On-chip terahertz characterisation of liquids

Spectroscopy at terahertz frequencies can be used in a wide range of applications including radio-astronomy, pharmaceutical manufacturing control, and the study of processes in molecular biology. Biomolecular samples should preferably be studied in their native environment, water, however, water poses extreme attenuation for THz-frequency waves, deteriorating or even impeding analysis using these waves. The most common THz spectroscopy method, time-domain spectroscopy, can measure water samples using free-space measurements, lacks sensitivity when trying to measure on a chip environment. To exploit the advantages that chip measurements offer, such as integration and cost, this thesis works on developing on-chip THz spectroscopy of aqueous samples using a frequency-domain approach, with vector network analysers. Vector network analysers exhibit a higher dynamic range than time-domain spectroscopy systems, making them a promising alternative for sensitive THz measurements. For maximising the sensitivity of the measurements, the losses must be minimised. One important source of losses at THz frequencies are conductor and radiation loss. In this thesis, two planar waveguides were designed, coplanar waveguide and planar Goubau line, minimising their losses at THz frequencies by avoiding the coupling to other parasitic modes, obtaining attenuation constants as low as 0.85 Np/mm for coplanar waveguide and 0.33 Np/mm for planar Goubau line. Additionally, planar Goubau line calibration structures were developed for setting the measurement plane along this planar waveguide. Finally, coplanar waveguides were integrated with microfluidic channels to perform spectroscopy measurements of water samples, showing good performances as THz sensors of high-loss liquids.This thesis is a first step towards a sensitive and miniaturised system for measuring the electrical properties of high-loss liquids, which could shed light on the fundamental biomolecular processes in the picosecond time-scale

Planar-Goubau-line components for terahertz applications

Terahertz-wave technology has a broad range of applications, including radio astronomy, telecommunications, security, medical applications, pharmaceutical quality control, and biological sensing. However, the sources, detectors, and components are less efficient at this frequency band due to parasitic effects and increased total losses, which hinder the performance of terahertz systems. A common platform for terahertz systems is planar technology, which offers good integration, ease of fabrication, and low cost. However, it also suffers from high losses, which must be minimised to keep the system\u27s performance. A pivotal choice to reduce losses is using power-efficient waveguides, and single-conductor waveguides have shown promisingly high power efficiencies compared to multi-conductor planar waveguides. The planar Goubau line (PGL) is a planar single-conductor waveguide consisting of a metal strip on top of a dielectric substrate which propagates a quasi-transverse magnetic surface wave, similarly to Sommerfeld\u27s wire and the Goubau line, a conducting wire coated with a dielectric layer. Some limitations of the PGL, which complicate the design of components, are the lack of a ground plane and the weak dependence of impedance with the metal strip width of the line.This thesis presents the development of PGL technology and components for terahertz frequencies. It developed design strategies to maximise the power efficiency, using electrically-thin substrates, which drastically drop radiation losses compared to thick substrates. The first PGL calibration standards were developed, which de-embeds the transition needed to excite the propagation mode and sets the calibration plane along the line, allowing the direct characterisation of PGL components. This work also presents several PGL components with a straightforward design procedure, including a stopband filter based on capacitively-coupled λ/2 resonators, an impedance-matched load based on an exponentially-tapered corrugated line, and a power divider based on capacitive-gap coupled lines to a standing wave in the input port. Finally, the PGL was integrated with a microfluidic channel to measure changes in the complex refractive index of a high-loss aqueous sample (water/isopropyl alcohol) as the first step toward a biological sensor

The placebo effect in the motor domain: a neural and behavioral approach

The placebo effect is a fascinating psychobiological phenomenon that allows to investigate the mind-body interaction. It is typically induced by the application of an inert treatment along with verbal suggestion of beneficial outcomes. The placebo effect has been deeply investigated in the field of pain, although different lines of evidence suggest that it is also present in other domains, like the motor domain. Extending our knowledge of the placebo effect in the motor domain can have important future translational impacts in sports and pathology. The aim of my PhD project was to study the placebo effect in the motor domain at two different levels: the neural and the behavioral level. Regarding the neural level, knowledge on the brain regions related to placebo effect in the motor domain is limited. We aimed at filling in this knowledge gap by investigating the role of the dlPFC, a brain region also involved in placebo analgesia. The dlPFC elaborates expectation, a cognitive function at the basis of the placebo effect and shares some connections with other brain regions involved in motor control. Hence, there are many clues to hypothesize a role of the dlPFC in the motor placebo effect. To tackle this issue, three different experiments were conducted in which the dlPFC was stimulated by means of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) together with a placebo procedure on force production. We found that the left dlPFC is involved in the expectation-induced enhancement of force, specifically in those subjects who respond to the placebo effect (placebo-responders). Regarding the behavioral level, it should be noticed that many behavioral studies have shown that the placebo effect can enhance different aspects of motor performance associated to sports, such as force, speed or endurance. It is still unknown, however, whether the placebo effect can also improve other motor functions, important for many daily life activities, like balance or motor sequence learning. Thus, another objective of my PhD was to investigate the potential influence of the placebo effect on two motor functions that are closer to daily life activities. To this aim, a first study was conducted to understand whether balance control, a motor function needed for many daily life activities and for preventing falls, could be enhanced in healthy participants by a placebo procedure consisting 9 of verbal suggestion. We found that different parameters of balance (in the three-dimensional space and in the medial-lateral direction) and the subjective perception of stability were improved by the placebo procedure. A second behavioural study was run to investigate whether the application of a placebo treatment consisting of verbal suggestion could help in improving motor sequence learning. In this case, we also aimed to tackle a differential role of two types of placebo treatments: one motor and one cognitive. The motor placebo procedure consisted of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) applied the hand muscles involved in the task together with verbal information on the beneficial effects on muscle activity. The cognitive placebo procedure consisted of sham transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) applied over the frontal region together with verbal information on the beneficial effects on attention. Our findings did not show a clear improvement of performance following the placebo procedures, but a significant effect on the subjective perception of fatigue. More precisely, while the placebo procedure directed to the motor function (TENS) could reduce the perception of physical fatigue, the placebo procedure focused on cognitive functions (sham tDCS) could decrease the perception of both mental and physical fatigue. Altogether these investigations represent an attempt to deepen our understanding of the neural correlates of the motor placebo effect and to enlarge the potential behavioural influence of placebos on different motor functions

DISTANCIA DE SIEMBRA Y DOSIS DE NITR 3GENO EN CULTIVARES DE CARAOTA

El nitr\uf3geno como elemento esencial y la distancia de siembra tienden a alterar el crecimiento y productividad del cultivo de caraota. El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar el crecimiento y productividad de dos cultivares de caraota en respuesta a dos distancias de siembra y dosis de nitr\uf3geno (N). El experimento fue conducido en campo en la localidad de Palaciero, estado Lara. El dise\uf1o experimental utilizado fue bloques al azar dispuestos en franjas horizontales para los cultivares (Tuiui\ufa y Uirapur\ufa), verticales para las distancias de siembra (0,45 y 0,75 m) y en la intersecci\uf3n de ambas las dosis de N (0, 20, 60, 100, 140 kg ha-1), con tres repeticiones. Se aplic\uf3 la fertilizaci\uf3n nitrogenada con Urea al momento de la siembra, 22 d\uedas despu\ue9s de la siembra (dds) y antes de floraci\uf3n. El cultivar Uirapur\ufa super\uf3 (P Palabras clave: componentes del rendimiento; fertilizaci\uf3n; Phaseolus vulgaris. ABSTRACT Nitrogen as an essential element and the sowing distance tend to alter growing and productivity of black bean crops. The study objective was to evaluate growing and productivity of two black bean crops in response to two sowing distances and (N) nitrogen doses. This experiment was conducted in field located at Palaciero's location, Lara state. The experimental design used was aleatory blocks disposed in horizontal fringes for cultivates (Tuiui\ufa and Uirapur\ufa), vertical rows for sowing distances (0,45 and 0,75 m), and in intersection of both nitrogen doses (0, 20, 60, 100, 140 kg ha-1), with three repetitions. It was applied nitrogen fertilization with Urea at sowing, and 22 days later of sowing (dls) and before flowering. The Uirapuru cultivate overcame (P Keywords: Performance components; fertilization; Phaseolus vulgaris L. <br

ACTITUD DE LAS TRABAJADORAS SEXUALES HACIA EL EJERCICIO DE LA FUNCI 3N SEXUAL CON CLIENTES Y CON PAREJAS SENTIMENTALES

El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo comparar la actitud hacia el ejercicio de la funci\uf3n sexual en trabajadoras sexuales que asistieron al Programa Regional de Infecciones de Trasmisi\uf3n Sexual del Estado Lara. Metodol\uf3gicamente el tipo de investigaci\uf3n fue de campo causal comparativa. Se aplic\uf3 una escala de Actitud hacia el Ejercicio de la Funci\uf3n Sexual para Trabajadoras Sexuales a una muestra de 86 trabajadoras sexuales de una edad entre 18 y 53 a\uf1os. A trav\ue9s de medidas de tendencia central y la T de Student, se evidenci\uf3 una actitud desfavorable hacia el ejercicio de la funci\uf3n sexual con los clientes y una actitud favorable si se refer\ueda a la pareja. Se evidenciaron diferencias significativas, tanto a nivel general como en las dimensiones: cognitiva, afectiva y conductual de la actitud; as\ued como en la Situaci\uf3n Estimulo, Respuesta Sexual y Tiempo de funcionamiento del ejercicio de la funci\uf3n sexual. Palabras Claves del Autor: Actitud, Ejercicio de la Funci\uf3n Sexual, Trabajadoras Sexuales. ABSTRACT This study aimed to compare the attitude towards the exercise of sexual function in female sex workers who attended the Regional Program of Sexually Transmitted Infections Lara State. Methodologically the type of research was causal comparative. The scale of attitude towards exercise of Sexual Function for sex workers was applied to a sample of 86 sex workers with ages between 18 and 53. Through measures of central tendency and Student T, the results were an unfavorable attitude toward exercise of sexual function with customers and a favorable attitude was evident when they referred to the couple. Significant differences were found, both generally and in dimensions: cognitive, emotional and behavioral attitude; as well as the stimulus situation, Sexual Response and operating time of the exercise of sexual function. Keywords: Attitude, Sexual Function Exercise, Sex Workers.<br

RELACI 3N ENTRE CALIDAD Y PRODUCTIVIDAD EN LAS PYMEs DEL SECTOR SERVICIOS

El sector servicios se ha convertido en el m\ue1s importante en las econom\uedas avanzadas, tanto en t\ue9rminos de producci\uf3n como en el volumen de empleo, con un incremento notable desde los a\uf1os 70 a nivel mundial. En las organizaciones de servicios, a diferencia del sector manufacturero, para ser efectivas, la productividad y la calidad son percibidas como fen\uf3menos inseparables. En el presente trabajo de tipo exploratorio, se realiz\uf3 un an\ue1lisis de investigaciones sobre productividad y calidad en servicios bas\ue1ndose en varios autores, con el fin de mostrar la relaci\uf3n entre la productividad y la calidad en las PYMEs del sector servicios, y c\uf3mo las caracter\uedsticas de estas empresas hacen m\ue1s importante la relaci\uf3n entre ambas. Como resultado se identifican cinco aspectos que relacionan la calidad y la productividad en las PYMEs del Sector Servicios, expresadas en uso de indicadores externos e internos para su medici\uf3n, efecto de las variaciones en las entradas controladas por la organizaci\uf3n, impacto de las interacciones entre el cliente y el proveedor de servicios y el conocimiento mutuo desarrollado en estas interacciones, importancia de la participaci\uf3n del cliente como co-productor de servicio, y relevancia de los elementos intangibles en la evaluaci\uf3n de los mismos.Palabras claves del Autor: Calidad, Productividad, PYMEs, Servicios ABSTRACT RELATIONSCHIP BETWEEN QUALITY AND PRODUCTIVITY IN SERVICES SECTOR SMEs Service sector has become the most important aspect in advanced economies, in terms of production volume such as employment, with a signficant increase since the 70s worldwide. In service organizations, unlike the manufacturing sector, efectively in organization depends on productivity and quality which are seen as inseparable phenomena. In this exploratory paper, we made an analysis on research productivity and quality in services based on various authors, in order to show the relationship between productivity and quality in the services sector SMEs, and how the characteristics of SMEs become more important the relationship between the two. As a result identifies five aspects that relate quality and productivity in Services Sector SMEs expressed in use of external and internal indicators for measuring, efect of variations in inputs controlled by the organization, impact of interactions between customer and service provider and mutual understanding developed in these interactions, the importance of customer involvement as co-producer of service, and relevance of intangibles in evaluating the same.Keywords : Quality, Productivity, SMEs, Services.<br

FACTORES EPIDEMIOL 3GICO QUE INFLUYEN EN EL CONTROL SEROL 3GICO DE LAS MADRES DE RECI\uc9N NACIDOS SEG aN LA NORMA OFICIAL DE LA ATENCI 3N INTEGRAL DE SALUD SEXUAL Y REPRODUCTIVA. HOSPITAL CENTRAL UNIVERSITARIO ANTONIO MAR\ucdA PINEDA. VENEZUELA

Las enfermedades de transmisi\uf3n vertical pueden ser prevenidas y tratadas toda vez que existen estrategias para detectarlas durante el embarazo; Para determinar los factores epidemiol\uf3gicos que influyen en el control serol\uf3gico de las madres de reci\ue9n nacidos, seg\ufan la norma oficial de la atenci\uf3n integral de salud sexual y reproductiva se realiz\uf3 un estudio descriptivo de corte transversal entrevistando a 218 madres hospitalizadas en las maternidades del HCUAMP; Los datos fueron analizados por frecuencias y porcentajes, evidenci\ue1ndose en las madres pertenecientes al estrato socioecon\uf3mico Graffar V, un control serol\uf3gico incompleto en el 100% (30); Seg\ufan el n\ufamero de gestas, las pacientes pertenecientes al grupo de 2-5 gestas cumplieron la norma en un 10,9% para VIH, Toxoplasmosis y VDRL y en un 20% para hepatitis B; y seg\ufan el n\ufamero de consultas realizadas, en el grupo con menos de tres consultas, el 100% (15) no cumpli\uf3 la norma para VIH,VDRL y Toxoplasmosis, y solo 3% ten\ueda serolog\ueda para Hepatitis B; Hubo mayor cumplimiento del control serol\uf3gico en las pacientes controladas en instituciones privadas: 16% para VIH, y VDRL , 17.8% para Toxoplasmosis y 37.5% para Hepatitis B. Al analizar el control serol\uf3gico por trimestres, el mayor control serol\uf3gico para VIH y VDRL fue en el tercer trimestre del embarazo: 65.7%; para toxoplasmosis 30.5% y 31.4% en el primero y segundo trimestre respectivamente, y solo un 16% cumpli\uf3 con el control serol\uf3gico para hepatitis B. Se hace necesario implementar estrategias adecuadas para mejorar el control prenatal y evitar transmisi\uf3n de infecciones que afecten al feto. PALABRAS CLAVE: Serolog\ueda prenatal. Toxoplasmosis. HIV. VDRL. Hepatitis B. Madres de reci\ue9n nacidos. ABSTRACT Vertically transmitted diseases, can be prevented and treated when there are strategies paragraph to detect then during pregnancy; To determine the epidemiological factors influencing serological monitoring of mothers of newborns, according to the Official Statement of Comprehensive Care for Sexual and Reproductive Health; it was made a descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted interviewing 218 mothers in hospital HCUAMP maternity; the data were analyzed by data frequencies and percentages, showing mothers Graffar socioeconomic level V, the control of HIV incomplete in 100% (30); Depending on the number of pregnancies , the patients in the group 2-5 pregnancies met the standard in paragraph 10.9% HIV, toxoplasmosis and VDRL and 20% of the hepatitis B paragraph; and according to the number of consultations held in the group with less than three consultations, 100% (15) the standard paragraph HIV, VDRL and toxoplasmosis are not fulfilled, and only 3% serology paragraph I had hepatitis B; There was mayor of HIV Compliance Control in Patients Controlled in private institutions: 16% to HIV and VDRL, paragraph Toxoplasmosis 17.8% and 37.5% for hepatitis B. In analyzing the serological to control by quarters, Mayor serological control paragraph WAS HIV and VDRL in the third trimester of pregnancy: 65.7%; to toxoplasmosis 30.5% and 31.4% in the first and second quarters respectively, and only 16% met serological control hepatitis B.Is necessary to implement appropriate strategies paragraph to improve control of prenatal transmission and avoid infections that affect the fetus. KEY WORDS: Prenatal control. Toxoplasmosis. VIH. VDRL. Hepatitis B. Mother of newborns.<br

PROPUESTA DE TALLERES DE PREVENCI 3N DE ABUSO SEXUAL INFANTIL DIRIGIDO AL ADULTO SIGNIFICANTE DEL NI 1O(A) DE EDUCACI 3N PRIMARIA, EN LA COMUNIDAD EDUCATIVA LA ERMITA. VENEZUELA

El objetivo de la presente investigaci\uf3n es proponer talleres de prevenci\uf3n del abuso sexual infantil dirigido al adulto significante del ni\uf1o(a) de Educaci\uf3n Primaria en el marco de la promoci\uf3n de la salud mental en la Comunidad Educativa La Ermita. Quibor, Estado Lara, seg\ufan la modalidad de proyecto especial de campo, con dise\uf1o no experimental. La muestra final de treinta y seis docentes y representantes (36), de la comunidad educativa. Las fases del proyecto consistieron: I Diagn\uf3stica se determin\uf3 la necesidad de los talleres de prevenci\uf3n a trav\ue9s de la aplicaci\uf3n de un cuestionario a la poblaci\uf3n, se analizaron los datos se tabul\uf3 y se graficaron los resultados, concluy\ue9ndose que existe la necesidad de realizar los talleres de prevenci\uf3n del abuso sexual infantil dirigido al adulto significante del ni\uf1o(a) de Educaci\uf3n Primaria en el marco de la promoci\uf3n de la salud mental. Fase II Factibilidad de la Propuesta, se evidenci\uf3 que la ejecuci\uf3n de los talleres es viable institucional y econ\uf3micamente. Fase III, Dise\uf1o de la Propuesta, se dise\uf1aron los talleres de prevenci\uf3n los cuales incluyen introducci\uf3n, justificaci\uf3n, objetivo general y espec\uedficos, con cinco sesiones de aprendizaje sustentadas te\uf3ricamente. PALABRAS CLAVE: prevenci\uf3n, abuso sexual infantil, conocimiento,knowledge, talleres, promoci\uf3n de salud mental. ABSTRACT The objective of this research is to propose prevention of child sexual abuse workshops aimed to significant adult child (a) Primary education in the context of the promotion of mental health in the Comunidad Educativa Ermita. Quibor, Estado Lara. The study was a special field project with non-experimental design. Sample was made of thirty-six teachers and representatives (36) of the educational community. Which developed in the following phases, first Diagnostic the need for prevention workshops was determined by applying a questionnaire to the population, the tabulated data were analyzed and the results are plotted, concluding that there is need for conduct workshops prevention of child sexual abuse led to significant adult child (a) Primary Education as part of the promotion of mental health. Second phase, feasibility of the proposal, it was shown that the implementation of the workshops is institutional and economically feasible. Third Phase, Design Proposal, prevention workshops which include introduction, rationale, general objective and specific, with five training sessions were designed theoretically supported. KEY WORDS: prevention, child sexual abuse, knowledge, workshops, promotion of mental health. <br

Gray-box monitoring of hyperproperties with an application to privacy

Runtime verification is a complementary approach to testing, model checking and other static verification techniques to verify software properties. Monitorability characterizes what can be verified (monitored) at run time. Different definitions of monitorability have been given both for trace properties and for hyperproperties (properties defined over sets of traces), but these definitions usually cover only some aspects of what is important when characterizing the notion of monitorability. The first contribution of this paper is a refinement of classic notions of monitorability both for trace properties and hyperproperties, taking into account, among other things, the computability of the monitor. A second contribution of our work is to show that black-box monitoring of HyperLTL (a logic for hyperproperties) is in general unfeasible, and to suggest a gray-box approach in which we combine static and runtime verification. The main idea is to call a static verifier as an oracle at run time allowing, in some cases, to give a final verdict for properties that are considered to be non-monitorable under a black-box approach. Our third contribution is the instantiation of this solution to a privacy property called distributed data minimization which cannot be verified using black-box runtime verification. We use an SMT-based static verifier as an oracle at run time. We have implemented our gray-box approach for monitoring data minimization into the proof-of-concept tool Minion. We describe the tool and apply it to a few case studies to show its feasibility