Proposta d'avaluació de la metodologia outdoor training en el desenvolupament de competencies : desenvolupament de la competència comunicació en la assignatura "La comunicació en els grups laborals"

Les sessions outdoor training es basen en una metodologia vivencial que facilita el desenvolupament de les competències en tant que incideix sobre l'aprenentatge de continguts així com en el desenvolupament d'actituds i habilitats. En efecte, si partim de la idea que l'actuació professional futura dels estudiants es manifesta mitjançant comportaments regulars i observables que integren els coneixements, habilitats i actituds, la metodologia outdoor es dibuixa com un mètode eficaç en la formació integral dels participants. El treball que presentem centra la seva atenció en l'avaluació de l'efecte de la metodologia outdoor training en la formació i desenvolupament del perfil competencial dels alumnes de l'assignatura "La comunicació en els grups laborals"

Monolithic integration of Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR) devices onto standard processed CMOS dies

Giant Magnetoresistance (GMR) based technology is nowadays the preferred option for low magnetic fields sensing in disciplines such as biotechnology or microelectronics. Their compatibility with standard CMOS processes is currently investigated as a key point for the development of novel applications, requiring compact electronic readout. In this paper, such compatibility has been experimentally studied with two particular non-dedicated CMOS standards: 0.35 μm from AMS (Austria MicroSystems) and 2.5 μm from CNM (Centre Nacional de Microelectrònica, Barcelona) as representative examples. GMR test devices have been designed and fabricated onto processed chips from both technologies. In order to evaluate so obtained devices, an extended characterization has been carried out including DC magnetic measurements and noise analysis. Moreover, a 2D-FEM (Finite Element Method) model, including the dependence of the GMR device resistance with the magnetic field, has been also developed and simulated. Its potential use as electric current sensors at the integrated circuit level has also been demonstrated

Land Use and Topography Influence in a Complex Terrain Area: A High Resolution Mesoscale Modelling Study over the Eastern Pyrenees using the WRF Model

Different types of land use (LU) have different physical properties which can change local energy balance and hence vertical fluxes of moisture, heat and momentum. This in turn leads to changes in near-surface temperature and moisture fields. Simulating atmospheric flow over complex terrain requires accurate local-scale energy balance and therefore model grid spacing must be sufficient to represent both topography and land-use. In this study we use both the Corine Land Cover (CLC) and United States Geological Survey (USGS) land use databases for use with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and evaluate the importance of both land-use classification and horizontal resolution in contributing to successful modelling of surface temperatures and humidities observed from a network of 39 sensors over a 9 day period in summer 2013. We examine case studies of the effects of thermal inertia and soil moisture availability at individual locations. The scale at which the LU classification is observed influences the success of the model in reproducing observed patterns of temperature and moisture. Statistical validation of model output demonstrates model sensitivity to both the choice of LU database used and the horizontal resolution. In general, results show that on average, by a) using CLC instead of USGS and/or b) increasing horizontal resolution, model performance is improved. We also show that the sensitivity to these changes in the model performance shows a daily cycle

Integration of GMR sensors with different technologies

Less than thirty years after the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect was described, GMR sensors are the preferred choice in many applications demanding the measurement of low magnetic fields in small volumes. This rapid deployment from theoretical basis to market and state-of-the-art applications can be explained by the combination of excellent inherent properties with the feasibility of fabrication, allowing the real integration with many other standard technologies. In this paper, we present a review focusing on how this capability of integration has allowed the improvement of the inherent capabilities and, therefore, the range of application of GMR sensors. After briefly describing the phenomenological basis, we deal on the benefits of low temperature deposition techniques regarding the integration of GMR sensors with flexible (plastic) substrates and pre-processed CMOS chips. In this way, the limit of detection can be improved by means of bettering the sensitivity or reducing the noise. We also report on novel fields of application of GMR sensors by the recapitulation of a number of cases of success of their integration with different heterogeneous complementary elements. We finally describe three fully functional systems, two of them in the bio-technology world, as the proof of how the integrability has been instrumental in the meteoric development of GMR sensors and their applications.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Intervención en problemas : propuestas de trabajo para la comprensión interdisciplinar

Aplicació de la metodologia Outdoor training a la docència universitaria pel desenvolupament de competències professionals.Outdoor training methodology applied to teach and develop profesional competence

Assessment of oxidative damage to proteins and DNA in urine of newborn infants by a validated UPLC-MS/MS approach

The assessment of oxidative stress is highly relevant in clinical Perinatology as it is associated to adverse outcomes in newborn infants. This study summarizes results from the validation of an Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography-tandem Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method for the simultaneous quantification of the urinary concentrations of a set of endogenous biomarkers, capable to provide a valid snapshot of the oxidative stress status applicable in human clinical trials, especially in the field of Perinatology. The set of analytes included are phenylalanine (Phe), para-tyrosine (p-Tyr), ortho-tyrosine (o-Tyr), meta-tyrosine (m-Tyr), 3-NO2-tyrosine (3NO 2-Tyr), 3-Cl-tyrosine (3Cl-Tyr), 2′-deoxyguanosine (2dG) and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG). Following the FDA-based guidelines, appropriate levels of accuracy and precision, as well as adequate levels of sensitivity with limits of detection (LODs) in the low nanomolar (nmol/L) range were confirmed after method validation. The validity of the proposed UPLC-MS/MS method was assessed by analysing urine samples from a clinical trial in extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants randomized to be resuscitated with two different initial inspiratory fractions of oxygen

Human annexin A6 interacts with influenza a virus protein M2 and negatively modulates infection

Copyright © 2012, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights ReservedThe influenza A virus M2 ion channel protein has the longest cytoplasmic tail (CT) among the three viral envelope proteins and is well conserved between different viral strains. It is accessible to the host cellular machinery after fusion with the endosomal membrane and during the trafficking, assembly, and budding processes. We hypothesized that identification of host cellular interactants of M2 CT could help us to better understand the molecular mechanisms regulating the M2-dependent stages of the virus life cycle. Using yeast two-hybrid screening with M2 CT as bait, a novel interaction with the human annexin A6 (AnxA6) protein was identified, and their physical interaction was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation assay and a colocalization study of virus-infected human cells. We found that small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of AnxA6 expression significantly increased virus production, while its overexpression could reduce the titer of virus progeny, suggesting a negative regulatory role for AnxA6 during influenza A virus infection. Further characterization revealed that AnxA6 depletion or overexpression had no effect on the early stages of the virus life cycle or on viral RNA replication but impaired the release of progeny virus, as suggested by delayed or defective budding events observed at the plasma membrane of virus-infected cells by transmission electron microscopy. Collectively, this work identifies AnxA6 as a novel cellular regulator that targets and impairs the virus budding and release stages of the influenza A virus life cycle.This work was supported by the Research Fund for the Control of Infectious Disease (project 09080892) of the Hong Kong Government, the Area of Excellence Scheme of the University Grants Committee (grant AoE/M-12/-06 of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China), the French Ministry of Health, the RESPARI Pasteur Network

Influencia de un aditivo no comercial sobre la calidad de los yesos en construcción

At the present paper, it shows how has been studied the influence over the quality of a special sort of gypsum, when it has been added as "additive" 0,96% of potasium chlorurus (Kcl), it has been observed the variation on the mechanical proprieties and also over the time of the beginning and end of the set. Also with the use ot a scanner Electronic Microscopic (M.E.B.), it has been observed the results obtained using such additive and it has been made a comparison with the finded values for the standard specimen.En el presente trabajo se ha estudiado la influencia sobre la calidad de un determinado tipo de yeso, al incorporar como "aditivo" 0,96% de cloruro de potasio (KCI), comprobando la variación en el comportamiento mecánico, así como en los tiempos de principio y final de fraguado. También mediante el uso de la Microscopía Electrónica de Barrido (M.E.B.), se han observado los resultados obtenidos al emplear el citado aditivo y se han comparado con los valores encontrados para las probetas patrón

Experiències de les dones estrangeres als centres penitenciaris catalans : Aproximació des de la perspectiva interseccional

El present estudi explora la situació de les dones immigrants que compleixen condemna en els centres penitenciaris de Catalunya. La metodologia de l'estudi és mixta en tant que combina dades quantitatives obtingudes d'un qüestionari -dissenyat ad hoc per aquest projecte de recerca aplicada- i dades textuals produïdes mitjançant entrevistes en profunditat i grups de discussió de dones i professionals. Tanmateix, s'ha utilitzat l'observació participant i la recollida de notes de camp durant el període del treball de camp. Els principals resultats de l'estudi visibilitzen diverses discriminacions que afecten a les dones immigrants -i autòctones- en relació a la conflictivitat i tensió en els mòduls per la manca de classificació interior, la dificultat d'obtenir permisos abans de la llibertat i el tercer grau per la manca d'arrelament i suport social al país d'acollida i les dificultats per accedir a l'habitatge i a feines regulades per la manca de documentació i la necessitat d'haver d'esperar el venciment dels antecedents penals. Aquesta situació les estigmatitza. Algunes de les propostes d'aquest treball són: Avançar vers un model mixt penitenciari, atès que la separació entre homes i dones comporta desavantatges per a la institució penitenciaria i especialment per a les dones i pels professionals que treballen amb elles i, per tant, cal enfortir l'accés a espais i recursos comuns (activitats i destins laborals) on ja s'està fent i incorporant-los en la resta de centres (especialment a joves que no compta amb recursos per les dones joves). Això ajudaria a evitar la discriminació de les dones quan a l'accés als recursos formatius, activitats i destins laborals; s'ha d'enfortir la reinserció social i laboral, la formació ocupacional s'hauria d'adequar a les necessitats del mercat laboral actual i els perfils i competències de les dones estrangeres i autòctones. Així mateix, s'han d'actualitzar i ampliar els requisits per poder accedir a l'autorització de treball en tercer grau o llibertat condiciona; Facilitarels vincles positius, mitjançant la revisió de la pràctica d'utilitzar els permisos per a comunicar (trucades telefòniques, videotrucades, visites i vis a vis) com a reforçadors de la conducta atenent a la dificultat de les dones estrangeres per a comunicar amb els seus països d'origen