On the use of gamification tools for blended learning approaches in Thermodynamics courses

[EN] During the last year 2020, education in European universities has suffered a challenging transformation from an established pedagogical model to a digital one. The face-to-face formal lectures have been replaced to on-line sessions and blended learning approaches. The courses related to the Thermodynamics subject of two Bachelor of Science Degrees (Mechanical Engineering and Automatic and Industrial Electronic Engineering) have been also adapted to the blended learning approach, in this case combining the use of screencast videos, interactive slides with comments, synchronous on-line lectures and tutorials, and virtual laboratories. This recent methodology has been demonstrated to be effective due to its flexibility and ubiquitous characteristics. However, one of the difficulties is tracking the engagement and the evolution of the students due to the reduced direct interaction between them and the instructors. Among the technological tools that are used to benefit the learning process of students, gamification tools have been demonstrated to be effective and positive for academic performance. The aim of this study is to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of the gamification in the Thermodynamics courses where the proposed blended learning approach is used. One of the goals is to identify the specific competences acquired by the students after watching the audio-visual content (videos and slides). For this purpose, a Kahoot was played before starting the on-line lecture (synchronous), and according to the score, the instructor could recognize the level of understanding of the concepts. Based on the results, the instructor was able to focus more on the weaker learning objectives, capturing their attention during the session. At the end of the session the Kahoot was played again to recognize if the concepts were consolidated during the lesson. The results show that the use of this gamification tool achieved high levels of engagement and improved the attention and participation of the students.This work has been done in the framework of the innovative teaching group EICE CONMAGIA promoted by the Instituto de Ciencias de la Educación.Bracho León, GC.; Martí-Aldaraví, P.; García Tíscar, J.; Gómez Soriano, J. (2022). On the use of gamification tools for blended learning approaches in Thermodynamics courses. En Proceedings INNODOCT/21. International Conference on Innovation, Documentation and Education. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 75-82. https://doi.org/10.4995/INN2021.2021.13370758

Vapor phase penetration measurements with both single and double-pass Schlieren for the same injection event

[EN] Schlieren imaging has been adopted as a standard optical technique for the analysis of diesel sprays under engine like conditions. A single-pass Schlieren arrangement is typically used for the study of single-orifice nozzles, as vessels with multiple optical accesses regularly allow line of sight visualization. Contrarily, for multi-spray nozzles, measurements are commonly performed through a single optical access, in which case a double-pass arrangement is employed. As a consequence, the light beams pass through the test section twice, increasing the optical sensitivity of the Schlieren setup. However, the impact this has on the macroscopic spray characteristics is still unclear. The scope of this study is to analyze the differences in vapor phase penetration for the same injection event, through high-speed imaging, for both single and double-pass Schlieren configurations. Experiments were carried out with a three hole nozzle with a nominal orifice diameter of 90 µm, named Spray B from the Engine Combustion Network, using commercially available diesel fuel and in non-reactive conditions. The impact of different injection pressures and chamber densities on the spray captured by each setup was assessed. On the results, vapor phase penetration followed the expected trend found in the literature, as it increases with increasing injection pressure and decreasing chamber density. Comparing the optical setups, vapor phase penetration obtained with the double-pass arrangement was marginally higher. The deviation was observed throughout all tested conditions. Although the discrepancy was approximately constant for different injection pressures and chamber temperature, it increased with increasing density. These results highlight the importance of a proper understanding regarding the limitations of optical diagnostics, in particular for results used in calibration of computational models.This research has been partially funded by FEDER and Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad through project TRA2015-67679-c2-1-R. Additionally, Alberto Viera is supported through the FPI contract 2016-S2-1361 of “Programa de Apoyo para la Investigación y Desarrollo (PAID)” of Universitat Poltècnica de València.Payri, R.; Salvador Rubio, FJ.; Bracho León, GC.; Viera Sotillo, AA. (2017). Vapor phase penetration measurements with both single and double-pass Schlieren for the same injection event. En Ilass Europe. 28th european conference on Liquid Atomization and Spray Systems. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 747-754. https://doi.org/10.4995/ILASS2017.2017.4884OCS74775

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030