TableHop: an actuated fabric display using transparent electrodes

We present TableHop, a tabletop display that provides controlled self-actuated deformation and vibro-tactile feedback to an elastic fabric surface while retaining the ability for high-resolution visual projection. The TableHop surface is made of a highly stretchable pure spandex fabric that is electrostatically actuated using electrodes mounted on its underside. We use transparent indium tin oxide electrodes and high-voltage modulation to create controlled surface deformations. This setup actuates pixels and creates deformations in the fabric up to $\pm$ 5mm. Since the electrodes are transparent, the fabric surface can function as a diffuser for rear-projected visual images, and avoid occlusion by users. Users can touch and interact with the fabric to create expressive interactions as with any fabric based shape-changing interface. By using frequency modulation in the high-voltage circuit, we can also create localised tactile sensations on the user's finger-tip when touching the surface. We provide detailed simulation results of the shape of the surface deformation and the frequency of the haptic vibrations. These results can be used to build prototypes of different sizes and form-factors. We finally create a working prototype of TableHop that has 30$\times$40 cm surface area and uses a grid of 3$\times$3 transparent electrodes. Our prototype uses a maximum of 2.2 mW and can create tactile vibrations of up to 20 $Hz$. TableHop can be scaled to large interactive surfaces and integrated with other objects and devices. TableHop will improve user interaction experience on 2.5D deformable displays

Empirically Driven Use Case Metamodel Evolution

Metamodel evolution is rarely driven by empirical evidences of metamodel drawbacks. In this paper, the evolution of the use case metamodel used by the publicly available requirements management tool REM is presented. This evolution has been driven by the analysis of empirical data obtained during the assessment of several metrics–based verification heuristics for use cases developed by some of the authors and previously presented in other international fora. The empirical analysis has made evident that some common defects found in use cases developed by software engineering students were caused not only by their lack of experience but also by the expressive limitations imposed by the underlying use case metamodel used in REM. Once these limitations were clearly identified, a number of evolutionary changes were proposed to the REM use case metamodel in order to increase use case quality, i.e. to avoid those situations in which the metamodel were the cause of defects in use case specifications.Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología TIC 2003-02737-C02-0

Avaliação quantitativa da microbiota em solo de cultivo de soja transgênica em seis locais do Brasil.

A biomassa microbiana é responsável por funções chave para a qualidade do solo, e o cultivo de soja transgênica bem como o uso de herbicidas pode causar alterações sobre esse importante componente biológico do solo. O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar quantitativamente o carbono (CBM) e o nitrogênio (NBM) da biomassa microbiana de solo cultivado com soja transgênica e aplicação de herbicidas em seis locais do Brasil na safra 2005/2006. O delineamento experimental foi de bloco ao acaso, com seis repetições, em sistema de plantio direto. Os tratamentos foram: T1: soja transgênica + glifosato; T2: soja transgênica + herbicidas convencionais; T3: soja parental convencional + herbicidas convencionais; T4: soja transgênica + capina manual; T5: soja parental convencional + capina manual, combinados com três cultivares em cada local estudado, totalizando 15 tratamentos. Os solos foram coletados no estágio R2 na profundidade 0-10 cm para a avaliação do CBM e do NBM. A análise de contrastes mostrou que o CBM não foi afetado pela transgenia, com exceção de Uberaba (MG). Não houve diferenças entre o manejo convencional da soja (soja e herbicidas convencionais) e o transgênico (soja transgênica com glifosato) em relação ao CBM, também com exceção de Uberaba. O NBM, em geral, não foi afetado pela transgenia. Em dois locais (Ponta Grossa/PR e Passo Fundo/RS), o manejo convencional apresentou maior NBM, enquanto o manejo transgênico com glifosato foi superior em Luiz Eduardo Magalhães (BA). Conclui-se que o cultivo transgênico da soja não afetou a biomassa microbiana do solo.Fertbio

The formation of homogentisate in the biosynthesis of tocopherol and plastoquinone in spinach chloroplasts

Homogentisate is the precursor in the biosynthesis of -tocopherol and plastoquinone-9 in chloroplasts. It is formed of 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate of the shikimate pathway by the 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase. In experiments with spinach the dioxygenase was shown to be localized predominatedly in the chloroplasts. Envelope membranes exhibit the highest specific activity, however, because of the high stromal portion of chloroplasts, 60–80% of the total activity is housed in the stroma. The incorporation of 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate into 2-methyl-6-phytylquinol as the first intermediate in the tocopherol synthesis by the two-step-reaction: 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate Homogentisate 2-Methyl-6-phytylquinol was demonstrated by using envelope membranes. Homogentisate originates directly from 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate of the shikimate pathway. Additionally, a bypass exists in chloroplasts which forms 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate from tyrosine by an L-amino-acid oxidase of the thylakoids and in peroxisomes by a transaminase reaction. Former results about the dioxygenase in peroxisomes were verified

Left ventricular echocardiographic and histologic changes: Impact of chronic unloading by an implantable ventricular assist device

AbstractObjectives. We studied the effects of chronic left ventricular unloading by a ventricular assist device and assessed left ventricular morphologic and histologic changes.Background. The implantable left ventricular assist device has been effective as a “bridge” to cardiac transplantation. Although there are reports documenting its circulatory support, little is known about the effects of chronic left ventricular unloading on the heart itself.Methods. We performed intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography at the insertion and explantation of a HeartMate left ventricular assist device in 19 patients with end-stage heart failure. They were supported by the assist device for 3 to 153 days (mean [±SD] 68±33). Measurements were taken retrospectively to obtain left atrial and ventricular diameters and interventricular septal and posterior wall thicknesses. Histologic examinations were made from the left ventricular myocardial specimens of 15 patients at the times of insertion and explantation for heart transplantation. Insertion and explantation specimens were compared qualitatively (0 to 3 scale) for wavy fibers, contraction band necrosis and fibrosis, with quantitative measurement of minimal myocyte diameter across the nucleus.Results. Left atrial and left ventricular diastolic and systolic diameters decreased immediately after insertion of the left ventricular assist device (from 46 to 35, 63 to 41 and 59 to 36 mm, respectively, all p < 0.001). Left ventricular wall thickness increased from 10 to 14 mm (p < 0.001) for the interventricular septum and from 10 to 13 mm for the posterior wall (p < 0.001). No echocardiographic measurements showed significant subsequent changes at the chronic stage. Myocardial histologic findings demonstrated a reduction in myocyte damage (from 1.9 to 0.5, p < 0.001, for wavy fiber and from 1.3 to 0.2, p < 0.01, for contraction band necrosis) and an increase in fibrosis (from 1.3 to 1.9, p < 0.05), but without significant change in myocyte diameter (from 15.6 to 16.8 μm, p = 0.065).Conclusions.Left ventricular unloading with the implantable assist device induces an immediate increase in wall thickness, consistent with the reduction in chamber size, thereby decreasing wall stress. Chronic unloading allows myocardial healing and fibrosis without evidence for ongoing myocyte damage or atrophy. Left ventricular assist device insertion may have a role in “resting” the ventricle for selected patients with heart failure

Steady State of microemulsions in shear flow

Steady-state properties of microemulsions in shear flow are studied in the context of a Ginzburg-Landau free-energy approach. Explicit expressions are given for the structure factor and the time correlation function at the one loop level of approximation. Our results predict a four-peak pattern for the structure factor, implying the simultaneous presence of interfaces aligned with two different orientations. Due to the peculiar interface structure a non-monotonous relaxation of the time correlator is also found.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure