interactive manuals for routine tasks. This work has been tested with one user with acquired brain injury as a proof-of-concept.This work was partially funded by ASIES (Adapting Social \& Intelligent Environments to Support people with special needs), Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación - TIN2010-17344, and e-Madrid (Investigación y desarrollo de tecnologías para el e-learning en la Comunidad de Madrid) S2009/TIC-1650

Assessing complexity in hominid dental evolution: Fractal analysis of great ape and human molars

OBJECTIVES: Molar crenulation is defined as the accessory pattern of grooves that appears on the occlusal surface of many mammalian molars. Although frequently used in the characterization of species, this trait is often assessed qualitatively, which poses unavoidable subjective biases. The objective of this study is to quantitatively test the variability in the expression of molar crenulation in primates and its association with molar size and diet. METHODS: The variability in the expression of molar crenulation in hominids (human, chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan) was assessed with fractal analysis using photographs of first, second and third upper and lower molars. After this, representative values for 29 primate species were used to evaluate the correlation between molar complexity, molar size, and diet using a phylogenetic generalized least squares regression. RESULTS: Results show that there are statistically significant differences in fractal dimensions across hominid species in all molars, with orangutan molars presenting higher values of occlusal complexity. Our results indicate that there is no significant association between molar complexity and molar size or diet. DISCUSSION: Our results show higher levels of occlusal complexity in orangutans, thus supporting previously published observations. Our analyses, however, do not indicate a clear association between molar complexity and molar size or diet, pointing to other factors as the major drivers of complexity. To our knowledge, our study is the first one to use fractal analysis to measure occlusal complexity in primates. Our results show that this approach is a rapid and cost-effective way to measure molar complexity

Anàlisi de la concentració sèrica de vitamina D com a factor de risc de càncer de pròstata i agressivitat tumoral

Alguns estudis observacionals han suggerit que el dèficit de vitamina D podria relacionar-se amb un major risc de càncer de pròstata i amb una major incidència en àrees geogràfiques de menor insolació. L'objectiu d'aquest estudi ha sigut relacionar els nivells sèrics de vitamina D i parathormona amb el risc de càncer de pròstata i amb la agressivitat tumora

Dental evolutionary rates and its implications for the Neanderthal–modern human divergence

The origin of Neanderthal and modern human lineages is a matter of intense debate. DNA analyses have generally indicated that both lineages diverged during the middle period of the Middle Pleistocene, an inferred time that has strongly influenced interpretations of the hominin fossil record. This divergence time, however, is not compatible with the anatomical and genetic Neanderthal affinities observed in Middle Pleistocene hominins from Sima de los Huesos (Spain), which are dated to 430 thousand years (ka) ago. Drawing on quantitative analyses of dental evolutionary rates and Bayesian analyses of hominin phylogenetic relationships, I show that any divergence time between Neanderthals and modern humans younger than 800 ka ago would have entailed unexpectedly rapid dental evolution in early Neanderthals from Sima de los Huesos. These results support a pre–800 ka last common ancestor for Neanderthals and modern humans unless hitherto unexplained mechanisms sped up dental evolution in early Neanderthals

Compilation of parameterized seismogenic sources in Iberia for the SHARE European-scale seismic source model.

Abstract: SHARE (Seismic Hazard Harmonization in Europe) is an EC-funded project (FP7) that aims to evaluate European seismic hazards using an integrated, standardized approach. In the context of SHARE, we are compiling a fully-parameterized active fault database for Iberia and the nearby offshore region. The principal goal of this initiative is for fault sources in the Iberian region to be represented in SHARE and incorporated into the source model that will be used to produce seismic hazard maps at the European scale. The SHARE project relies heavily on input from many regional experts throughout the Euro-Mediterranean region. At the SHARE regional meeting for Iberia, the 2010 Working Group on Iberian Seismogenic Sources (WGISS) was established; these researchers are contributing to this large effort by providing their data to the Iberian regional integrators in a standardized format. The development of the SHARE Iberian active fault database is occurring in parallel with IBERFAULT, another ongoing effort to compile a database of active faults in the Iberian region. The SHARE Iberian active fault database synthesizes a wide range of geological and geophysical observations on active seismogenic sources, and incorporates existing compilations (e.g., Cabral, 1995; Silva et al., 2008), original data contributed directly from researchers, data compiled from the literature, parameters estimated using empirical and analytical relationships, and, where necessary, parameters derived using expert judgment. The Iberian seismogenic source model derived for SHARE will be the first regional-scale source model for Iberia that includes fault data and follows an internationally standardized approach (Basili et al., 2008; 2009). This model can be used in both seismic hazard and risk analyses and will be appropriate for use in Iberian- and European-scale assessments

Characterization of the n-TOF EAR-2 neutron beam

The experimental area 2 (EAR-2) at CERNs neutron time-of-flight facility (n-TOF), which is operational since 2014, is designed and built as a short-distance complement to the experimental area 1 (EAR-1). The Parallel Plate Avalanche Counter (PPAC) monitor experiment was performed to characterize the beam prole and the shape of the neutron 'ux at EAR-2. The prompt γ-flash which is used for calibrating the time-of-flight at EAR-1 is not seen by PPAC at EAR-2, shedding light on the physical origin of this γ-flash

High accuracy 234U(n,f) cross section in the resonance energy region

New results are presented of the 234U neutron-induced fission cross section, obtained with high accuracy in the resonance region by means of two methods using the 235U(n,f) as reference. The recent evaluation of the 235U(n,f) obtained with SAMMY by L. C. Leal et al. (these Proceedings), based on previous n-TOF data [1], has been used to calculate the 234U(n,f) cross section through the 234U/235U ratio, being here compared with the results obtained by using the n-TOF neutron flux

Morphological integration in the gorilla, chimpanzee, and human neck.

OBJECTIVES: Although integration studies are important to understand the evolution of organisms' traits across phylogenies, vertebral integration in primates is still largely unexplored. Here we describe and quantify patterns of morphological integration and modularity in the subaxial cervical vertebrae (C3-C7) in extant hominines incorporating the potential influence of size. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three-dimensional landmarks were digitized on 546 subaxial cervical vertebrae from 141 adult individuals of Gorilla gorilla, Pan troglodytes, and Homo sapiens. Integration and modularity, and the influence of size effects, were quantified using geometric morphometric approaches. RESULTS: All subaxial cervical vertebrae from the three species show a strong degree of integration. Gorillas show the highest degree of integration; conversely, humans have the lowest degree of integration. Analyses of allometric regression residuals show that size is an important factor promoting integration in gorillas, with lesser influence in chimpanzees and almost no effect in humans. DISCUSSION: Results point to a likely ancestral pattern of integration in non-human hominines, whereby the degree of integration decreases from cranial to caudal positions. Humans deviate from this pattern in the cranialmost (C3) and, to a lesser extent, in the caudalmost (C7) vertebrae, which are less integrated. These differences can be tentatively related to the emergence of bipedalism due to the presence of modern human-like C3 in australopiths, which still preserve a more chimpanzee-like C7

Neanderthal teeth from Lezetxiki (Arrasate, Iberian Peninsula): New insights and reassessment

Objectives: We reassess the taxonomic assignment and stratigraphic context of a permanent upper first molar and a permanent lower third premolar recovered from the archeological site of Lezetxiki in the North of the Iberian Peninsula. Materials and Methods: We assessed the external and internal morphology of the teeth using qualitative descriptions, crown diameters, dental tissue proportions, and geometric morphometrics. The teeth from Lezetxiki were compared with Middle Pleistocene specimens, Neanderthals, Upper Paleolithic modern humans, and recent modern humans. Results: Both teeth were consistent with a Neanderthal classification. The upper first molar shows taurodontism, and its cusp proportions and overall morphology match those of Neanderthals. Geometric morphometric analyses of occlusal anatomy classify this molar as a Neanderthal with a posterior probability of 76%. The lower third premolar, which was originally classified as a lower fourth premolar, also shows a Neanderthal morphology. This premolar is classified as a Neanderthal with a posterior probability of 60%. Discussion: These teeth represent the only adult Neanderthal teeth from the Western Pyrenees region found to date. The teeth were found at a stratigraphic level (designated Level III) that marks the transition level from Mousterian to Aurignacian, and are among the most recent Neanderthal remains from the north of the Iberian Peninsula

Global and Regional IUCN Red List Assessments: 3

In this contribution, the conservation status assessment of four vascular plants are presented according to IUCN categories and criteria. It includes the assessment at global level of Crepis lacera Ten subsp. titani (Pamp.) Roma-Marzio, G.Astuti & Peruzzi and Anthyllis hermanniae L. subsp. sicula Brullo & Giusso and the regional assessment of Commicarpus plumbagineus (Cav.) Standl. (Spain and Europe) and Ambrosia maritima L. (Italy)