Advancing Inclusive Design in Multiple Dimensions

Making technology design inclusive requires facing multiple challenges in different dimensions: the populations we work with, who we are, what interaction possibilities we consider, and what context we examine. We reflect on these challenges and propose two main measures to achieve research inclusiveness.Comment: Accepted at the CUI@CHI Workshop on Inclusive Design of CUIs Across Modalities and Mobilities, CHI 202

Understanding empathy in design education

This paper presents the preliminary results of our research. The goal was to explore the role of empathy in design education and its importance in developing socially driven design projects that can evolve into social innovation. We used a qualitative interviewing approach with undergraduate design students in their fourth year to explore empathic experiences in both, their classroom, and their real-world design assignments. We could then observe that empathy has a better chance to be developed in an empathic environment. In other words, those students whose teachers had an empathic approach were often motivated and open to become empathetic with socially-driven design projects. In this document, we also present different perspectives to understand the concept of empathy, as an innate ability, as an ongoing process, and as a multiphase practice for social interactions, just to mention a few. With our research, we expect to show that developing empathic designers is fundamental for the design practice and eventually, for social innovation. 

Neuronal Glycoprotein M6a: An Emerging Molecule in Chemical Synapse Formation and Dysfunction

The cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders show that most of them can be categorized as synaptopathies—or damage of synaptic function and plasticity. Synaptic formation and maintenance are orchestrated by protein complexes that are in turn regulated in space and time during neuronal development allowing synaptic plasticity. However, the exact mechanisms by which these processes are managed remain unknown. Large-scale genomic and proteomic projects led to the discovery of new molecules and their associated variants as disease risk factors. Neuronal glycoprotein M6a, encoded by the GPM6A gene is emerging as one of these molecules. M6a has been involved in neuron development and synapse formation and plasticity, and was also recently proposed as a gene-target in various neuropsychiatric disorders where it could also be used as a biomarker. In this review, we provide an overview of the structure and molecular mechanisms by which glycoprotein M6a participates in synapse formation and maintenance. We also review evidence collected from patients carrying mutations in the GPM6A gene; animal models, and in vitro studies that together emphasize the relevance of M6a, particularly in synapses and in neurological conditions.Fil: León, Antonella. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Aparicio, Gabriela Inés. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Scorticati, Camila. Universidad Nacional de San Martín. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas; Argentin

Stability of nonsurgical treatments in anterior open bite: narrative review

La estabilidad de los tratamientos en ortodoncia depende de varios factores como: el patrón esqueletal, tipo movimiento realizado, protocolo de retención y control de hábitos. Esto sugiere que la estabilidad de la corrección de la mordida abierta anterior en pacientes adultos no está exenta de este fenómeno, presentando una alta tasa de recidiva principalmente en el primer año postratamiento. El propósito de esta revisión fue comparar la estabilidad entre las diferentes alternativas de tratamiento ortodóncico no quirúrgico para corregir esta maloclusión en pacientes adultos. Se realizó una búsqueda sobre el tema en diferentes bases digitales de datos como: LILACS, MEDLINE, Google Académico, Scopus, ScienceDirect, JCU Library's One Search y PubMed. A los artículos obtenidos se les aplicó criterios de selección dándonos cuarenta artículos con diferentes enfoques terapéuticos no quirúrgicos para analizar en nuestro estudio. Esto nos permite indicar que se mantiene la sobremordida positiva a largo plazo tras corregir la mordida abierta anterior con el anclaje esquelético debido a la intrusión efectiva de los molares acompañada con cambios significativos en el perfil de los tejidos blandos y el patrón esquelético.The stability of orthodontic treatments depends on several factors, for example, skeletal pattern, type of movement performed, retention protocol, and habit control. It suggests that the stability of anterior open bite correction in adult patients is not exempt from this phenomenon, presenting a high relapse rate mainly in the first post-treatment year. This review aimed to compare the stability between different non-surgical orthodontic treatment alternatives to correct this malocclusion in adult patients. A search was carried out in digital databases on this subject, such as: LILACS, MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Scopus, ScienceDirect, JCU Library's One Search and PubMed. Selection criteria were applied to the articles obtained, giving us forty articles with different non-surgical therapeutic approaches to analyze in our study. It allows us to indicate that positive overbite is maintained in the long term after correction of anterior open bite with skeletal anchorage due to effective intrusion of the molars and significant changes in the soft tissue profile and skeletal pattern0000-0002-9213-840

Characterization and Identification of Dependence in EMG Signals from Action Potentials and Random Firing Patterns

Electromyographic (EMG) signals are biomedical signals that represent neuromuscular activities. The EMG signal is neither stationary nor periodic and exhibits complex interference patterns of several single motor unit action potentials (SMUAPs). This study aims to characterize EMG signals concerning firing patterns and other characteristics and to identify whether these MUAP firing patterns present short-range dependencies (SRD) or long-range dependencies (LRD). To do so, we characterized 208 EMG signals in terms of the number of phases, turns and combinations of phases. Then, we performed a statistical comparison of the (more efficient) Variance-time plot against the (less bias) Log-scale diagram for the estimation of the Hurst parameter and detection of LRD. Using these estimators, we managed to detect LRD in a sample taken with needle electrodes. In contrast, the tools used for the dependence identification on signals achieved with surface electrodes did not yield conclusive results on such dependence

Design of an EMG Signal Generator Based on Random Firing Patterns

Electromyographic (EMG) signals exhibit complex interference patterns that comprise several single motor unit action potentials (SMUAPs). Evidence of a model that can generate EMG signals and considers intrinsic characteristics, such as long-range dependence (LRD) or shortrange dependence (SRD), or that supports the study of pathology-related signals is lacking. Therefore, the present study aimed to develop an EMG signal generator based on SRD or LRD derived from firing patterns. We used a dynamic model to parameterize up to 15 SMUAP waveforms of real EMG signals extracted from a database. Then, we used relative appearance rates for some signals based on the number of SMUAPs to generate the latter randomly. Furthermore, we complemented our model by generating a random firing pattern. The synthetic reconstruction of the signals indicated a displacement compared with their respective firing patterns, with the highest error rate being 4.1%. The model of the EMG signal generator in its current state could be useful for a specialist who intends to study the behavior of the signals, starting with the exploration of synthetic signals and then proceeding to the real signals

Oportunidades de aprendizaje y rendimiento escolar en Matemáticas y Lenguaje: resumen de tres estudios en Perú

El presente estudio sintetiza tres investigaciones sobre la relación entre oportunidades de aprendizaje (ODA) y rendimiento escolar en escuelas públicas de Perú. Oportunidades de aprendizaje en estos estudios se definió operacionalmente a partir de la cobertura curricular, demanda cognoscitiva, retroalimentación al estudiante y ejercicios correctos. Estas se estimaron a partir de los ejercicios resueltos en los cuadernos y cuadernos de trabajo de una muestra de estudiantes, que fueron recogidos a finales del año escolar. El análisis descriptivo mostró mayores ODA para los estudiantes de relativo mayor nivel socioeconómico. La cobertura en matemática se centró en temas de números y numeración y en lenguaje en temas de reflexión sobre la lengua (normas para su uso). En conjunto las ODA tuvieron un fuerte poder explicativo en el rendimiento, en particular la variable demanda cognoscitiva. Esta variable refleja el nivel de complejidad intelectual requerido por los ejercicios planteados a los estudiantes. En general sin embargo, se observaron niveles muy bajos de demanda cognoscitiva, vinculados a la memorización de conceptos y aplicación de reglas de manera mecánica para solución de ejercicios

Determinación de la tasa de descuento para evaluar la rentabilidad de un emprendimiento local de secado de frutas y vegetales

Proyecto de Graduación (Maestría en Administración de Empresas con énfasis en Finanzas) Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica. Escuela de Administración de Empresas, 2017.This project is a consequence of a previous Pre - feasibility and Marketing strategy studies developed by the authors for several courses of the Master in Business Admistration´s program. It offers to the reader a guide for obtaining an appropriate discount rate according to its industry and country. This will be useful for discount the net cash flows and give more quality to the finance information for the investor of an entrepreneur business located in Costa Rica, to achieve better decisions. The main objective was to define an optimums discount rate, structured by theoretical and methodological frameworks to achieve a final model conformed by indicators that allows conclude and give advices to both, our readers and potential investors. The theoretical framework embraces elements related to three main columns: the dehydrated food techniques, the capital cost and the financial valuation of projects. The financial analysis of the entrepreneur project using indicators such as: payback period, net present value, annualized cost-benefit, among others. The methodological strategy allowed obtain a final sampling of five corporations with similar products to those of the enterprise, all of them located in the United States of America. Its financial statements were analyzed and a finally a weighted average cost of capital was obtained specifically for this project. It concludes that the present projects represents a guide for establishing the optimums discount rate for an entrepreneurship, even related with different industries, because it gives a general guide for de analyst

Green chemistry: a new approach to environmental synthesis isoquinolines and their derivatives

La química verde se enfoca en procesos que están asociados con la prevención de la contaminación ambiental mediante el diseño de nuevas metodologías para la síntesis de productos químicos que no sean perjudiciales para el medio ambiente. Como producto de esta metodología ambiental, se proponen nuevas rutas sintéticas de compuestos heterocíclicos, para isoquinolinas y sus derivados, obteniéndose procesos que minimicen el consumo de energía, la producción de residuos o el uso de materiales corrosivos, explosivos, volátiles y no biodegradables. En el presente trabajo, se estudian nuevas vías de síntesis de isoquinolinas y sus derivados utilizando catalizadores y compuestos orgánicos, como mecanismos para la obtención de estos heterociclos.Green chemistry focuses on processes that are associated with the prevention of environmental pollution through the development of new methodologies for the synthesis of chemicals that aren’t harmful to the environment. As a result of this environmental methodology, new synthetic routes heterocyclic compounds are proposed, to isoquinolines and their derivatives, obtaining processes that minimize energy consumption, waste production or the use of corrosive materials, explosives, volatiles and non-biodegradable. In this paper, new synthetic routes are studied isoquinolines and their derivatives using catalysts and organic compounds, such as mechanisms for obtaining these heterocycles.Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

El régimen jurídico para la transformación de la colada de lava volcánica de Cumbre Vieja en un espacio natural protegido.

The volcanic eruption that occurred on the island of La Palma generates the need to study and regulate the situation of the soil that is now occupied by the lava flow, deciding what its fate will be from now on. The first possibility that has been raised is to declare the occupied area as a protected natural space due to the values of special interest that exist. In view of the current legislation, the classification as a Natural Park is analyzed and proposed, studying the procedure to be followed and its legal consequences. On the other hand, as a second option, if such a decision is not made, it is stated that the soil will be governed by the determinations established for rustic land due to the tacit reclassification produced by the passage of lava. By way of closing and whatever the option chosen, given that the laundry produced a population displacement, the adopted urban measures are studied, such as Decree-Law 1/2022, and that can be adopted for their relocation.La erupción volcánica acaecida en la isla de La Palma genera la necesidad de estudiar y regular la situación del suelo que ahora se encuentra ocupado por la colada de lava, decidiendo cuál será su destino a partir de ahora. La primera posibilidad que se ha planteado es la de declarar el área ocupada como un espacio natural protegido debido a los valores de especial interés que existen. A la vista de la legislación vigente, se analiza y propone la clasificación como Parque Natural, estudiando el procedimiento a seguir y sus consecuencias jurídicas. Por otra parte, como segunda opción, si no se llegare a tomar tal decisión, se expone que el suelo será regido por las determinaciones establecidas para el suelo rústico debido a la reclasificación tácita producida por el paso de la lava. A modo de cierre y cualquiera que sea la opción elegida, dado que la colada produjo un desplazamiento poblacional, se estudian las medidas urbanísticas adoptadas, como el Decreto-Ley 1/2022, y las que podrían adoptarse para su realojamient