Storyline-Based Videogames in the FL Classroom

The use of videogames in the foreign language (FL) classroom seems to be gradually increasing nowadays. TICs are making the lives of educators easier and their teaching methods more effective; these positive experiences make that researchers in this field are constantly introducing and developing new teaching methods and electronic applications. This paper suggests the use of storyline-based videogames in the FL classroom in order to enhance students’ learning process and their communication outcomes through interactive and engaging tasks that raise their motivation. This research has been based on a literature review about the use of supportive material in the field of foreign language learning and it suggests that these interactive materials may be applied in the same way that traditional workbooks and e-workbooks have been used for several years. This proposal is addressed to teaching professionals interested in the use of videogames and to editorials of language teaching materials

Neuroinflammation: friend or foe in Alzheimer's disease?:Modulating the immune system as therapeutic strategy

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease and the most common form of dementia that currently affects 55 million people globally. AD is characterized by loss of memory, changes in mood and behavior and the inability to perform daily tasks. Despite decades of exhaustive research, no successful treatment has been discovered for AD. Besides the characteristic pathology observed in the AD brain, inflammation of the brain (known as neuroinflammation) and the involvement of the immune system have emerged as new therapeutic venues. The main objective of this thesis was to modulate the immune system as strategy to ameliorate cognitive deficits and AD-related neuropathology. To this end, we focused on the signaling of a specific protein, TNF-α, which plays a key role in the orchestration of the immune response. TNF-α can activate two different signaling pathways and exert opposing functions: activation of one pathway leads to inflammation and cell death whereas activation of the second pathway leads to cell survival and neuroprotection.In this thesis, we discovered that activating the neuroprotective signaling pathway of TNF-α in different AD mouse models results in a significant improvement of cognitive functions as well as a drastic reduction in AD neuropathology. Thus, modulation of TNF-α signaling seems like an effective strategy for the treatment of AD.This thesis has provided a more in depth understanding on the role, mechanisms and effects of modulating the immune system in AD and proposed new potential therapeutic strategies that can be explored in the future for the treatment of AD

Mecanismo abatible para el acceso a armarios de cocina desde una silla de ruedas

Cada dia els pisos tendeixen a ser més petits, es per això que s'ha de poder aprofitar fins l'últim racó per emmagatzemar coses. Aquest projecte pretén crear un automatisme que faciliti l'accés a persones en cadira de rodes a aquells armaris de cuina situats a les parets i a on normalment no podrien tenir accés. Mitjançant un senzill sistema de braços abatibles governats per un sistema de motor elèctric i un reductor mecànic, s'aconsegueix fer descendí fins l'alçada desitjada l'armari de pared, on pot ser carregat amb total comoditat abans de ser tornat a la seva posició original mitjançant un interruptor. Una de les principals avantatges d'aquest mecanisme, es que permet el moviment sense la necessitat de retirar els elements que hi hagi damunt del taulell

Mecanismo abatible para el acceso a armarios de cocina desde una silla de ruedas

Cada dia els pisos tendeixen a ser més petits, es per això que s'ha de poder aprofitar fins l'últim racó per emmagatzemar coses. Aquest projecte pretén crear un automatisme que faciliti l'accés a persones en cadira de rodes a aquells armaris de cuina situats a les parets i a on normalment no podrien tenir accés. Mitjançant un senzill sistema de braços abatibles governats per un sistema de motor elèctric i un reductor mecànic, s'aconsegueix fer descendí fins l'alçada desitjada l'armari de pared, on pot ser carregat amb total comoditat abans de ser tornat a la seva posició original mitjançant un interruptor. Una de les principals avantatges d'aquest mecanisme, es que permet el moviment sense la necessitat de retirar els elements que hi hagi damunt del taulell

Tidal Volume (TV) post-process obtained with electrical impedance tomography on a group of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Use of adjust equations

Equations used to estimate ventilation out of EIT images, validated on healthy volunteers show a significant bias and a larger variance when were applied on a COPD patients group. The differences in estimation values were found to be highly correlated with anthropometric parameters. Two groups of 13 and 4 COPD male patients (FEV1/FVC<70% and FVC ≥ 80%) were used in this study. We have measured different anthropometric parameters like age, weight, height and skinfolds. The EIT system (TIE4sys) and a pneumotach were simultaneously connected to monitor tidal volume. The main anthropometric parameters values of 13 COPD patients were: age: 67±9 years, height: 1.65±0.05 m, weight: 72±11 kg, BMI: 26.4±3.3; and the subscapular skinfold thickness was 23±9mm. The mean tidal volume estimated with TIE4sys and the pneumotach were: 0.580±0.212 L and 0.774±0.173 L r = 0.861 (p<0.01). The mean difference was 0.196±0.096 L (p<0.01). On this group we have found out an adjust equation and we have validated it on an independent group of 4 COPD patients. The equation was Diff=-1478+15.6(weight). The mean tidal volume values obtained with pneumotach and TIE4sys on the second group of COPD patients (M:4) were: 0.798±0.395 L and 0.732±0.327 L. The mean of the differences was 0.066±0.114L. The differences of determinations estimated with pneumotach and TIE4sys can be attributed to changes of anthropometric characteristics like subscapular skinfold.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author’s final draft

A prescrição nos seguros de responsabilidade civil de base reclamação

The present study intends to clarify an issue, which lacks discussion in the Portuguese law: the prescription period of liability insurance on a claims made basis. The Insurance Contract Law applies two rules to the prescriptive period, namely, article 121.º and article 145.º. The first one, settled as a general clause, establishes a time limit of two years for the insurer’s entitlement to the insurance premium, and a time limit of five years with respect to the remaining rights arising from the contract, as from the date on which these rights are known. The second rule, laid down in the systematic scope of liability insurance, merely refers to the civil law to set out the prescription period of the injured party’s rights. The articles aforementioned should be articulated with the prescriptive periods stated in the civil law. Briefly, the present study analyzes the prescriptive periods established in the Civil Code, particularly in article 498. The second half addresses one of the most controversial matters of the insurance contract: the temporal delimitation of the insurance policy, with a particular focus on the “claims made” coverage insurance. Professional and environmental civil responsibility insurances are also highlighted in this dissertation. A functional analysis of these type of insurances is considered important for a better understanding about the potential temporal differences to which the injured party and the insured party are subject, at the moment where the coverage of the claims made insurance is invoked.O texto que se apresenta pretende clarificar uma temática caracterizada por alguma ausência de discussão no direito português: a prescrição nos seguros de responsabilidade civil de base reclamação. A Lei do Contrato de Seguro dedica duas normas aos prazos prescricionais, a saber, o art.º 121.º e o art.º 145.º. O primeiro, insere-se na parte geral, estabelecendo o prazo de dois anos para a prescrição do direito do segurador ao prémio e outro de cinco anos, no concerne aos restantes direitos emergentes do contrato, a contar do conhecimento do direito. O segundo encontra-se sistematicamente integrado no âmbito dos seguros de responsabilidade civil, limitando-se a remeter para a lei civil, os prazos de prescrição dos direitos do lesado perante o segurador. Assim, os preceituados na LCS reclamam o estudo da conjugação com o disposto relativo aos prazos prescricionais na lei civil. Em apertada síntese, o presente estudo analisa os prazos prescricionais previstos no Código Civil, em especial o art.º 498.º. Numa segunda parte, procede-se ao estudo de uma das matérias mais controversas do contrato de seguro: o âmbito de delimitação temporal das apólices, com especial incidência sobre os seguros de responsabilidade civil de base reclamação. Os seguros de responsabilidade civil profissional e ambiental encontram-se postos em evidência na presente dissertação. A análise prática destes seguros, afigurou-se imprescindível para uma melhor compreensão acerca das potenciais diferenças temporais, a que estão sujeitos lesados e segurados, no momento da invocação da cobertura de um seguro claims made

Oscillatory patterns in redox gradient materials through wireless bipolar electrochemistry. The dynamic wave-like case of copper bipolar oxidation

Altres ajuts: ICN2 is funded by the CERCA program/Generalitat de Catalunya.Bipolar electrochemistry allows the development of processes in a wireless manner, with reactions occurring at the induced anodes and cathodes of an immersed conducting material in the electrolyte. As a result, a gradient oxidation state may appear along the main axis field on the surface or bulk of the material depending on the type of reaction available at each induced potential. Redox intercalation gradients have been observed, metal anodization, or deposition, and also reactions at the electrolyte in the nearby environment of the poles induced. The complex oxidation of copper and interconversion between phases formed yields in this work an oscillating redox gradient, thanks to the great resistance change when the oxidized phases are formed. Parallel stripes containing mainly CuO, CuO, and Cu(OH) with large resistance are formed perpendicular to the electric field, forming a sequence of secondary dipoles in intermediate Cu stripes, that depends on the external voltage applied, and that oscillates in time at the same spatial coordinates. With longer times, copper solubilizes at the larger induced potential zones, probably as Cu(OH) . A simple finite element electrostatic model defines the complex potential waves induced in the piece. The resulting dynamics offer an example of the complexity of order in unwired conducting materials in wet media, either in catalysis, bioelectrodes, electronics, photovoltaics, or energy storage

Charge Delocalization, Oxidation States, and Silver Mobility in the Mixed Silver-Copper Oxide AgCuO2

The electronic structure of AgCuO2, and more specifically the possible charge delocalization and its implications for the transport properties, has been the object of debate. Here the problem is faced by means of first-principles density functional theory calculations of the electron and phonon band structures as well as molecular dynamics simulations for different temperatures. It is found that both Cu and Ag exhibit noninteger oxidation states, in agreement with previous spectroscopic studies. The robust CuO2 chains impose a relatively short contact distance to the silver atoms, which are forced to partially use their dz2 orbitals to build a band. This band is partially emptied through overlap with a band of the CuO2 chain, which should be empty if copper were in a Cu3+ oxidation state. In that way, although structural correlations could roughly be consistent with an Ag+Cu3+O2 formulation, the appropriate oxidation states for the silver and copper atoms become Ag(1+δ)+ and Cu(3−δ)+, and as a consequence, the stoichiometric material should be metallic. The study of the electronic structure suggests that Ag atoms form relatively stable chains that can easily slide despite the linear coordination with oxygen atoms of the CuO2 chains. Phonon dispersion calculations and molecular dynamics simulations confirm the stability of the structure although pointing out that sliding of the silver chains is an easy motion that does not lead to substantial modifications of the electronic structure around the Fermi level and, thus, should not alter the good conductivity of the system. However, this sliding of the silver atoms from the equilibrium position explains the observed large thermal factors

El Burnout un manifiesto en estudiantes de odontología

Ponencia presentada en la II Muestra Nacional de Innovaciones en la Enseñanza de la Odontología y IV Muestra Institucional de Innovaciones en la Enseñanza de la Odontología. Córdoba, 13 y 14 de septiembre de 2012.El Burnout, síndrome del quemado, es un proceso de estrés crónico, despersonalización y fatiga emocional, que se produce al trabajar en contacto con otras personas. Se estima que los estudiantes de Odontología se encontrarían bajo presión de estudio ya que en cuarto año sus logros no solo depende de ellos, si no que también con la, aceptación, cumplimiento y terminación de casos clínicos. Esto podría condicionar la asimilación de conocimientos, y su relación con sus pares, con docentes, como así también con sus pacientes.Fil: Casan, Walter Elías. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Odontología. Cátedra de Prostodoncia II A; Argentina.Fil: Rico, Ricardo C. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Odontología. Cátedra de Prostodoncia II A; Argentina.Fil: Gotusso, Claudio. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Odontología. Cátedra de Prostodoncia II A; Argentina.Fil: Ramos, Noelia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Odontología. Cátedra de Prostodoncia II A; Argentina