A review on data fusion in multimodal learning analytics and educational data mining

The new educational models such as smart learning environments use of digital and context-aware devices to facilitate the learning process. In this new educational scenario, a huge quantity of multimodal students' data from a variety of different sources can be captured, fused, and analyze. It offers to researchers and educators a unique opportunity of being able to discover new knowledge to better understand the learning process and to intervene if necessary. However, it is necessary to apply correctly data fusion approaches and techniques in order to combine various sources of multimodal learning analytics (MLA). These sources or modalities in MLA include audio, video, electrodermal activity data, eye-tracking, user logs, and click-stream data, but also learning artifacts and more natural human signals such as gestures, gaze, speech, or writing. This survey introduces data fusion in learning analytics (LA) and educational data mining (EDM) and how these data fusion techniques have been applied in smart learning. It shows the current state of the art by reviewing the main publications, the main type of fused educational data, and the data fusion approaches and techniques used in EDM/LA, as well as the main open problems, trends, and challenges in this specific research area

Application of industrial wastes from chemically treated aluminum saline slags as adsorbents

In this study, industrial wastes, which remain after aluminum extraction from saline slags, were used as adsorbents. The aluminum saline slags were treated under reflux with 2 mol/dm3 aqueous solutions of NaOH, H2SO4, and HCl for 2 h. After separation by filtration, aqueous solutions containing the extracted aluminum and residual wastes were obtained. The wastes were characterized by nitrogen adsorption at -196 °C, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and ammonia pulse chemisorption. The chemical treatment reduced the specific surface area, from 84 to 23 m2/g, and the pore volume, from 0.136 to 0.052 cm3/g, of the saline slag and increased the ammonia-adsorption capacity from 2.84 to 5.22 cm3/g, in the case of acid-treated solids. The materials were applied for the removal of Acid Orange 7 and Acid Blue 80 from aqueous solutions, considering both single and binary systems. The results showed interesting differences in the adsorption capacity between the samples. The saline slag treated with HCl rapidly adsorbed all of the dyes present in solution, whereas the other materials retained between 50 and 70% of the molecules present in solution. The amount of Acid Orange 7 removed by the nontreated material and by the material treated with NaOH increased in the presence of Acid Blue 80, which can be considered as a synergistic behavior. The CO2 adsorption of the solids at several temperatures up to 200 °C was also evaluated under dry conditions. The aluminum saline slag presented an adsorption capacity higher than the rest of treated samples, a behavior that can be explained by the specific sites of adsorption and the textural properties of the solids. The isosteric heats of CO2 adsorption, determined from the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, varied between 1.7 and 26.8 kJ/mol. The wastes should be used as adsorbents for the selective removal of organic contaminants in wastewater treatment.The authors are grateful for the financial support from the Seventh Framework Programme through the project RecycAL, the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitiveness (AEI/MINECO), and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through project MAT2016-78863-C2-R

Computational Prototyping Tools and Techniques

Contains reports on five research projects.Industry Consortium (Mobil, Statoil, DNV Software, Shell, OTRC, Petrobras, NorskHydro, Exxon, Chevron, SAGA, NSWC)U.S. Navy - Office of Naval ResearchAnalog DevicesDefense Advanced Research Projects Agency Contract J-FBI-95-215Cadence Design SystemsHarris SemiconductorMAFET ConsortiumMotorola SemiconductorDefense Advanced Research Projects AgencyMultiuniversity Research InitiativeSemiconductor Research CorporationIBM Corporatio

El proyecto educativo institucional: una estrategia de transformación escolar en el colegio Giovanni Antonio Farina

Proyecto de intervención llevado a cabo en el colegio confesional católico Giovanni Antonio Farina. El objetivo de la intervención fue construir el Proyecto Educativo Institucional (PEI) de la institución en lo referente al planteamiento ideológico, al modelo pedagógico y a la estructura organizativa, para que sirva como guía en el proceso de mejoramiento de la calidad educativa y sea un instrumento de gestión estratégica en el logro de las metas de la institución. Para lograrlo se implementaron tres líneas de acción: la primera fue la producción documental, en la que se estructuraron las dimensiones filosóficas, pedagógicas y organizativas que le dan sustento al PEI; la segunda fue la apropiación, que fue un proceso de reflexión para el aterrizaje en la práctica educativa cotidiana escolar de las dimensiones mencionadas en modalidad de taller y mediante grupos de discusión y análisis; y la tercera fue la institucionalización, proceso a través del cual se instalaron cuerpos colegiados a través de estructuras concretas que le darán soporte a la intervención, tales como el Consejo Directivo, el Consejo Técnico y el Equipo de Pastoral

Role of adipose tissue in people with obesity and its relationship with the appearance of metabolic diseases

The alteration of adipose tissue plays a fundamental role in the appearance of chronic inflammation diseases; insulin resistance, lipid deposition in obese patients. In recent years it has been shown that under the stimulation of adipocytes in stressful situations, their endoplasmic reticulum generates a response that over activates the inflammatory response of adipose tissue and interferes with normal mentalism, generating the secretion of adipokines, affecting the thermogenic pathways of the tissue. adipose, which causes the manifestation of metabolic syndrome. This article summarizes the relationship between adipocyte endoplasmic reticulum and adipose tissue dysfunction in obese patients

Liver damage and muscle injury associated with the use of statins

Pharmacological monitoring with positive and negative effects on the use of medications is an important aspect during the administration of different drugs. Adverse events generated by the misuse of medications have become one of the main causes of death worldwide and an urgent problem in the field of toxicology. Cardiovascular diseases currently occupy the top positions among the main causes of death worldwide, especially in older adults who, burdened by their different comorbidities, find themselves faced with the need to use multiple pharmacological therapies. Among them, statins are widely used to reduce bad cholesterol levels and thus be able to combat the formation of plaque at the coronary level, especially in patients with hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Although the use of statins worldwide generates broad benefits, there are different types of adverse reactions (ARs), including liver dysfunction and muscle damage, that affect the quality of life of people who use them. This review describes the mechanisms, epidemiology and rapid identification of hepatic and muscular effects associated with the use of statins

The impact of anxiety and depression symptoms on people with multiple cardiovascular risk factors

Typical cardiovascular risk factors are mainly related to lifestyle. New research suggests that psychological factors, especially anxiety and depression, are closely linked to cardiovascular factors. Anxiety and depression have shown an abysmal increase in the number of people who suffer from them in recent years. Different factors are related to their appearance, among which the social, work, emotional and environmental environment stand out. Multiple studies mention their relationship with cardiovascular risk factors, although there are multiple mechanisms associated with psychological and cardiovascular factors, to date there is no way to measure them. The impact of psychological stress on the development of different cardiovascular factors and its effect on the autonomic nervous system causing its inflammation must be investigated and requires much interest. As such, tools are required to be able to evaluate the biological pathways that link anxiety/depression with the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases

Probiotics to prevent acute respiratory infections in pediatric and adult populations

Respiratory tract diseases are among the most common infections of childhood and adolescence. Probiotics in recent years have been presented as a promise and prophylactic and curative alternative for various digestive, mental and respiratory pathologies. This is attributed to the great influence that the intestinal microbiota exerts on the immune system. Multiple studies indicate that an impact on the microbiota due to external or internal factors generates an alteration of the immune system. Among the uses that currently exist, they are used for the prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases in children, adolescents and adults. From the studies analysed, it is observed that Lactobacillus casei shows better results in the prevention of upper respiratory diseases than the rest of the probiotics in combination or alone, however the necessary administration time is unknown

Epidemiología molecular y análisis filogenético de la infección por el virus del papiloma humano en mujeres con lesiones cervicales y cáncer en la región litoral del Ecuador

The aim of the present study was to gather information regarding the molecular epidemiology of Human papillomavirus (HPV) and related risk factors in a group of women with low- and high-grade cervical lesions and cancer from the coastal region of Ecuador. In addition, we studied the evolution of HPV variants from the most prevalent types and provided a temporal framework for their emergence, which may help to trace the source of dissemination within the region. We analyzed 166 samples, including 57 CIN1, 95 CIN2/3 and 14 cancer cases. HPV detection and typing was done by PCR-sequencing (MY09/MY11). HPV variants and estimation of the time to most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) was assessed through phylogeny and coalescence analysis. HPV DNA was found in 54.4% of CIN1, 74.7% of CIN2/3 and 78.6% of cancer samples. HPV16 (38.9%) and HPV58 (19.5%) were the most prevalent types. Risk factors for the development of cervical lesions/cancer were the following: three or more pregnancies (OR = 4.3), HPV infection (OR = 3.7 for high-risk types; OR = 3.5 for HPV16), among others. With regard to HPV evolution, HPV16 isolates belonged to lineages A (69%) and D (31%) whereas HPV58 isolates belonged only to lineage A. The period of emergence of HPV16 was in association with human populations (tMRCA = 91. 052 years for HPV16A and 27. 000 years for HPV16D), whereas HPV58A preceded Homo sapiens evolution (322. 257 years). This study provides novel data on HPV epidemiology and evolution in Ecuador, which will be fundamental in the vaccine era.Fil: Bedoya Pilozo, Cesar H.. Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral; Ecuador. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones en Salud Pública; EcuadorFil: Medina Magües, Lex G.. Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral; EcuadorFil: Espinosa García, Maylen. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones en Salud Pública; EcuadorFil: Sánchez, Martha. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones en Salud Pública; EcuadorFil: Parrales Valdiviezo, Johanna V.. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones en Salud Pública; EcuadorFil: Molina, Denisse. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones en Salud Pública; EcuadorFil: Ibarra, María A.. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones en Salud Pública; EcuadorFil: Quimis Ponce, María. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones en Salud Pública; EcuadorFil: España, Karool. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones en Salud Pública; EcuadorFil: Párraga Macias, Karla E.. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones en Salud Pública; EcuadorFil: Cajas Flores, Nancy V.. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones en Salud Pública; EcuadorFil: Solon, Orlando A.. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones en Salud Pública; Ecuador. Universidad Agraria del Ecuador; EcuadorFil: Robalino Penaherrera, Jorge A.. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones en Salud Pública; EcuadorFil: Chedraui, Peter. Hospital Gineco-Obstétrico Enrique C. Sotomayor; EcuadorFil: Escobar, Saul. Universidad Católica de Guayaquil; EcuadorFil: Loja Chango, Rita D.. Universidad Católica de Guayaquil; EcuadorFil: Ramirez Morán, Cecibel. Universidad Católica de Guayaquil; EcuadorFil: Espinoza Caicedo, Jasson. Universidad Católica de Guayaquil; EcuadorFil: Sánchez Giler, Sunny. Universidad Especialidades Espíritu Santo. Facultad de Ciencias Médicas; EcuadorFil: Limia, Celia M.. Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kouri; CubaFil: Alemán, Yoan. Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kouri; CubaFil: Soto, Yudira. Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kouri; CubaFil: Kouri, Vivian. Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kouri; CubaFil: Culasso, Andrés Carlos Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica. Departamento de Microbiología, Inmunología y Biotecnología. Cátedra de Virología; ArgentinaFil: Badano, Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Nordeste; Argentina. Secretaría de Educación Superior, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación; Ecuador. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales. Laboratorio de Biología Molecular Aplicada; Argentin

Plasma amino acids and neopterin in healthy persons with Down’s syndrome

In persons with Down’s syndrome (DS) immunological abnormalities as well as hypothyroidism and Alzheimer type dementia are frequently observed. In addition, the activity of the enzyme cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) is over-expressed which results in an altered homocysteine metabolism