ENRICHING JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE: SEEKING TO IMPROVE THE RETENTION VOTE PHASE OF AN APPOINTIVE SELECTION SYSTEM

This article discusses the problems and potential solutions with the system of judicial appointment in the state of Nebraska. The article focuses on how improving public awareness about the existing system, its goals, and its current weaknesses, and implementing steps to address those weaknesses, will help to keep everyone moving toward the best possible system. While changing attitudes and interest in judicial retention elections is certainly not an easy task, it is only through seeking such change that reformers of an elective retention system can hope to near its potential effectiveness

Optimal thermoelectricity with quantum spin-Hall edge states

We study the thermoelectric properties of a Kramers pair of helical edge states of the quantum spin Hall effect coupled to a nanomagnet with a component of the magnetization perpendicular to the direction of the spin-orbit interaction of the host. We show that the transmission function of this structure has the desired qualities for optimal thermoelectric performance in the quantum coherent regime. For a single magnetic domain there is a power generation close to the optimal bound. In a configuration with two magnetic domains with different orientations, pronounced peaks in the transmission functions and resonances lead to a high figure of merit. We provide estimates for the fabrication of this device with HgTe quantum-well topological insulators.Comment: main 4 pages (without references) and 5 figures, a supplemental material of 5 pages and 7 figures. v

Smart and networking underwater robots in cooperation meshes : the swarms ECSEL : H2020 project

The work presented on this paper is aimed to explain the role that unmanned underwater vehicles (AUVs/ROVs) plays in the ECSEL-H2020 SWARMS project. The main goal of the project is to reduce the operational cost and increase the safety of tasks assigned to divers in these operations. This will be achieved enabling the AUVs/ROVs to work in a cooperative mesh. The challenge is to design and develop an integrated platform (a set of Software/Hardware components), incorporated into the current generation of underwater vehicles in order to improve autonomy, cooperation, robustness, cost-effectiveness, and reliability of the offshore operations. The first demonstration of the project will be performed at PLOCAN (Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands) where these technologies will be validated on its first stage.Peer Reviewe

Germplasm Evaluation and Frost Tolerance Improvement of \u3cem\u3eSetaria sphacelata\u3c/em\u3e in Uruguay

Setaria sphacelata (Schumach.) Stapf & C.E. Hubb is a highly productive warm-season grass that has been eva-luated in Uruguay since the 1970s (Mas 2007). It is one of the most productive and promising subtropical grasses for the Uruguayan climatic conditions. Some of the most re-markable attributes of interest are its palatability, ease to establish from seed, highly persistent, adapted to a wide range of soils, and some frost tolerance. Cultivars ‘Narok’ and ‘Kazungula’ were the only materials evaluated and no genetic improvement was conducted in Uruguay. These cultivars present some limitations, such as low seed yields and quality, and susceptibility to low temperatures. Look-ing to overcome these limitations, a germplasm collection from the USDA was introduced to Uruguay to explore the genetic variability and start a breeding program

A METHODOLOGY TO DIAGNOSE ICT GOVERNANCE PROCESS BASED ON ISO/IEC 38500 STANDARD. CASE STUDY: ECUADORIAN RETAIL ORGANIZATION

The purpose of this paper is to show the application of a new methodology approach to diagnose the impact of management of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) with the reference frame ISO/IEC 38500 inside the organizations. It is based on the government's analysis of organization’s technological resource management, being the strategic axis part of business strategic planning and its ICT Governance, effectiveness and efficiency, and the value of ICT for its guidelines and the risks involved in its development to optimize the use of organization’s resources. In the first stage, a documentary research was carried out as an essential part of this study and an interview with an expert; Then a tool (questionnaire) was designed to collect, measure and evaluate data on aspects and components of the ISO/IEC 38500 standard. A case study of Ecuadorian retail organization was carried out. Once the information was processed, the respective indicators were obtained that helped to identify current status of ICT governance processes of the organization. With the obtained indicators we could see which principles are the ones that characterize this sector, in which they put the greatest amount of resources; be they human or financial. It was also evident that the two dimensions on which the study was based on have very different results, since emphasis was placed on what corresponds

P systems and computational algebraic topology

Membrane Computing is a paradigm inspired from biological cellular communication. Membrane computing devices are called P systems. In this paper we calculate some algebraic-topological information of 2D and 3D images in a general and parallel manner using P systems. First, we present a new way to obtain the homology groups of 2D digital images in time logarithmic with respect to the input data involving an improvement with respect to the algorithms development by S. Peltier et al. Second, we obtain an edge-segmentation of 2D and 3D digital images in constant time with respect to the input data

The university radio as a tool for social inclusion: OndaCampus in contexts like the prison and disadvantaged neighborhoods

La evolución de las radios universitarias en España ha conseguido que su carácter formativo se amplíe hasta alcanzar su función social. Si bien las emisoras que pertenecen a las universidades cumplen la función esencial de prestar una formación adicional y práctica al alumnado, también han permitido conectar, de manera real, la institución académica con la ciudadanía. De este modo, surgen iniciativas en las emisoras, en colaboración con algunos servicios universitarios y asociaciones externas a la propia institución docente y científica, que promueven la cultura, la difusión del conocimiento y, como principal factor, la inclusión social de las personas que participan en los mismos. A lo largo de este trabajo, hablamos y analizamos dos iniciativas de carácter social: “La Ventana de la Ciencia”, programa de radio dedicado a la divulgación científica, realizado íntegramente por internos del Centro Penitenciario de Badajoz y el proyecto “E-Misión Color”, cuyo objetivo consiste en empoderar, en materia de comunicación, a los ciudadanos de los barrios más desfavorecidos de la margen de la ciudad de Badajoz. A partir de una recolección de datos y del uso de una metodología cualitativa basada en la entrevista, este estudio permite demostrar las funciones naturales, accidentales y transversales de la radio universitaria. Los datos obtenidos a partir de este trabajo corroboran, en este sentido, el valor de la radio universitaria como herramienta de reinserción y resocialización.The evolution of university radios in Spain has achieved that its formative character is extended to reach its social function. Although the stations belonging to the universities fulfill the essential function of providing additional and practical training to students, they have also made it possible to connect, in a real way, the academic institution with the citizens. In this way, initiatives arise in the stations, in collaboration with some university services and associations outside the teaching and scientific institution itself, which promote culture, the dissemination of knowledge and, as the main factor, the social inclusion of the people who participate in them. Throughout this work, we talk and analyze two initiatives of a social nature: “The window of science”, a radio program dedicated to scientific dissemination, carried out entirely by inmates of the Badajoz Penitentiary Center and the project “E-Mission Color”, Whose objective is to empower, in matters of communication, the citizens of the most disadvantaged neighborhoods on the banks of the city of Badajoz. From a data collection and the use of a qualitative methodology based on the interview, this study allows to demonstrate the natural, accidental and transversal functions of the university radio. The data obtained from this work corroborate, in this sense, the value of university radio as a tool for reintegration and resocialization

Region-based segmentation of 2D and 3D images with tissue-like P systems

Membrane Computing is a biologically inspired computational model. Its devices are called P systems and they perform computations by applying a finite set of rules in a synchronous, maximally parallel way. In this paper, we develop a variant of P-system, called tissue-like P system in order to design in this computational setting, a region-based segmentation algorithm of 2D pixel-based and 3D voxel-based digital images. Concretely, we use 4-adjacency neighborhood relation between pixels in 2D and 6-adjacency neighborhood relation between voxel in 3D for segmenting digital images in a constant number of steps. Finally, specific software is used to check the validity of these systems with some simple examples

Obtaining Homology Groups in Binary 2D Images Using P Systems

Membrane Computing is a new paradigms inspired from cellular communication. We use in this paper the computational devices called P systems to calculate in a general maximally parallel manner the homology groups of binary 2D images. So, the computational time to calculate this homology information only depends on the thickness of them.Junta de Andalucía FQM-296Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia TIN2006-13425Junta de Andalucía P08-TIC-04200Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia MTM2006-03722Junta de Andalucía PO6-TIC-0226

Utilización de altas dosis de ácido ascórbico en el tratamiento del SARS Covid-19: Soporte Científico y Clínico para su aplicación en terapéutica

The 2019 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization. Due to the sudden appearance of this pandemic process associated with increasing morbidity and mortality worldwide, various treatments have been implemented. In this framework, high doses of vitamin C began to be used in critically ill patients. We analyze the clinical trials and/or research papers available in the literature. Although more evidence on its effectiveness is needed is important for the specialist to understand the clinical logic of this use to determine if it is correct as a concomitant treatment. Conclusions: It seems that using high doses of vitamin C parenterally is a safe, available and economical alternative especially for critically ill patients.El coronavirus 2019 (SARS-CoV-2) ha sido declarado una emergencia de salud pública de impacto internacional por la Organización Mundial de la Salud. Debido a la aparición repentina de este proceso pandémico asociado con alta morbilidad y la mortalidad en todo el mundo, se han implementado varios tratamientos en los pacientes aquejados con esta dolencia. En este marco, comenzaron a usarse en pacientes críticos altas dosis de vitamina C. En este trabajo, analizamos los ensayos clínicos y / o trabajos de investigación disponibles en la literatura. Aunque se necesita más evidencia sobre su efectividad, es importante que el especialista comprenda la lógica clínica de este uso para determinar si es correcto como tratamiento concomitante. Conclusiones: El uso de altas dosis de vitamina C por vía parenteral parece ser una alternativa segura, disponible y económica, especialmente para pacientes críticos.publishedVersionFil: Rossetti, Cristian Alan. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas; Argentina.Fil: Rossetti, Cristian Alan. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo en Tecnología Farmacéutica; Argentina.Fil: Real, Juan Pablo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas; Argentina.Fil: Real, Juan Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo en Tecnología Farmacéutica; Argentina.Fil: Palma, Santiago Daniel. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas; Argentina.Fil: Palma, Santiago Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Unidad de Investigación y Desarrollo en Tecnología Farmacéutica; Argentina