Building a usable and accessible semantic web interaction platform

Semantic Web applications take off is being slower than expected, at least with respect to “real-world” applications and users. One of the main reasons for this lack of adoption is that most Semantic Web user interfaces are still immature from the usability and accessibility points of view. This is due to the novelty of these technologies, but this also motivates the exploration of alternative interaction paradigms, different from the “traditional” Web or Desktop applications ones. Our proposal is realized in the Rhizomer platform, which explores the possibilities of the object–action interaction paradigm at the Web scale. This paradigm is well suited for heterogeneous resource spaces such as those common in the Semantic Web. Resources, described by metadata, correspond to the objects in the paradigm. Semantic web services, which are dynamically associated to these objects, correspond to the actions. The platform is being put into practice in the context of a research project in order to build an open application for media distribution based on Semantic Web technologies. Moreover, its usability and accessibility have been evaluated in this real setting and compared to similar systems.

Guia de contingut digital accessible: vídeo

La guia consta d’un conjunt de documents en format pdf i d’una web (http://www.videoaccessible.udl.cat) que es complementen per donar pautes, recomanacions i exemples necessaris per poder mostrar informació en format vídeo digital accessible per a les persones amb diferents discapacitats.

Guia d’Internet (HTML5 i reproductors web)

Aquest document dóna les pautes bàsiques per poder incorporar vídeos incrustats en una pàgina web codificada en HTML5, amb un reproductor accessible. Així mateix, es dóna una introducció a l’eina ccPlayer, reproductor de vídeos que està implementat com un objecte SWF Flash i que permet l’addició de subtítols. Veurem també una altra eina similar, el JWPlayer.

Magias y brujerías literarias en la Castilla medieval

El objetivo del presente trabajo es trazar una panorámica sobre algunas de las plasmaciones literarias más relevantes de la magia y de la brujería en las letras castellanas medievales y sobre sus significaciones históricas. Con tal propósito se comentan textos de Don Juan Manuel, Juan Ruiz, Juan de Mena o Garci Rodríguez de Montalvo, entre otros autores de los siglos XIII al XV, y se apuntan algunas coordenadas culturales que reformulan la especificidad del contexto hispánico en su marco europeo.

Hàbitat en cova i espai pels ramats ca.6200-6000 BP:La Cova Colomera (Prepirineu de Lleida) durant el Neolític Antic.

En aquest treball es presenten les dades referents a la Cova Colomera (Sant Esteve de la Sarga, Pallars Jussà) durant el Neolític cardial final. A partir de diferents sondejos duts a terme des de l'any 2005, s'ha pogut observar la varietat d'usos i funcionalitats del jaciment en moments potencialment sincrònics. Per una banda,una zona on predominen les estructures de caire domètic (fogars, fosses i forats de pal)que ens mostren les dades entorn a l'hàbitat al jaciment; i per altra banda, un gran sector de la cavitat dedicat a l'estabulació dels ramats amb sediments de tipus fumier i probablement també a l'emmagatzematge. Tot això succeix en unes datacions d'entre 6180 +/- 40 i 6020 +/- 510BP. Aquestes dades es contextualitzen amb les d'altres jaciments de la zona pirinenca, un àmbit que sempre ha estat definit en la bibliografia com un espai de pas entre diferents biòtops ecològics, de les plantes fèrtils a les pastures de l'estiu.

El análisis de los datos cualitativos: un proceso complejo

Este artículo muestra la complejidad del análisis de los datos cualitativos a partir de las ideas sobre el método planteadas por Morin y surge fruto del proceso analítico llevado a cabo durante la elaboración de nuestras tesis doctorales. Nuestra experiencia parte del método de las comparaciones constantes y representa un desafío dotado de contradicciones complementarias, donde los datos se agrupan y desagrupan, se integran y se desintegran de acuerdo con los principios hologramático, dialógico y recursivo. Como resultado establecemos las siguientes fases del proceso de análisis: 1) 'El todo': desarrollando ideas; 2) Del todo a las partes: separando y agrupando; 3) De lo particular a lo general: re-agrupando; 4) Descomponer el todo en sus partes sin perder el todo: integrando y relacionando; 5) Relacionar las partes que dan sentido al todo: identificando la categoría central.

The merchant

L'objectiu d'aquest document és descriure el joc The Merchant, tant des del punt de vista tècnic com funcional, així com proporcionar el seu manual d'usuari. Es tracta d'un joc multi jugador, ambientat a l'espai, que té com a objectiu comerciar amb productes entre planetes.

Estudio transdiciplinar de la fosa EE1 de la Cova Colomera (Prepirineo de Lleida): implicaciones domesticas y paleoambientales en el Bronce Antiguo del Noreste de la Peninsula Iberica

El estudio transdisciplinar de la fosa EE1 de la Cova Colomera ha proporcionado un conjunto de datos que aportan importante información sobre las prácticas domésticas y económicas desarrolladas en ella, y sobre las características paleoambientales de esta zona del noreste peninsular en el tránsito III-II milenio cal. AC. Los resultados apuntan a que esta cueva fue ocupada por grupos reducidos, con una economía mixta agropecuaria, que recurrían también a actividades cinegéticas para completar su dieta. En sus cortas estancias en la Cova Colomera, crearon y amortizaron estructuras excavadas en el suelo de la cavidad, como la fosa EE1, bien para almacenar excedentes y después desechar basura, o bien para eliminar residuos de origen doméstico.

Polymorphisms cyclooxygenase-2 -765G>C and interleukin-6 -174G>C are associated with serum inflammation markers in a high cardiovascular risk population and do not modify the response to a Mediterranean diet supplemented with virgin olive oil or nuts

Inflammation is involved in cardiovascular diseases. Some studies have found that the Mediterranean diet (MD) can reduce serum concentrations of inflammation markers. However, none of these studies have analyzed the influence of genetic variability in such a response. Our objective was to study the effect of the -765G.C polymorphism in the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) gene and the -174G.C polymorphism in the interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene on serum concentrations of IL-6, C-reactive protein, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 as well as their influence on the response toa nutritional interventionwithMD.An intervention study ina high cardiovascular riskMediterranean population (314 men and 407 women) was undertaken. Participants were randomly assigned to consume a low-fat control diet or a MD supplementedwith virgin olive oil ornuts.Measureswereobtained at baseline and after a 3-mointervention period.At baseline, the COX-2 -765G.C polymorphismwas associated with lower serum IL-6 (5.85 6 4.82 in GG vs. 4.74 6 4.14 ng/L in C-allele carriers; P ¼ 0.002) and ICAM-1 (265.8 6 114.8 in GG vs. 243.0 6 107.1 mg/L in C-carriers; P ¼ 0.018) concentrations. These differences remained significant aftermultivariate adjustment. The IL-6 -174G.C polymorphism was associatedwith higher (CC vs. G-carriers) serumICAM-1concentrations in bothmenandwomenandwithhigherserumIL-6 concentrations inmen.Following the dietary intervention, no significant gene x diet interactions were found. In conclusion, although COX-2 -765G.C and IL-6 -174G.C polymorphismswere associatedwith inflammation, consuming aMD(either supplemented with virgin olive oil or nuts) reduced the concentration of inflammation markers regardless of these polymorphisms.

Headspace needle-trap analysis of priority volatile organic compounds from aqueous samples: application to the analysis of natural and waste waters

Combining headspace (HS) sampling with a needle-trap device (NTD) to determine priority volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in water samples results in improved sensitivity and efficiency when compared to conventional static HS sampling. A 22 gauge stainless steel, 51-mm needle packed with Tenax TA and Carboxen 1000 particles is used as the NTD. Three different HS-NTD sampling methodologies are evaluated and all give limits of detection for the target VOCs in the ng L−1 range. Active (purge-and-trap) HS-NTD sampling is found to give the best sensitivity but requires exhaustive control of the sampling conditions. The use of the NTD to collect the headspace gas sample results in a combined adsorption/desorption mechanism. The testing of different temperatures for the HS thermostating reveals a greater desorption effect when the sample is allowed to diffuse, whether passively or actively, through the sorbent particles. The limits of detection obtained in the simplest sampling methodology, static HS-NTD (5 mL aqueous sample in 20 mL HS vials, thermostating at 50 °C for 30 min with agitation), are sufficiently low as to permit its application to the analysis of 18 priority VOCs in natural and waste waters. In all cases compounds were detected below regulated levels

Presentación del Dossier 'Empresas y empresarios en una Argentina en cambio: inmigrantes, redes sociales y estrategias económicas (siglos XIX y XX)'

La finalidad de este dossier temático que se publica en el Boletín Americanista es dar a conocer algunos de los trabajos más relevantes sobre la historia de la empresa y de los empresarios en la Argentina tomando como corte temporal los siglos XIX y XX y, en concreto, la manera en que las empresas y los empresarios del país o radicados en él adecuaron sus prácticas al contexto de transformaciones económicas sufridas por el Cono Sur latinoamericano durante su integración al mercado internacional. Los inmigrantes, las redes sociales y las estrategias económicas son las claves de análisis abordadas en cada uno de los trabajos, los cuales tienen como finalidad mostrar la diversidad regional y temporal de las distintas experiencias empresariales argentinas estudiadas. Se incluyen los trabajos de: A. Reguera, 'Por el testamento habla la red. Estancias, bienes y vínculos en la trama empresarial de Juan Manuel de Rosas (Argentina, siglo XIX)'; L. Méndez, 'El león de la cordillera'. Primo Capraro y el desempeño empresario en la región del Nahuel Huapi, 1902-1932'; A. Mateu y H.Ocaña, 'Una mirada empresarial a la historia de la vitivinicultura mendocina (1881-1936)'; V. Palavecino, 'Comerciantes-empresarios en el medio rural argentino a comienzos del siglo XX. El estudio de caso de los Hnos. Vulcano y su Casa de Comercio 'El Progreso''; S. Fernández, 'Crecimiento urbano y desarrollo local. Empresas y municipio en el negocio de la energía eléctrica en Argentina (1888-1947): el caso de la ciudad de Rosario'; M. Rougier, 'Expansión y crisis de una empresa industrial argentina. Historia de la Fábrica de Vidrios y Opalinas Hurlingham, 1948-1994'. Dossier citado por: Evelyne Sanchez (2007), Las élites empresariales y la independencia económica de México. Estevan de Antuñano o las vicisitudes del fundador de la industria textil moderna (1792-1847). México, Plaza y Valdés, Fundación Miguel Alemán, BUAP.

Espai de treball per a Pràctiques

Crear un espai compartit via web per a tots els membres d'una pràctica, regulat per un Gestor de control de versions i un Gestor de control d'errors permeten així als alumnes treballar amb la pràtica via web i als professors poder crear i gestionar la pràctica. Tot això estarà basat en un mòdul o plugin del Gestor de projectes Redmine, el qual treballa amb Ruby on Rails.

Capillary thermal desorption unit for near real-time analysis of VOCs at sub-trace levels. Application to the analysis of environmental air contamination and breath samples

A capillary microtrap thermal desorption module is developed for near real-time analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at sub-ppbv levels in air samples. The device allows the direct injection of the thermally desorbed VOCs into a chromatographic column. It does not use a second cryotrap to focalize the adsorbed compounds before entering the separation column so reducing the formation of artifacts. The connection of the microtrap to a GC–MS allows the quantitative determination of VOCs in less than 40 min with detection limits of between 5 and 10 pptv (25 °C and 760 mmHg), which correspond to 19–43 ng m−3, using sampling volumes of 775 cm3. The microtrap is applied to the analysis of environmental air contamination in different laboratories of our faculty. The results obtained indicate that most volatile compounds are easily diffused through the air and that they also may contaminate the surrounding areas when the habitual safety precautions (e.g., working under fume hoods) are used during the manipulation of solvents. The application of the microtrap to the analysis of VOCs in breath samples suggest that 2,5-dimethylfuran may be a strong indicator of a person's smoking status

Evaluation of potential breath biomarkers for active smoking: assessment of smoking habits

Different compounds have been reported as biomarkers of a smoking habit, but, to date, there is no appropriate biomarker for tobacco-related exposure because the proposed chemicals seem to be nonspecific or they are only appropriate for short-term exposure. Moreover, conventional sampling methodologies require an invasive method because blood or urine samples are required. The use of a microtrap system coupled to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis has been found to be very effective for the noninvasive analysis of volatile organic compounds in breath samples. The levels of benzene, 2,5-dimethylfuran, toluene, o-xylene, and m- p-xylene have been analyzed in breath samples obtained from 204 volunteers (100 smokers, 104 nonsmokers; 147 females, 57 males; ages 16 to 53 years). 2,5-Dimethylfuran was always below the limit of detection (0.005 ppbv) in the nonsmoker population and always detected in smokers independently of the smoking habits. Benzene was only an effective biomarker for medium and heavy smokers, and its level was affected by smoking habits. Regarding the levels of xylenes and toluene, they were only different in heavy smokers and after short-term exposure. The results obtained suggest that 2,5-dimethylfuran is a specific breath biomarker of smoking status independently of the smoking habits (e.g., short- and long-term exposure, light and heavy consumption), and so this compound might be useful as a biomarker of smoking exposure

A Headspace needle-trap method for the analysis of volatile organic compounds in whole blood

Needle trap devices (NTDs) are a relatively new and promising tool for headspace (HS) analysis. In this study, a dynamic HS sampling procedure is evaluated for the determination of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in whole blood samples. A full factorial design was used to evaluate the influence of the number of cycles and incubation time and it is demonstrated that the controlling factor in the process is the number of cycles. A mathematical model can be used to determine the most appropriate number of cycles required to adsorb a prefixed amount of VOCs present in the HS phase whenever quantitative adsorption is reached in each cycle. Matrix effect is of great importance when complex biological samples, such as blood, are analyzed. The evaluation of the salting out effect showed a significant improvement in the volatilization of VOCs to the HS in this type of matrices. Moreover, a 1:4 (blood:water) dilution is required to obtain quantitative recoveries of the target analytes when external calibration is used. The method developed gives detection limits in the 0.020–0.080 μg L−1 range (0.1–0.4 μg L−1 range for undiluted blood samples) with appropriate repeatability values (RSD < 15% at high level and <23% at LOQ level). Figure of merits of the method can be improved by using a smaller phase ratio (i.e., an increase in the blood volume and a decrease in the HS volume), which lead to lower detection limits, better repeatability values and greater sensibility. Twenty-eight blood samples have been evaluated with the proposed method and the results agree with those indicated in other studies. Benzene was the only target compound that gave significant differences between blood levels detected in volunteer non-smokers and smokers