Practical neurophysiological analysis of readability as a usability dimension

This paper discusses opportunities and feasibility of integrating neurophysiologic analysis methods, based on electroencephalography (EEG), in the current landscape of usability evaluation methods. The rapid evolution and growing availability of low-cost, easier to use devices and the accumulated knowledge in feature extraction and processing algorithms allow us to foresee the practicality of this integration. The work presented in this paper is focused on reading and readability, identified as a key element of usability heuristics, and observable in the neurophysiologic signals' space. The experiments are primarily designed to address the discrimination of the reading activity (silent, attentive and continuous) and the verification of decreasing readability, associated with the user's mental workload analysis. The results obtained in the series of experiments demonstrate the validity of the approach for each individual user, and raise the problem of inter-subject variability and the need for designing appropriate calibration procedures for different users

Quantum Effects in the Spacetime of a Magnetic Flux Cosmic String

In this work we compute the vacuum expectation values of the energy-momentum tensor and the average value of a massive, charged scalar field in the presence of a magnetic flux cosmic string for both zero- and finite-temperature cases.Comment: To appear in the Int. Journal of Modern Phys. A (special issue). Proceedings of the Second International Londrina Winter School on Mathematical Methods in Physics, Londrina, Brazil, August 200

Massive scalar field near a cosmic string

The $\zeta$ function of a massive scalar field near a cosmic string is computed and then employed to find the vacuum fluctuation of the field. The vacuum expectation value of the energy-momentum tensor is also computed using a point-splitting approach. The obtained results could be useful also for the case of self-interacting scalar fields and for the finite-temperature Rindler space theory.Comment: 15 pages, standard LaTeX, no figures. Reference [14] correcte

Corante e óleo aromático de Curcuma longa: aditivos naturais para alimentos.

bitstream/item/65518/1/CTAA-PESQ.-AND.-7-86.pd

Turbulence driven particle transport in Texas Helimak

We analyze the turbulence driven particle transport in Texas Helimak (K. W. Gentle and Huang He, Plasma Sci. and Technology, 10, 284 (2008)), a toroidal plasma device with one-dimensional equilibrium with magnetic curvature and shear. Alterations on the radial electric field, through an external voltage bias, change spectral plasma characteristics inducing a dominant frequency for negative bias values and a broad band frequency spectrum for positive bias values. For negative biased plasma discharges, the transport is high where the waves propagate with phase velocities near the plasma flow velocity, an indication that the transport is strongly affected by a wave particle resonant interaction. On the other hand, for positive bias the plasma has a reversed shear flow and we observe that the transport is almost zero in the shearless radial region, an evidence of a transport barrier in this region.Comment: 8 pages, 11 figure

Vinagreira: fonte de antocianinas para alimentos.

bitstream/item/65504/1/CTAA-COM.-TEC.-8-85.pd

Plant genetic resources for agriculture, plant breeding, and biotechnology: Experiences from Cameroon, Kenya, the Philippines, and Venezuela

"Local farming communities throughout the world face binding productivity constraints, diverse nutritional needs, environmental concerns, and significant economic and financial pressures. Developing countries address these challenges in different ways, including public and private sector investments in plant breeding and other modern tools for genetic crop improvement. In order to measure the impact of any technology and prioritize investments, we must assess the relevant resources, human capacity, clusters, networks and linkages, as well as the institutions performing technological research and development, and the rate of farmer adoption. However, such measures have not been recently assessed, in part due to the lack of complete standardized information on public plant breeding and biotechnology research in developing countries. To tackle this void, the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in consultation with the International Food Policy Institute (IFPRI) and other organizations, designed a plant breeding and biotechnology capacity survey for implementation by FAO consultants in 100 developing countries. IFPRI, in collaboration with FAO and national experts contracted by FAO to complete in-country surveys, identified and analyzed plant breeding and biotechnology programs in four developing countries: Cameroon, Kenya, the Philippines, and Venezuela. Here, we use an innovation systems framework to examine the investments in human and financial resources and the distribution of resources among the different programs, as well as the capacity and policy development for agricultural research in the four selected countries. Based on our findings, we present recommendations to help sustain and increase the efficiency of publicly- and privately-funded plant breeding programs, while maximizing the use of genetic resources and developing opportunities for GM crop production. Policy makers, private sector breeders, and other stakeholders can use this information to prioritize investments, consider product advancement, and assess the relative magnitude of the potential risks and benefits of their investments." from Author's Abstractplant breeding, biotechnology, public research, Funding, Innovation systems, Capacity building, Biosafety,

How the metabolic phenotype in adulthood is affected by long-lasting immunological trajectories since adolescence

A close relationship between immune and metabolic systems has been perceived in the recent past. We aimed to assess whether the immunological trajectories of circulating white blood cells (WBC) started in adolescence, affects the metabolic phenotype in adulthood. We used data from 1183 participants of the population-based EPITeen cohort, evaluated at 13, 17, 21, 24 and 27 years of age. The Immunological trajectories from 13 to 27 years old were identified by mixed-effects models, being their association with metabolic features at 27 years old measured by logistic regression. The Higher Inflammatory Activation trajectory (HIA trajectory) had the highest percentage of individuals with metabolic syndrome, while Lowest Levels of WBC trajectory (LLWBC trajectory) showed the lowest percentage. Participants with HIA trajectory had significantly higher triglycerides, waist circumference, serum uric acid and BMI. After adjustment for sex and sports practice and hs-CRP, the odds of having one or more metabolic features in adulthood was significantly lower in LLWBC trajectory. Individuals with immunological trajectories of WBC linked with a pattern of higher immune activation showed a less favorable metabolic profile, while those with the lowest levels of WBC were less likely to have metabolic risk factors in adulthood. © 2022, The Author(s).This study was financed by national funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology (Portuguese public agency that supports science, technology and innovation, in all scientific domains, under responsibility of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education), under the Project UIDB/04750/2020 and under the scientific Project PTDC/DTP-EPI/6506/2014 and the doctoral studentship PD/BD/149264/2019 (VC)