Augmented Reality Application Assistant for Spatial Ability Training. HMD vs Computer Screen Use Study

AbstractThis work follows up the validation and usability study done over an augmented reality based application for the development of the spatial skills of engineering students. In this paper can be found all work done prior to its commercial launch for widespread use. In addition, a study will be done to find out the influence of the display device (computer screen or head-mounted display) in terms of spatial ability acquisition and improvement, as well as the time required in terms of using them

Effects of Non-Circular Motions on Azimuthal Color Gradients

Assuming that density waves trigger star formation, and that young stars preserve the velocity components of the molecular gas where they are born, we analyze the effects that non-circular gas orbits have on color gradients across spiral arms. We try two approaches, one involving semi-analytical solutions for spiral shocks, and another with magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) numerical simulation data. We find that, if non-circular motions are ignored, the comparison between observed color gradients and stellar population synthesis models would in principle yield pattern speed values that are systematically too high for regions inside corotation, with the difference between the real and the measured pattern speeds increasing with decreasing radius. On the other hand, image processing and pixel averaging result in systematically lower measured spiral pattern speed values, regardless of the kinematics of stellar orbits. The net effect is that roughly the correct pattern speeds are recovered, although the trend of higher measured $\Omega_p$ at lower radii (as expected when non-circular motions exist but are neglected) should still be observed. We examine the Martinez-Garcia et al. (2009) photometric data and confirm that this is indeed the case. The comparison of the size of the systematic pattern speed offset in the data with the predictions of the semi-analytical and MHD models corroborates that spirals are more likely to end at Outer Lindblad Resonance, as these authors had already found.Comment: 32 pages, 15 figures, accepted to Ap

Distribución por tamaños de la materia particulada en Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

En este trabajo se presenta la distribución por tamaños de la materia particulada (MP)en la ciudad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. La experiencia se llevó a cabo entre junio de 2002 y marzo de 2003. A tal efecto se han utilizado captadores de alto volumen equipados con impactadores en cascada, que permiten una separación, en filtros de fibra de vidrio, de la materia recogida en seis fracciones de tamaño. Al final del muestreo se dispuso de 42 muestras válidas para el análisis. La materia particulada se determinó gravimétricamente. Se establecióla distribución de la concentración másica en función de los diámetros de corte. Se utilizan los diagramas de Lundgreen para establecer la distribución por tamaños y la evolución estacional e histórica. Se estudian las fracciones fina y gruesa del aerosol así como su evolución temporal e histórica

Enhanced Joule Heating in Umbral Dots

We present a study of magnetic profiles of umbral dots (UDs) and its consequences on the Joule heating mechanisms. Hamedivafa (2003) studied Joule heating using vertical component of magnetic field. In this paper UDs magnetic profile has been investigated including the new azimuthal component of magnetic field which might explain the relatively larger enhancement of Joule heating causing more brightness near circumference of UD.Comment: 8 pages, 1 figure, accepted in Solar Physic

Metabolic abnormalities in polycystic ovary syndrome women: obese and non obese

OBJETIVO: Comparar as características metabólicas de mulheres jovens do sudeste brasileiro, obesas e não obesas com síndrome dos ovários policísticos (SOP). MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal que incluiu 218 mulheres de idade reprodutiva com diagnóstico de SOP - 90 mulheres não obesas (IMC entre 18,5 e 29,9 kg/m²) e 128 pacientes obesas (IMC &gt;30 kg/m²), selecionadas no momento do diagnóstico. Foram comparadas as frequências de resistência insulínica (RI), intolerância à glicose (IG), síndrome metabólica (MetS) e diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2) e os valores médios de colesterol total (CT), triglicérides (TG), lipoproteínas de alta (LDL) e baixa densidade (HDL), entre as pacientes obesas e não obesas com SOP. Foram comparadas também as características clínicas e hormonais (hormônio folículo estimulante, luteinizante, prolactina, hormônio tireoestimulante, testosterona total, sulfato de dehidroepiandrostenediona e 17-hidroxiprogesterona) nos dois grupos. A análise estatística foi realizada com o auxílio do software SAS 9.0. Para análise das variáveis com distribuição normal, utilizou-se o teste t de Student não pareado; na ausência desta característica, o teste utilizado foi Mann-Whitney bicaudal. Para as variáveis qualitativas utilizou-se o teste Exato de Fisher. Em todas as análises, foi considerado o nível de significância de 5% (p<0,05). RESULTADOS: As frequências de RI, IG e MetS foram significativamente mais elevadas em pacientes com SOP obesas do que não obesas (66,7, 29,9 e 63% versus 24,7, 12,2 e 16.4%, respectivamente). As pacientes obesas apresentaram maiores níveis de CT e TG (189,8±35.8 mg/dL e 145.4±71.1 mg/dL, respectivamente) do que as não obesas (172,1±38.4 mg/dL e 99,3±54 mg/dL, respectivamente). Ambos os grupos apresentaram níveis médios de HDL abaixo de 50 mg/dL. CONCLUSÕES: Mulheres obesas jovens com SOP apresentam maior frequência de RI, IG e SM do que as não obesas. Todavia, a ocorrência dos distúrbios metabólicos é elevada também na pacientes não obesas, sugerindo que a presença da síndrome favoreça o desenvolvimento de comorbidades metabólicas, com potenciais repercussões a médio e longo prazos.PURPOSE: To compare the metabolic characteristics of obese and non-obese young women with polycystic ovary syndrome (POS) from the Brazilian Southeast. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted on 218 women of reproductive age with a diagnosis of POS - 90 non-obese women (BMI between 18.5 and 29.9 kg/m²), and 128 obese patients (BMI &gt;30 kg/m²) selected at the time of diagnosis. The frequency of insulin resistance (IR), glucose intolerance (GI), metabolic syndrome (MetS) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) and mean values of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density (HDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL), were compared between obese and non-obese patients with POS. The two groups were also compared in terms of clinical and hormonal characteristics (follicle stimulating hormone, prolactin, thyroid stimulating hormone, total testosterone, dihydroepiandrostenedione sulfate, and 17-hydroxyprogesterone). Statistical analysis was performed using the SAS 9.0 software. Quantitative variables were compared by the Student´s t-test (data with normal distribution) or by the Mann-Whitney test (non-parametric distribution). Qualitative variables were compared by the Fisher test. The level of significance was set at 5% (p<0.05) in all analyses. RESULTS: The frequency of IR, GI and MetS was significantly higher in obese than non-obese patients with POS (66.7, 29.9, and 63% versus 24.7, 12.2, and 16.4%, respectively). Obese patients had higher TC and TG levels (189.8±35.8 mg/dL and 145.4±71.1 mg/dL, respectively) than non-obese patients (172.1±38.4 mg/dL and 99.3±54 mg/dL, respectively). Both groups had mean HDL levels below 50 mg/dL. CONCLUSIONS: Young obese women with POS have a higher frequency of IR, GI and MS than non-obese. However, the occurrence of metabolic disorders is elevated also in the non-obese patients, suggesting that the presence of the syndrome may favor the development of metabolic comorbidities with potential medium- and long-term repercussions

Nuevos datos sobre la estratigrafía de subsuelo del acuífero de Torrevieja (Alicante): implicaciones en el modelo conceptual de funcionamiento.

El análisis estratigráfico de sondeos de investigación realizados en el acuifera de Torrevieja pone de manifiesto la coincidencia de las unidades hidrogeológicas con las estratigráficas y permite una mayor precisión en la definición de las primeras al poder constatar que las variaciones internas dentro de las unidades estratigráficas tienen reflejo en la geometria de los acuiferos y los parámetros hidrogeológicos. Asi mismo, la interpretación genética de los sedimentos y la caracterización de las discontinuidades que los limitan permiten realizar una extrapolación predictiva de las caracteristicas geológicas de subsuelo que pueden ser aplicadas a la modelización de las unidades hidrogeológicas

Do sputum or circulating blood samples reflect the pulmonary transcriptomic differences of COPD patients? A multi-tissue transcriptomic network META-analysis

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have identified lung, sputum or blood transcriptomic biomarkers associated with the severity of airflow limitation in COPD. Yet, it is not clear whether the lung pathobiology is mirrored by these surrogate tissues. The aim of this study was to explore this question. METHODS: We used Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to identify shared pathological mechanisms across four COPD gene-expression datasets: two sets of lung tissues (L1 n = 70; L2 n = 124), and one each of induced sputum (S; n = 121) and peripheral blood (B; n = 121). RESULTS: WGCNA analysis identified twenty-one gene co-expression modules in L1. A robust module preservation between the two L datasets was observed (86%), with less preservation in S (33%) and even less in B (23%). Three modules preserved across lung tissues and sputum (not blood) were associated with the severity of airflow limitation. Ontology enrichment analysis showed that these modules included genes related to mitochondrial function, ion-homeostasis, T cells and RNA processing. These findings were largely reproduced using the consensus WGCNA network approach. CONCLUSIONS: These observations indicate that major differences in lung tissue transcriptomics in patients with COPD are poorly mirrored in sputum and are unrelated to those determined in blood, suggesting that the systemic component in COPD is independently regulated. Finally, the fact that one of the preserved modules associated with FEV1 was enriched in mitochondria-related genes supports a role for mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathobiology of COPD

Assessment of prospective geological hazards in Torrevieja-La Mata coast (western Mediterranean) based on Pleistocene and Holocene events

The coastal zone in which the lagoons of La Mata and Torrevieja (Eastern Spain) developed can be described as a compilation of geo-hazards typical of the Mediterranean realm. This study has focused mainly on those linked to recent tectonics. Extensive use of the amino acid racemization dating method allowed us to establish the evolution of all the geomorphological units differentiated in the area, the most striking manifestation being at the La Mata Lagoon Bar, where MIS 5 deposits settled on MIS 7 sediments along a marked erosive unconformity, thereby attesting coastal uplift between these two stages. In addition, recent uplift processes were reflected on stepped abrasion platforms and, in some cases, enormous boulders were transported over these platforms by extreme surge waves. Furthermore, we obtained feasible evidence that, during the end of MIS 5, an earthquake with an offshore epicenter linked to Torrevieja Fault, Bajo Segura Fault or the set of faults linked to the former, was responsible for tsunami surge deposits represented in accumulations of randomly arranged and well-preserved Glycymeris and Acanthocardia shells. Recent catastrophic effects linked to the earthquakes were also detected. In this regard, comparison of the paleontological and taphonomic analyses allowed us to discern between wave and tsunami surge deposits. Therefore, evidence of these hazards undoubtedly points to important future (and present) erosive and/or catastrophic processes, which are enhanced by the presence of tourist resorts and salt-mining industry. Thus, these sites are also threatened by future increases in sea level in the context of warmer episodes, attested by raised marine fossil deposits. At the north of Cervera Cape, beaches will be eroded, without any possibility of sediment input from the starved Segura River delta. At the south of this cape, waves (and tsunamis) will erode the soft rocks that built up the cliff, creating deep basal notches