Un Sistema de ayuda a la escritura de textos estructurados en LaTeX para estudiantes con déficit visual

La redacción y presentación de documentos estructurados grandes, especialmente si requieren notación matemática, puede resultar difícil para los alumnos ciegos o con déficit visual usando editores clásicos. El proyecto que se propone, aún en fase inicial, consiste en un sistema de ayuda a la escritura de textos en LATEX[2] que reconozca como órdenes simples de voz las principales marcas de este lenguaje y emita también por voz indicaciones útiles como errores, mensajes de estado, etc. Se discuten las ventajas del uso de lenguajes de marcado para personas ciegas, entre otras la posibilidad de conversión automática a cualquier otro formato (HTML,XML,...), la posibilidad de inclusión de tablas, de fórmulas (con transformación a MathML o similares), la posible generalización a lenguajes de programación y la facilidad de trabajo colaborativo con otros compañeros, para facilitar la inclusión del alumno con necesidades educativas especiales en el proceso de aprendizaje.SUMMARY: The writing and presentation of large structured documents, particularly if they require mathematical notation, may be a difficult task for blind or visually impaired alumni using standard editors. The proposed project, still in its initial steps, is aiming to help in the task of writing LATEX texts. It should recognize by means of simple voice commands the main marks of this language and should emit, also by voice, useful indications like errors, state messages, etc. The advantages of using markup languages for visually impaired people are discussed, among others the possibility of automatic conversion to any other format (HTML,XML,...), the possibility of including tables, equations (with transformation to MathML or similar), the possible generalization to general purpose programming languages and the ability to do collaborative work with other classmates. In this way the inclusion of the alumni with special educational needs becomes easier.Peer Reviewe

A level set method with Sobolev Gradient and Haralick Edge Detection

Variational level set methods, which have been proposed with various energy functionals, mostly use the ordinary L type gradient in gradient descent algorithm to minimize the energy functional. The gradient flow is influenced by both the energy to be minimized and the norms, which are induced from inner products, used to measure the cost of perturbation of the curve. However, there are many undesired properties related to the gradient flows due to the 2 L type inner products. For example, there is not any regularity term in the definition of this inner product that causes non-smooth flows and inaccurate results. Therefore, in this work, Sobolev gradient has been used that is more efficient than the 2 L type gradient for image segmentation and has powerful properties such as regular gradient flows, independency to parameterization of curves, less sensitive to local features and noise in the image and also faster convergence rate than the standard gradient. In addition, Haralick edge detector has been used instead of the edge indicator function in this study. Because, the traditional edge indicator function, which is the absolute of the gradient of the convolved image with the aussian function, is sensitive to noise in level set methods. Experimental results on real images , which are abdominal magnetic resonance images, have been obtained for spleen and kidney segmentation. Quantitative analyses have been performed by using different measurements to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach, which can ignore topological noises and detect boundaries successfully

Un sistema de ayuda a la escritura de textos estructurados en LaTeX para estudiantes con déficit visual

La redacción y presentación de documentos estructurados grandes, especialmente si requieren notación matemática, puede resultar difícil para los alumnos ciegos o con déficit visual usando editores clásicos. El proyecto que se propone, aún en fase inicial, consiste en un sistema de ayuda a la escritura de textos en LATEX[2] que reconozca como órdenes simples de voz las principales marcas de este lenguaje y emita también por voz indicaciones útiles como errores, mensajes de estado, etc. Se discuten las ventajas del uso de lenguajes de marcado para personas ciegas, entre otras la posibilidad de conversión automática a cualquier otro formato (HTML,XML,...), la posibilidad de inclusión de tablas, de fórmulas (con transformación a MathML o similares), la posible generalización a lenguajes de programación y la facilidad de trabajo colaborativo con otros compañeros, para facilitar la inclusión del alumno con necesidades educativas especiales en el proceso de aprendizaje.The writing and presentation of large structured documents, particularly if they require mathematical notation, may be a difficult task for blind or visually impaired alumni using standard editors. The proposed project, still in its initial steps, is aiming to help in the task of writing LATEX texts. It should recognize by means of simple voice commands the main marks of this language and should emit, also by voice, useful indications like errors, state messages, etc. The advantages of using markup languages for visually impaired people are discussed, among others the possibility of automatic conversion to any other format (HTML,XML,...), the possibility of including tables, equations (with transformation to MathML or similar), the possible generalization to general purpose programming languages and the ability to do collaborative work with other classmates. In this way the inclusion of the alumni with special educational needs becomes easier.Este trabajo ha sido parcialmente subvencionado con cargo al proyecto DPI-2008-06691 del Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación

Enseñando cómo evaluar la usabilidad de forma activa

En la mayoría de los Grados de Ingeniería en Informática hay al menos una asignatura sobre la Interacción Persona-Ordenador. En ella, el concepto de usabilidad es el eje central sobre el que se basa el conseguir interfaces que se ajusten a las necesidades de los usuarios. Aunque conceptos como Experiencia de Usuario se están entrando en la industria, cuesta ver la usabilidad como algo relevante. Al igual que en la industria, al alumnado le resulta difícil percibir la utilidad del diseño de interfaces usables. La contribución de este artículo es la descripción de una metodología basada en el aprendizaje por proyectos llevada a cabo en la Universitat de València dentro de la asignatura de Entornos de Usuario para motivar el aprendizaje de cómo evaluar la usabilidad. En grupos de 5 a 8 personas, el alumnado trabaja para aplicar una de las técnicas de evaluación de usabilidad en un sitio web real. Al finalizar la actividad, cada grupo expone al resto en qué consiste la técnica, los resultados, y sus ventajas e inconvenientes. Los datos extraídos a través de encuestas al alumnado y el análisis de las calificaciones, muestran que la motivación es más alta que en otras actividades, y que se han conseguido los objetivos y las competencias marcados.In most of the Computer Engineering Degrees there is at least one subject about Human-Computer Interaction. The concept of usability is the central axis to design interfaces that satisfy users’ needs. Although concepts like User Experience are raising in the industry, it is hard to see usability as a relevant topic. As in industry, students do not appreciate the importance of usable interface designs. The contribution of this article is the description of a methodology based on a project learning process conducted in the Universitat de València within the User Environments course to motivate the learning of how to evaluate usability. In groups of 5 to 8 people, the students work to apply one of the usability evaluation techniques on a real web site. At the end of the activity, each group explains to the rest the details of the technique, the results, and its advantages and disadvantages. The data obtained through student surveys and the analysis of the qualifications show that motivation is higher than in other activities, and that the objectives and competencies have been achieved.Este trabajo se ha desarrollado gracias al proyecto “Soluciones para la docencia en tiempos de COVID-19: Clase Online Asíncrona + ABP + nuevos entornos digitales” (UV-SFPIE_PID-1355524)

Girls4STEM: Gender Diversity in STEM for a Sustainable Future

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are key disciplines towards tackling the challenges related to the Sustainable Development Goals. However, evidence shows that women are enrolling in these disciplines in a smaller percentage than men, especially in Engineering related fields. As stated by the United Nations Women section, increasing the number of women studying and working in STEM fields is fundamental towards achieving better solutions to the global challenges, since the potential for innovation is larger. In this paper, we present the Girls4STEM project, which started in 2019 at the Escola Tècnica Superior d’Enginyeria de la Universitat de València, Spain. This project works towards breaking the stereotypes linked to STEM fields, addressing both boys and girls aged from 6 to 18, but especially trying to open the range of career options for young girls through interaction with female STEM experts. The goal is to spark girls’ interest in STEM disciplines from childhood, so that they become more self-confident in these areas. To achieve this goal, the project is built over three main actions: the Girls4STEM Family Talks, where students, families, and teachers participate; the Girls4STEM Professional Talks, where the target is a general audience; and the Initial Training Seminars for teachers. Short-term results are here presented, showing that aspects related to self-perception and perception from others (family, teachers) play a significant role. Moreover, these results also indicate that there may not be a general understanding of which disciplines are included in STEM

Girls4STEM: gender diversity in STEM for a sustainable future

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) are key disciplines towards tackling the challenges related to the Sustainable Development Goals. However, evidence shows that women are enrolling in these disciplines in a smaller percentage than men, especially in Engineering related fields. As stated by the United Nations Women section, increasing the number of women studying and working in STEM fields is fundamental towards achieving better solutions to the global challenges, since the potential for innovation is larger. In this paper, we present the Girls4STEM project, which started in 2019 at the Escola Tècnica Superior d'Enginyeria de la Universitat de València, Spain. This project works towards breaking the stereotypes linked to STEM fields, addressing both boys and girls aged from 6 to 18, but especially trying to open the range of career options for young girls through interaction with female STEM experts. The goal is to spark girls' interest in STEM disciplines from childhood, so that they become more self-confident in these areas. To achieve this goal, the project is built over three main actions: the Girls4STEM Family Talks, where students, families, and teachers participate; the Girls4STEM Professional Talks, where the target is a general audience; and the Initial Training Seminars for teachers. Short-term results are here presented, showing that aspects related to self-perception and perception from others (family, teachers) play a significant role. Moreover, these results also indicate that there may not be a general understanding of which disciplines are included in STEM

Un Sistema de ayuda a la escritura de textos estructurados en LaTeX para estudiantes con déficit visual

La redacción y presentación de documentos estructurados grandes, especialmente si requieren notación matemática, puede resultar difícil para los alumnos ciegos o con déficit visual usando editores clásicos. El proyecto que se propone, aún en fase inicial, consiste en un sistema de ayuda a la escritura de textos en LATEX[2] que reconozca como órdenes simples de voz las principales marcas de este lenguaje y emita también por voz indicaciones útiles como errores, mensajes de estado, etc. Se discuten las ventajas del uso de lenguajes de marcado para personas ciegas, entre otras la posibilidad de conversión automática a cualquier otro formato (HTML,XML,...), la posibilidad de inclusión de tablas, de fórmulas (con transformación a MathML o similares), la posible generalización a lenguajes de programación y la facilidad de trabajo colaborativo con otros compañeros, para facilitar la inclusión del alumno con necesidades educativas especiales en el proceso de aprendizaje

Visual memory dysfunction as a neurocognitive endophenotype in bipolar disorder patients and their unaffected relatives. Evidence from a 5-year follow-up Valencia study

BACKGROUND: Scarce research has focused on Visual Memory (VM) deficits as a possible neurocognitive endophenotype of bipolar disorder (BD). The main aim of this longitudinal, family study with healthy controls was to explore whether VM dysfunction represents a neurocognitive endophenotype of BD. METHODS: Assessment of VM by Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (ROCF) was carried out on a sample of 317 subjects, including 140 patients with BD, 60 unaffected first-degree relatives (BD-Rel), and 117 genetically-unrelated healthy controls (HC), on three occasions over a 5-year period (T1, T2, and T3). BD-Rel group scores were analyzed only at T1 and T2. RESULTS: Performance of BD patients was significantly worse than the HC group (p < 0.01). Performance of BD-Rel was also significantly different from HC scores at T1 (p < 0.01) and T2 (p?=?0.05), and showed an intermediate profile between the BD and HC groups. Only among BD patients, there were significant differences according to sex, with females performing worse than males (p?=?0.03). Regarding other variables, education represented significant differences only in average scores of BD-Rel group (p?=?0.01). LIMITATIONS: Important attrition in BD-Rel group over time was detected, which precluded analysis at T3. CONCLUSIONS: BD patients show significant deficits in VM that remain stable over time, even after controlling sociodemographic and clinical variables. Unaffected relatives also show stable deficits in VM. Accordingly, the deficit in VM could be considered a potential endophenotype of BD, which in turn may be useful as a predictor of the evolution of the disease. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.VB-M is supported by the national grant PI16/01770 (PROBILIFE Study), from the ISCIII. RTS was supported in part by grant PROMETEOII/2015/021 from Generalitat Valenciana and the national grands PI14/00894, PI17/00719 and PIE14/00031 from ISCIII-FEDER. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Genomics And Susceptibility Profiles Of Extensively Drug-resistant Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Isolates From Spain

This study assessed the molecular epidemiology, resistance mechanisms, and susceptibility profiles of a collection of 150 extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates obtained from a 2015 Spanish multicenter study, with a particular focus on resistome analysis in relation to ceftolozane-tazobactam susceptibility. Broth microdilution MICs revealed that nearly all (> 95%) of the isolates were nonsusceptible to piperacillin-tazobactam, ceftazidime, cefepime, aztreonam, imipenem, meropenem, and ciprofloxacin. Most of them were also resistant to tobramycin (77%), whereas nonsusceptibility rates were lower for ceftolozane-tazobactam (31%), amikacin (7%), and colistin (2%). Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis-multilocus sequence typing (PFGE-MLST) analysis revealed that nearly all of the isolates belonged to previously described high-risk clones. Sequence type 175 (ST175) was detected in all 9 participating hospitals and accounted for 68% (n = 101) of the XDR isolates, distantly followed by ST244 (n = 16), ST253 (n = 12), ST235 (n = 8), and ST111 (n = 2), which were detected only in 1 to 2 hospitals. Through phenotypic and molecular methods, the presence of horizontally acquired carbapenemases was detected in 21% of the isolates, mostly VIM (17%) and GES enzymes (4%). At least two representative isolates from each clone and hospital (n = 44) were fully sequenced on an illumina MiSeq. Classical mutational mechanisms, such as those leading to the overexpression of the beta-lactamase AmpC or efflux pumps, OprD inactivation, and/or quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDR) mutations, were confirmed in most isolates and correlated well with the resistance phenotypes in the absence of horizontally acquired determinants. Ceftolozane-tazobactam resistance was not detected in carbapenemase-negative isolates, in agreement with sequencing data showing the absence of ampC mutations. The unique set of mutations responsible for the XDR phenotype of ST175 clone documented 7 years earlier were found to be conserved, denoting the long-term persistence of this specific XDR lineage in Spanish hospitals. Finally, other potentially relevant mutations were evidenced, including those in penicillin-binding protein 3 (PBP3), which is involved in beta-lactam (including ceftolozane-tazobactam) resistance, and FusA1, which is linked to aminoglycoside resistance

Thirty-day outcomes in frail older patients discharged home from the emergency department with acute heart failure: effects of high-risk criteria identified by the DEED FRAIL-AHF trial

Objectives: To study the effect of high-risk criteria on 30-day outcomes in frail older patients with acute heart failure (AHF) discharged from an emergency department (ED) or an ED's observation and short-stay areas. Material and methods: Secondary analysis of discharge records in the Older AHF Key Data registry. We selected frail patients (aged > 70 years) discharged with AHF from EDs. Risk factors were categorized as modifiable or nonmodifiable. The outcomes were a composite endpoint for a cardiovascular event (revisits for AHF, hospitalization for AHF, or cardiovascular death) and the number of days alive out-of-hospital (DAOH) within 30 days of discharge. Results: We included 380 patients with a mean (SD) age of 86 (5.5) years (61.2% women). Modifiable risk factors were identified in 65.1%, nonmodifiable ones in 47.8%, and both types in 81.6%. The 30-day cardiovascular composite endpoint occurred in 83 patients (21.8%). The mean 30-day DAOH observed was 27.6 (6.1) days. Highrisk factors were present more often in patients who developed the cardiovascular event composite endpoint: the rates for patients with modifiable, nonmodifiable, or both types of risk were, respectively, as follows in comparison with patients not at high risk: 25.0% vs 17.2%, P = .092; 27.6% vs 16.7%, P = .010; and 24.7% vs 15.2%, P = .098). The 30-day DAOH outcome was also lower for at-risk patients, according to type of risk factor present: modifiable, 26.9 (7.0) vs 28.4 (4.4) days, P = .011; nonmodifiable, 27.1 (7.0) vs 28.0 (5.0) days, P = .127; and both, 27.1 (6.7) vs 28.8 (3.4) days, P = .005). After multivariate analysis, modifiable risk remained independently associated with fewer days alive (adjusted absolute difference in 30-day DAOH, -1.3 days (95% CI, -2.7 to -0.1 days). Nonmodifiable factors were associated with increased risk for the 30-day cardiovascular composite endpoint (adjusted absolute difference, 10.4%; 95% CI, -2.1% to 18.7%). Conclusion: Risk factors are common in frail elderly patients with AHF discharged home from hospital ED areas. Their presence is associated with a worse 30-day prognosis