An Accessible Chat Prototype for Screen Reader Users in Mobile Devices

[Poster] 15th International Conference on Human–Computer Interaction (HCI International 2013), Las Vegas (Nevada, USA), 21–26 July 2013Chats present accessibility problems for screen reader users. This work presents a prototype of an accessible chat for Mobile Devices (MD). The main aim of this research is to remove the accessibility barriers that screen reader users face when they use a chat in a MD. Thus, this prototype is based on the requirements which have been elicited considering background research and with the use of Software Engineering (SE) and Human Computer Interaction (HCI) methods as well as accessibility standards and guidelines.This research work has been partially supported by MA2VICMR (S2009/TIC-1542) and MULTIMEDICA (TIN2010-20644-C03-01)Publicad

Enriquecimiento cognoscitivo: el hombre visto como sistema abierto

Texto sobre las aportaciones y los beneficios de la perspectiva psicológica del enriquecimiento cognoscitivo para la intervención educativa y terapéutica con personas que demuestran desempeño retardado y otros tipos de desviación emocional o conductual. Se incluye también texto sobre el Primer Coloquio Internacional de Psicología Comunitaria y la Décima Semana de Psicología en el ITESO

Expression of adhesion molecules and cytokines after coronary artery bypass grafting during normothermic and hypothermic cardiac arrest

Objective: Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) results in vascular injury and tissue damage which involves leukocyte-endothelial interactions mediated by cytokines and adhesion molecules. This study was designed to demonstrate the effect of normothermic and hypothermic CPB to cytokine and soluble adhesion molecule levels in adults and to determine whether these levels correlate to the patients postoperative course. Design and patients: In 25 patients after normothermic and in 25 patients after hypothermic coronary artery bypass grafting with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), blood samples for cytokine and soluble adhesion molecule analysis were taken preoperatively, 24, 36, 48 h, and 6 days postoperatively. Soluble adhesion molecules (sE-selectin, sICAM-1) were measured by ELISA and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8) by chemilumenscent-immunoassay. Clinical data were collected prospectively. Results: Postoperatively, adhesion molecule and cytokine levels were significantly elevated after CPB. Mean plasma levels of sICAM-1 was 2.4-fold higher after 6 days. Mean plasma concentration of sE-selectin peaked after 48 h with a 2-fold increase compared to normothermic conditions. In the hypothermia group sICAM-1, sE-selectin, IL-6, and IL-8 showed significantly higher levels (P≪0.0057, P≪0.0012, P≪0.0419, P≪0.0145) after 24 h compared to the normothermia group. No clinical differences were seen. Conclusion: Adhesion molecules and cytokines are elevated after CPB. Patients after hypothermic CPB show significant higher sICAM-1, sE-selectin, IL-6, and IL-8 levels after 24 h compared to normothermic conditions. These results are mainly due to longer CPB and crossclamp times but do not alter the patient's postoperative cours

Seeing like the international community: how peacebuilding failed (and survived) in Tajikistan

Post-print version. 18 month embargo by the publisher. Article will be released April 2010.The international community claims transformative power over post-conflict spaces via the concept of peacebuilding. International actors discursively make space for themselves in settings such as the Central Asian state of Tajikistan which endured a civil war during the 1990s and has only seen an end to widespread political violence in recent years. With the work of James C. Scott, this paper challenges the notion that post-conflict spaces are merely the objects of international intervention. It reveals how, even in cases of apparent stability such as that of Tajikistan, international actors fail to achieve their ostensible goals for that place yet make space for themselves in that place. International peacebuilders may provide essential resources for the re-emergence of local forms of order yet these symbolic and material resources are inevitably re-interpreted and re-appropriated by local actors to serve purposes which may be the opposite of their aims. However, despite this ‘failure’ of peacebuilding it nevertheless survives as a discursive construction through highly subjective processes of monitoring and evaluation. So maintained, peacebuilding is a constitutive element of world order where the necessity of intervention for humanitarian, democratic and statebuilding ends goes unchallenged. This raises the question of what or where – in spatial terms – is the locus of international intervention: the local recipients of peacebuilding programmes (who are the ostensible targets) or ‘the International Community’ itself (whose space is re-inscribed as that of an imperfect but necessary regulator of world order)

Drive data acquisition for controller internal monitoring functions

With the current trend of increasing automation, leading to self-organizing machine tools and production machines (“Industry 4.0”), data acquisition and processing becomes more and more important. Based on these data, new monitoring functions and identification methods can be implemented in the machine control. Depending on the algorithms, also drive internal data, such as the actual torque, or the power consumption of the machine axes are required, partially at high sample rates. State of the art computerized numerical controllers (e.g. SIEMENS 840D sl) however, are characterized by a separation of drive system and controller. Drive data, which is not included in the standard bus-connection are difficult to access by the superordinated CNC. The paper addresses this problem, presents and compares various concepts of drive data transfer to a standard industrial CNC/PLC. Subsequently, the most convenient method, which utilizes a drive-internal data recorder is chosen for implementation. It offers flexible drive data acquisition through the PLC at high sample rates, carried out block wise. Experimental results are shown to prove the functionality. Finally, ideas for continuative monitoring and identification methods are discussed

ELEVATED LUNG DIFFUSING CAPACITY (DLCO) DURING EXERCISE IN THE HEAT

C.E. Frisiras, M.I. Schoeberlein, C.I. Nicol, J. Chapman, K.E. Coffman University of Puget Sound, Tacoma WA Exercise elevates heart rate (HR) and oxygen consumption (VO2). Additionally, heat exposure causes shunting of blood toward the skin to allow for proper thermoregulation. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to further understand the effects of exercise in the heat on the cardiopulmonary system, using lung diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) as the primary measure. METHODS: Nine (4F/5M, 20-45 years) moderately active and healthy adults participated in 3 visits. Visit 1 involved demographics, health screening, and a VO2 max test on a cycle ergometer to determine maximum workload (Wmax). Visits 2 and 3 involved exercise testing in the environmental chamber in thermoneutral (TN; 22.2 ± 0.6°C and 35.3 ± 4.8% RH) or heat (HT; 39.4 ± 0.4°C and 37.6 ± 2.6% RH) conditions. Exercise testing for visits 2 and 3 began with a 30-minute resting exposure in the chamber at testing conditions. This was followed by three 15-min stages of exercise at rest, 20%, and 40% of Wmax on a cycle ergometer. Measurement­­­­s collected at each stage included DLCO, minute ventilation (VE), VO2, HR, and core (Tc) and skin temperature (Ts). Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE; 6-20) and breathlessness (DYSP; 0-10) were collected twice per stage. Statistical analysis was completed using a 2-way repeated measures ANOVA test. RESULTS: DLCO was significantly higher in HT vs TN at 40% of Wmax (53.2 ± 10.6 vs 50.0 ± 10.3 mL/min/mmHg, P=0.003). VO2 showed no differences in HT vs TN. HR was overall higher in HT vs TN (P=0.012). VE values at 0, 20, 40% of Wmax were not significantly different in HT vs TN. VO2 values at 0, 20, 40% of Wmax showed no significant differences in HT vs TN. CONCLUSION: We found a significant interaction between exercise intensity and temperature as DLCO values were higher in HT vs TN at 40% Wmax only. While HR was higher in HT vs TN, VE and VO2 were not different, suggesting heat exposure increased gas exchange surface area in the lungs, as measured by DLCO, at the same work rate. We hypothesize that this is due to increased pulmonary capillary distension and recruitment, likely related to elevated HR and higher cardiac output (Q)

Expression of adhesion molecules and cytokines after coronary artery bypass grafting during normothermic and hypothermic cardiac arrest

Objective: Cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) results in vascular injury and tissue damage which involves leukocyte-endothelial interactions mediated by cytokines and adhesion molecules. This study was designed to demonstrate the effect of normothermic and hypothermic CPB to cytokine and soluble adhesion molecule levels in adults and to determine whether these levels correlate to the patients postoperative course. Design and patients: In 25 patients after normothermic and in 25 patients after hypothermic coronary artery bypass grafting with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), blood samples for cytokine and soluble adhesion molecule analysis were taken preoperatively, 24, 36, 48 h, and 6 days postoperatively. Soluble adhesion molecules (sE-selectin, sICAM-1) were measured by ELISA and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-8) by chemilumenscent-immunoassay. Clinical data were collected prospectively. Results: Postoperatively, adhesion molecule and cytokine levels were significantly elevated after CPB. Mean plasma levels of sICAM-1 was 2.4-fold higher after 6 days. Mean plasma concentration of sE-selectin peaked after 48 h with a 2-fold increase compared to normothermic conditions. In the hypothermia group sICAM-1, sE-selectin, IL-6, and IL-8 showed significantly higher levels (P≪0.0057, P≪0.0012, P≪0.0419, P≪0.0145) after 24 h compared to the normothermia group. No clinical differences were seen. Conclusion: Adhesion molecules and cytokines are elevated after CPB. Patients after hypothermic CPB show significant higher sICAM-1, sE-selectin, IL-6, and IL-8 levels after 24 h compared to normothermic conditions. These results are mainly due to longer CPB and crossclamp times but do not alter the patient's postoperative cours