Implementing an Android Tool for Visually Impaired Students of E-Learning

This article aims to describe the process of learning and development of an educational tool designed for mobile devices (smartphones) with Android technology. In summary, the application was developed based on the virtual learning environment Moodle and aims to develop a learning environment that supports the visually impaired students of e-learning, allowing them to ask questions, discuss and share ideas through forums and use chat rooms in real time. The fundamental purpose of this application is to cooperate with scientific knowledge in the sense that this is a representation of technological advance on the accessibility tools in distance education mode and provide comfort, flexibility and accessibility for the visually impaired students, realizing that education should always be inclusive

Phase reversal technique applied to fishnet metalenses

In this work, the fishnet metamaterial is applied to several converging metalenses by combining the zoning, reference phase, and phase reversal techniques. First, the zoning and reference phase techniques are implemented in several metalenses at 55 GHz ( λ 0 = 5.45 m m ) with a short focal length of 1.5 λ 0 . Then, the phase reversal technique is applied to these metalenses by switching from a concave to a convex profile in order to change the phase distribution inside of them. The designs are evaluated both numerically and experimentally demonstrating that chromatic dispersion (the shift of the position of the focus at different frequencies) is reduced when using the phase-reversed profiles. It is shown how the position of the focus remains at the same location within a relatively broadband frequency range of ~4% around the design frequency without affecting the overall behaviour of the metalenses. The best performance is achieved with the design that combines both reference phase and phase reversal techniques, with an experimental position of the focus of 1.75 λ 0 , reduced side lobes, and a power enhancement of 6.5 dB. The metalenses designed here may find applications in situations where a wideband response and low side lobes are required because of the reduced chromatic aberrations of the focus.This work was partially supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad with European Union Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER) funds (TEC2014-51902-C2-2-R). Victor Pacheco-Peña is supported by Newcastle University (Newcastle University Research Fellow). Igor V. Minin and Oleg V. Minin were partially supported by the Mendeleev scientific fund of Tomsk State University

An LTR retrotransposon in the promoter of a PsMYB10.2 gene associated with the regulation of fruit f lesh color in Japanese plum

Japanese plums exhibit wide diversity of fruit coloration. The red to black hues are caused by the accumulation of anthocyanins, while their absence results in yellow, orange or green fruits. In Prunus, MYB10 genes are determinants for anthocyanin accumulation. In peach, QTLs for red plant organ traits map in an LG3 region with three MYB10 copies (PpMYB10.1, PpMYB10.2 and PpMYB10.3). In Japanese plum the gene copy number in this region differs with respect to peach: there are at least three copies of PsMYB10.1, with the expression of one of them (PsMYB10.1a) correlating with fruit skin color. The objective of this study was to determine a possible role of LG3-PsMYB10 genes in the natural variability of the f lesh color trait and to develop a molecular marker for marker-assisted selection (MAS). We explored the variability within the LG3-PsMYB10 region using long-range sequences obtained in previous studies through CRISPR-Cas9 enrichment sequencing. We found that the PsMYB10.2 gene was only expressed in red f lesh fruits. Its role in promoting anthocyanin biosynthesis was validated by transient overexpression in Japanese plum fruits. The analysis of long-range sequences identified an LTR retrotransposon in the promoter of the expressed PsMYB10.2 gene that explained the trait in 93.1% of the 145 individuals analyzed. We hypothesize that the LTR retrotransposon may promote the PsMYB10.2 expression and activate the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway. We propose for the first time the PsMYB10.2 gene as candidate for the f lesh color natural variation in Japanese plum and provide a molecular marker for MAS.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

IMPACTO DE LAS NUEVAS TECNOLOGÍAS EN EL ARBITRAJE INTERNACIONAL

En este artículo pretende identificar cómo las tecnologías emergentes han redefinido la estructura tradicional del arbitraje internacional y determinar cómo la “inteligencia del dato” puede mejorar la toma de decisiones mejor informadas en esta materia. Partimos de la tesis según la cual la “inteligencia del dato”, en el arbitraje internacional permitirá acelerar la toma de decisiones mejor informadas, dotando al arbitraje internacional de una verdadera eficacia, celeridad y reducción de costos; así como el acceso a un mayor número de justiciables. A partir del método deductivo con una exhaustiva investigación bibliográfica y de opiniones de expertos, se concluye que el uso ético de las tecnologías emergentes en el arbitraje internacional, tienen el potencial de renovar esta institución y posibilitar la toma de decisiones mejor informadas, lo que permitirá impulsar la automatización y gestión de casos en línea, con mayor eficiencia, precisión y transparencia.

A RESPONSABILIDADE ESTATAL NA PERSEGUIÇÃO AOS CRISTÃOS NO IRAQUE DURANTE A INTERVENÇÃO MILITAR ESTADUNIDENSE ENTRE 2003 E 2011

Este artigo aborda a perseguição aos cristãos no Iraque durante a intervenção militar estadunidense entre 2003 e 2011 e a responsabilidade internacional dos EUA, expondo as causas do aumento da perseguição aos cristãos iraquianos em virtude da intervenção e a responsabilidade do governo estadunidense por esta situação. Como referencial teórico, faz-se uso dos conceitos de ordem e justiça na sociedade internacional da Escola Inglesa, sugerindo aos EUA, por fim, algumas medidas a serem tomadas por eles para reparar o dano causado aos cristãos do Iraque.Palavras-chave: Liberdade Religiosa. Intervenção Militar Estadunidense. Iraque

Cardiac structural alterations in obese patients with or without metabolic syndrome and other cardiovascular risk factors.

Obesity has become a serious health problem worldwide, being an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In that sense, to evaluate the frequency of cardiac geometric alterations in obese patients with or without metabolic syndrome and other CV risk factors, a study was performed in 28 obese participants and 13 non-obese who went voluntarily to the Clinical Pharmacology Unit of the Dean of Health Sciences of UCLA who were given a questionnaire to determine other CV risk factors and had the following tests: triglycerides , Total and fractionated cholesterol, creatinine, fasting glycemia and insulin using the ELISA technique, and a transthoracic echocardiogram. The obese, sedentary population as a whole, showed significantly higher values ​​in the dimensions of the interventricular septum (SVI), posterior wall of the left ventricle (PPVI), and left atrial diameter (AI); 25% of the obese population presented concentric remodeling and 4% had eccentric hypertrophy. 32.14% of the obese presented metabolic syndrome, 64.29% dyslipidemia, 21% arterial hypertension and 28.57% smoking habits. Conclusions: Mild left ventricular morphologic alterations were found in obese patients, the presence of smoking habits in males exacerbates such alterations Keywords: Obesity, Cardiovascular Risk Factors, ventricular geometr

Biostratigraphic and structural research in the Guedelhinha–Lançadoiras–Algaré sector in the context of the geology of the Neves–Corvo mine region, Iberian Pyrite Belt

ABSTRACT: Based on drill hole sampling and sedimentary rock dating by palynology, the present research focuses on the palynostratigraphic events established in the key geological section of Guedelhinha–Lançadoiras–Algaré located in the Portuguese Neves–Corvo mine region, Iberian Pyrite Belt. The age data allow detailing the lithostratigraphic sequence and further understanding the complex structural setting, representing an important contribution to the geological knowledge of this sector located to the immediate WNW of the Neves–Corvo VMS deposit. The combination of the studied events allows the reconstruction of the Devonian-Carboniferous sedimentation and paleoenvironments along the Iberian Pyrite Belt. Several stratigraphic hiatuses identified in the Neves–Corvo region by the palynological record are confirmed, mainly occurring from the mid Frasnian to mid Famennian, from the early and mid Strunian, and from the early to late Tournaisian, which were mainly coincident with the worldwide extinction events, in particular during Frasnian–Famennian and Late Devonian times. Extensional tectonics and related gravitational faults, local uplift mechanisms and intense volcanic activity could also explain the lack of palynological data and sedimentary hiatus. In this research, the importance of the late Strunian times in the Iberian Pyrite Belt (Miospore Biozone LN of the Neves Formation) is highlighted, confirming the contemporaneity of felsic volcanism, hydrothermalism, sulphide mineralization precipitation and black shale anoxic sedimentation.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

What do Cochrane systematic reviews say about non-surgical interventions for urinary incontinence in women?

BACKGROUND: Urinary incontinence is a highly prevalent condition that impacts self-esteem and overall quality of life. Many non-surgical treatment options are available, ranging from pharmacological approaches to pelvic exercises. We aimed to summarize the available evidence regarding these non-surgical interventions. DESIGN AND SETTING: Review of systematic reviews, conducted in the Discipline of Evidence-Based Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo (EPM-UNIFESP). METHODS: A sensitive search was conducted to identify all Cochrane systematic reviews that fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Titles and abstracts were screened by two authors. RESULTS: We included 20 Cochrane systematic reviews: 4 assessing methods of vesical training, 3 evaluating pharmacological interventions, 4 studying pelvic floor muscle training approaches and 9 aimed at other alternatives (such as urethral injections, weighted vaginal cone use, acupuncture, biostimulation and radiofrequency therapy). The reviews found that the evidence regarding the benefits of these diverse interventions ranged in quality from low to high. CONCLUSIONS: This review included 20 Cochrane systematic reviews that provided evidence (of diverse quality) for non-pharmacological interventions for patients with urinary incontinence. Moderate to high quality of evidence was found favoring the use of pelvic floor muscle training among women with urinary incontinence. To establish solid conclusions for all the other comparisons, further studies of good methodological quality are needed.Univ Fed Sao Paulo Unifesp, Escola Paulista Med, Discipline Evidence Based Hlth, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo Unifesp, Escola Paulista Med, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo Unifesp, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Gynecol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo Unifesp, Escola Paulista Med, Discipline Evidence Based Hlth, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo Unifesp, Escola Paulista Med, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo Unifesp, Escola Paulista Med, Dept Gynecol, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc