El vapeo que nos confunde: oportunidades y amenazas del cigarrillo electrónico

Actualmente los cigarrillos electrónicos son objeto de un intenso debate. Este artículo pretende analizar los aspectos más controvertidos respecto al uso de los cigarrillos electrónicos por parte de lo fumadores y no fumadores, valorando las amenazas y oportunidades. Con esta finalidad se expone la evidencia científica respecto su grado de toxicidad, la problemática de su uso en no fumadores, especialmente entre los jóvenes, así como su potencial utilidad para dejar de fumar. Se discuten las implicaciones que su utilización tiene para la adicción a la nicotina, tanto en fumadores como en no fumadores. Se concluye que la evidencia sobre la potencialidad de los cigarrillos electrónicos para reducir daños y como estrategia de abandono del tabaco es limitada pero sugerente, y que este tipo de dispositivos solo puede suponer una oportunidad para el control del tabaco cuando exista una adecuada regulación por parte de las autoridades sanitarias y al mismo tiempo se detecten y controlen los riesgos y amenazas que para la salud pública puedan derivarse de su uso.Electronic cigarettes are currently the subject of intense debate. This article aims to analyze the most controversial aspects regarding the use of electronic cigarettes by smokers and nonsmokers, considering the threats and the opportunities involved. For this purpose the scientific evidence regarding their toxicity, the problem of their use by non-smokers, especially the young, and their potential utility to help give up smoking are examined. The implications that their use has for addiction to nicotine in smokers and non-smokers are discussed. It concludes that the evidence on the potential of electronic cigarettes to reduce damage and facilitate giving up smoking is limited but thoughtprovoking. Electronic cigarettes can only be an opportunity to improve the control of tobacco once there is suitable regulation by health authorities and when any risks and threats to public health that may result from their use can be detected and controlled

A robustness verification system for mobile phone authentication based on gestures using Linear Discriminant Analysis

This article evaluates an authentication technique for mobiles based on gestures. Users create a remindful identifying gesture to be considered as their in-air signature. This work analyzes a database of 120 gestures of different vulnerability, obtaining an Equal Error Rate (EER) of 9.19% when robustness of gestures is not verified. Most of the errors in this EER come from very simple and easily forgeable gestures that should be discarded at enrollment phase. Therefore, an in-air signature robustness verification system using Linear Discriminant Analysis is proposed to infer automatically whether the gesture is secure or not. Different configurations have been tested obtaining a lowest EER of 4.01% when 45.02% of gestures were discarded, and an optimal compromise of EER of 4.82% when 19.19% of gestures were automatically rejected

Hand Image Segmentation by means of Gaussian Multiscale Aggregation for biometric applications

Applying biometrics to daily scenarios involves demanding requirements in terms of software and hardware. On the contrary, current biometric techniques are also being adapted to present-day devices, like mobile phones, laptops and the like, which are far from meeting the previous stated requirements. In fact, achieving a combination of both necessities is one of the most difficult problems at present in biometrics. Therefore, this paper presents a segmentation algorithm able to provide suitable solutions in terms of precision for hand biometric recognition, considering a wide range of backgrounds like carpets, glass, grass, mud, pavement, plastic, tiles or wood. Results highlight that segmentation accuracy is carried out with high rates of precision (F-measure 88%)), presenting competitive time results when compared to state-of-the-art segmentation algorithms time performanc

Expresión génica alterada en obesidad: estudio de los genes y rutas metabólicas implicadas

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Facultad de Medicina, Departamento de Bioquímica. Fecha de lectura: 1 de Julio de 201

Ecologically Designed Sanitary Sewer Based on Constructed WetlandsTechnology – Case Study in Managua (Nicaragua)

In developed countries the sanitation and treatment of urban wastewater is well sustained and technically solved by means of conventional pipe networksandsubsequentcentralizedtreatments.However,developingcountries lack these infrastructures and are in need of sustainable, decentralized and economically viable solutions for the disposal of their urban wastewaters. In addition to this, there are situations where the demands of conservation of naturalspacesdonotallowintensiveconstructiveproceduresandwhichforce the implementation of sanitary engineering with less environmental impact. We present the Ecological Wastewater Sewer (EWS), an ecological urban sewerage system that simultaneously transports wastewater and improves its quality.Thisinnovativetechnologyisanalternativetoconventionalsanitation piping that has minimal environmental impact. It is based on a successful previous work for the improvement of artificial wetlands in a pilot scheme andatfull-scaleonatestsite.TheEWSisachannel-shapeddevicethatrelies on the application of two key developments: a carefully designed cornered stones layout, and the creation of a natural aeration system. This way, it acts as a separating sewage system that guarantees the presence of a chamber of circulating air within the transportation unit, favouring permanent aerobic conditions in the upper levels of the mass of wastewater. Furthermore, its capacity to set tle suspended solids allows the EWS to be used as a sedimentor in water purification processes. A real-life application of this system proved successful in the sanitation of a district of Managua (Nicaragua). Working with a 100-metre-long street of 20 one-story houses, the system is reported to still be in full operating order after six years. The conclusions and results drawn from its monitoring are meticulously explained in our paper, as well astherecommendations&guidelinesforthedesignofmoreEWSunits,with aim to the popularization of this affordable, efficient and green approach to wastewater sanitation.Andalusian International School of Water Engineering, City hall of SevilleCooperation Office at the University of Sevill

Open collaboration strategy of international retailers: an analysis of co-creator

Nowadays, online channels provide better distribution and communication strategies between companies and consumers. The importance of establishing online tools based on innovations and customer participation, is equally applicable to the international retail sector. Retail companies are able to reach consumers through their online channels, providing better ways to stand out from competitors. The options of joint open collaboration between international retails brands and its consumers implicate a transformation about the traditional communication between customers and companies. The objective of the present work is to analyze how the consumer experience is perceived after its participation in online co-creation actions, proposed by retail brands in the United Kingdom and Spain. The main purpose of this research is to consider how online co-creation initiatives, in the fashion industry sector, have a significant influence on co-creation experience, as well as, on relevant aspects, such as engagement or customer satisfaction.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. ECO 2014-55881-

Conoce la economía de tu pueblo y cómo influye en la vida de sus habitantes. Una propuesta didáctica para el uso de metodologías activas en el ámbito de las Ciencias Sociales

Esta propuesta tiene como propósito el uso de metodologías activas para trabajar contenidos de la economía local de un grupo de alumnos de 6º de Primaria, partiendo de unas nociones generales de la economía de España y Europa. Para realizarlo, hemos utilizado las metodologías activas de diferentes autores, como el planteamiento del caso-problema y las salidas didácticas, combinándolas con el uso de las TIC y la investigación; todo desde una perspectiva lúdica, experimental, y teniendo en cuenta los intereses de los alumnos y adaptándonos a sus ritmos de aprendizaje. El aprendizaje se ha llevado a cabo en trabajo cooperativo y teniendo como referencia su entorno, para que el alumno tome conciencia de la realidad. También se ha tenido en cuenta la educación en valores para que se conviertan en ciudadanos respetuosos con el medio ambiente y socialmente activos, contribuyendo así a un mejor funcionamiento de la sociedad. De esta manera cumplimos con uno de los objetivos de las ciencias sociales, que es aplicar lo aprendido a situaciones de la vida cotidiana con el fin de que vayan mejorando sus competencias.Departamento de Didáctica de las Ciencias Sociales y ExperimentalesGrado en Educación Primari

Evaluation of Electro-Optic Behaviour of Chiral Smetic Liquid Crystals Dispalys with V-shaped response

In the last years, chiral smectic liquid crystals with V-shaped electro-optic response have been reported as one of the most promising technologies for display applications. In this work,some experiments have been made in order to check electrooptical performance of this kind of materials. Particularly, frequency dependence of optical response and memory effect in transmission have been analyzed. Microscopic observations of intermediate transmission levels and measurements of apparent tilt angle and response time have been also carried out

Psychosocial Disability and Deprivation of Liberty: Reviewing the case of Qatar in the light of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

This paper analyses the main implications of the prohibition of deprivation of liberty on the basis of disability in the field of mental health under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its impact in Qatar’s legal system. It shows the contradiction between the specific regimes of deprivation of liberty of persons with psychosocial disabilities and Article 14 of the Convention. The paper also proposes some changes in Qatar’s system to ensure that persons with psychosocial disabilities enjoy the right to liberty on equal terms with others

Depresión e intento de suicidio en la tercera edad en pacientes hospitalizados en el Servicio de Psiquiatría de un hospital de Lima-Perú: Depression and attempted suicide in the elderly patients hospitalized in the psychia-tric department of hospital in Lima - Perú

Objetivos. Establecer la relación entre depresión e intento de suicidio en pacientes de la tercera edad en el Servicio de Psiquiatría del Hospital Nacional Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen-EsSalud de Junio 2008 a Junio 2014. Materiales y métodos. Se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal; los datos se obtuvieron de las historias clínicas. Se realizó un análisis estadístico descriptivo y obtuvo la prueba del chi cuadrado con significancia p<0.05 para establecer posibles asociaciones entre variables cualitativas. Resultados. Se evaluaron 22 pacientes con edad media de 68.05±4.65 años; 54.5% eran del sexo femenino; 50% vivían con los hijos. El 59.1% tenían depresión en grado moderado. El 90.9% tuvo al menos un intento de suicidio y 77.3% por dejarse morir. La asociación estadística entre depresión e intento de suicidio fue p=0.000, método empleado para intento de suicidio p=0.000, estado civil p=0.013, nivel socio-económico p=0.016, grado de depresión p=0.028 y familiar con el que vive p=0.042. No se encontró asociación con grupos etáreos, sexo, grado de instrucción, ni actividad laboral, (p>0.05). Conclusiones. Se encontró asociación estadística significativa entre depresión de grado moderado-severo e intento de suicidio en la tercera edad, así como también con el método empleado para intento de suicidio, estado civil, nivel socio-económico y familiar con el que vive