Biomarkers in ocular chronic graft versus host disease: tear cytokine- and chemokine-based predictive model.

Producción CientíficaPurpose: To develop a tear molecule level-based predictive model based on a panel of tear cytokines and their correlation with clinical features in ocular chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD). Methods: Twenty-two ocular cGVHD patients and 21 healthy subjects were evaluated in a controlled environmental research laboratory (CERLab). Clinical parameters were recorded, and tears were collected. Levels of 15 molecules (epidermal growth factor [EGF], IL receptor antagonist [IL-1Ra], IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8/CXCL8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17A, interferon inducible protein [IP]-10/CXCL10, IFN-γ, VEGF, TNF-α, eotaxin 1, and regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted [RANTES]) were measured by multiplex-bead assay and correlated with clinical parameters. Logistic regression was used to develop a predictive model. Leave-one-out cross-validation was applied. Classification capacity was evaluated in a cohort of individuals with dry eye (DE) of other etiologies different from GVHD. Results: Epidermal growth factor and IP-10/CXCL10 levels were significantly decreased in ocular cGVHD, positively correlating with tear production and stability and negatively correlating with symptoms, hyperemia, and vital staining. Interleukin-1Ra, IL-8/CXCL8, and IL-10 were significantly increased in ocular cGVHD, and the first two correlated positively with symptoms, hyperemia, and ocular surface integrity while negatively correlating with tear production and stability. Predictive models were generated, and the best panel was based on IL-8/CXCL8 and IP-10/CXCL10 tear levels along with age and sex, with an area under the receiving operating curve of 0.9004, sensitivity of 86.36%, and specificity of 95.24%. Conclusions: A predictive model based on tear levels of IL-8/CXCL8 and IP-10/CXCL10 resulted in optimal sensitivity and specificity. These results add further knowledge to the search for potential biomarkers in this devastating ocular inflammatory disease.Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, Madrid, Spain, SAF-2010 15631 (AES)

Graphic Classes in the Worldwide Classroom: A Comparison of Two MOOC Experiences

Graphics are present in the day-to-day professional practice of architects and engineers, not only to receive and transmit information, but also to design and create. Students who are accepted on university courses have varied curriculum vitae, and some may initially lack skills. Consequently, engineering schools have developed a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) entitled “The Language of Engineering” (ELI), which reviews basic geometry concepts and develops spatial intelligence, among others. The Barcelona School of Architecture has produced “From reality to design. From design to augmented reality” (RA), which covers topics including traditional architectural representation and the latest techniques. The goal of this study was to explain and analyse the main characteristics and learning strategies of these two MOOC (strengths, weaknesses and opportunities for improvement). The results show that although strategies vary depending on the subjects, the contents and exercises should be practical and adapted to students (interests, level, time availability and aesthetics), always considering motivation as a key point (gamification). These topics have been found to have a considerable influence on the success of a MOOC. Therefore, the conclusions should be considered in subsequent versions of these courses and other MOOCs.Postprint (author's final draft

Gamifying Machine Teaching: Human-in-the-Loop Approach for Diphthong and Hiatus Identification in Spanish Language

Presented at 27th International Conference on Knowledge Based and Intelligent Information and Engineering Sytems, KES 2023, Athens 6 - 8 September 2023[Abstract]: Human-in-the-Loop Machine Learning (HITL-ML) is a set of techniques that attempt to actively involve experts into the learning loop of machine learning (ML) models. One of these techniques is Machine Teaching (MT) which tries to apply techniques that come from the world of didactics within machine learning (ML), such as sorting the dataset according to its difficulty and presenting the cases to the model in incremental levels of complexity. In this work we propose a new twist to MT: since its foundation is to bring didactic techniques to ML, why not use this technique as a didactic method itself? In this case we propose the creation of an ML model for the identification of diphthongs and hiatuses in the Spanish language. The first step is to develop a deep learning model to identify diphthongs and hiatuses using Curriculum Learning (CL) and a sorted dataset that identifies simple and complex cases. The accuracy of this model identifies the upper limit of efficiency that we can obtain by training the model. The next step is to reset the weights of the model but retain its architecture and offer the model to the students for its training. The idea is that students use MT techniques to make the model learn again, but the ultimate goal is that students learn by teaching in an informal and gamified learning environment. The results show how a HITL strategy can make a model learn iteratively to identify diphthongs and hiatuses and a workflow is proposed to include this technique in the classroom.This work has been supported by the Spanish Government (PID2019-107194GB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) the Xunta de Galicia (ED431C 2022/44), the Centro de Investigación “CITIC” (ED431G 2019/01) with European Union ERDF funds and the “Cátedra de Educación y Tecnologías Emergentes, Gamificación e IA (EduEmer)” of the Universidad Pablo de Olavide.Xunta de Galicia; ED431C 2022/44Xunta de Galicia; ED431G 2019/0

DIFPRORET PROJET: Analysis of educational difficulties, proposals and challenges facing the COVID-19

El contexto sanitario relacionado con el virus COVID-19 ha implicado desafíos para diversas áreas, en particular, uno de los ámbitos con mayor impacto ha sido el educativo. El proyecto de investigación denominado "DIFPRORET" ha abordado el análisis de las ventajas y desventajas que el impacto de este virus ha tenido en el mundo educativo. El objetivo de este artículo es analizar la percepción de 112 sujetos sobre el uso de plataformas digitales a través de tres preguntas: las dificultades educativas encontradas en el periodo de confinamiento, los principales retos que debemos superar para abordar la educación en periodos de confinamiento y cuáles serían las propuestas de mejora más relevantes en estas circunstancias. La metodología se abordó desde el análisis multivariado: escalamiento multidimensional y conglomerados jerárquicos. Se observó que dos de las principales dificultades educativas son la organización del tiempo y la preparación de actividades en contextos de confinamiento. En este sentido, las propuestas apuntan a distintos niveles: la mejora de las competencias individuales del estudiante-profesor, el acceso a recursos informáticos y la inversión para paliar la desigualdad social.The health context related to the COVID-19 virus has implied challenges for several areas, among them the educational field stands out. The research project known as DIFPRORET covered various educational challenges; however, in this specific article, the aim is to analyze the perception of 112 people about the use of digital platforms through three questions: the educational difficulties encountered in the period of confinement, the main challenges we must overcome to address education in periods of confinement, and what are the most relevant proposals made by the subjects in this period. For the analysis of the questions, multivariate analyses were employed: multidimensional scaling and hierarchical clusters. It was observed that two of the main educational difficulties are the organization of time and the preparation of activities in confined contexts. Nevertheless, the proposals point to different levels that go from individual competences of the student-teacher to the society, with the discussion on the access to resources. This corresponds to a broader dimension such as social inequality.Universidad Pablo de Olavid

El observatorio de investigación sobre los massive online open courses: MOOCSERVATORIO®

URL del artículo en la web de la Revista: https://www.upo.es/revistas/index.php/IJERI/article/view/3455The new modality of expansion of knowledge (MOOCs), the Massive, Open and Online Courses, which are part of the new educational contexts of most international prestigious universities, can be considered as a dymanic curricular element in the biotic ecosystems of educational institutions, limited in time and space and frequently reserved for social elites. In this way, it will be possible to transcend to new ubiquitous, connective, informal, and horizontal learning scenarios that facilitate the digital inclusion of the most disadvantaged people. Currently, the extraordinary increase in the educational offer of MOOC courses could lead, in most cases, to students' disorientation. In this sense, the object of this article is to justify the need to design and elaborate a research observatory on MOOCs: MOOCservatorio® , in order to expand scientific knowledge and social empowerment.La nueva modalidad de expansión del conocimiento los MOOC, los cursos en abierto, masivo y en línea, que forman parte de los nuevos tejidos educativos de la mayoría de universidades de prestigio internacionales, pueden erigirse como elemento dinamizador curricular en los ecosistemas bióticos de las instituciones educativas, limitadas en el tiempo, acotadas espacialmente y reservadas con frecuencia a élites sociales. De esta manera se podrá trascender a nuevos escenarios de aprendizaje ubicuos, conectivos, informales, y horizontales que faciliten la inclusión digital de las personas más desfavorecidas. Actualmente, con el extraordinario aumento de la oferta educativa de cursos MOOC conduce, en la mayoría de casos, a una desorientación por parte del estudiantado. En este sentido, objeto de estudio del presente artículo científico, se hace necesario el diseño y elaboración de un observatorio de investigación sobre MOOC: MOOCservatorio®, en aras de la expansión del conocimiento científico y el empoderamiento social.Universidad Pablo de Olavid

SDSS-IV MaNGA : the MaNGA dwarf galaxy sample presentation

M.C.D. acknowledges support from CONACYT "Ciencia de Frontera" grant 320199. M.C.D. and H.M.H.T. acknowledge support from UC MEXUS-CONACYT grant CN-17-128. A.R.P. acknowledges support from the CONACyT "Ciencia Basica" grant 285721. E.A.O. acknowledges support from the SECTEI (Secretaría de Educación, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación de la Ciudad de México) under the Postdoctoral Fellowship SECTEI/170/2021 and CM-SECTEI/303/2021. Funding for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV has been provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science, and the Participating Institutions.We present the MaNGA Dwarf galaxy (MaNDala) Value Added Catalog (VAC), from the final release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-IV program. MaNDala consists of 136 randomly selected bright dwarf galaxies with M* −18.5, making it the largest integral field spectroscopy homogeneous sample of dwarf galaxies. We release a photometric analysis of the g, r, and z broadband imaging based on the DESI Legacy Imaging Surveys, as well as a spectroscopic analysis based on the Pipe3D SDSS-IV VAC. Our release includes the surface brightness (SB), geometric parameters, and color profiles, Sérsic fits as well as stellar population properties (such as stellar ages, metallicities, and star formation histories), and emission lines' fluxes within the FOV and the effective radii of the galaxies. We find that the majority of the MaNDala galaxies are star-forming late-type galaxies with 〈nSersic,r〉∼1.6 that are centrals (central/satellite dichotomy). MaNDala covers a large range of SB values (we find 11 candidate ultra-diffuse galaxies and three compact ones), filling the gap between classical dwarfs and low-mass galaxies in the Kormendy Diagram and in the size–mass/luminosity relation, which seems to flatten at 108 2, while the last 20% was at 〈z〉 < 0.3. Finally, a bending of the sSFR-M * relation at M* ∼ 109 M⊙ for the main-sequence galaxies seems to be supported by MaNDala.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Model mjerenja učinkovitosti učenja i zadovoljstva studenata tijekom pandemije bolesti COVID-19

The aim of this research was to assess the learning efficacy and level of satisfaction of university students as they adapted to the online teaching model amid the restrictions imposed as a result of COVID-19. The sample consisted of 467 students attending a public University of Spain. The study applied a structural equations methodology with a triangulated approach. The results show that the most influential factor in student online learning satisfaction is teacher-student interaction. On the other hand, student learning efficacy mainly depends on their attitude towards the use of technology; this makes it essential to understand which elements of the online learning system facilitate and incentivize the creation of a good learning environment. Moreover, the design quality of the system and the tools that make it function, and how they link to content and competences, all directly influence perceived ease-of-use and student satisfaction with online teaching.Cilj ovoga istraživanja bio je procijeniti učinkovitost učenja i razinu zadovoljstva studenata tijekom privikavanja na online nastavu uslijed ograničenja nametnutih zbog pandemije bolesti COVID-19. Uzorak ispitanika sastojao se od 467 studenata državnoga sveučilišta u Španjolskoj. U istraživanju je primijenjena metodologija strukturnih jednadžbi i pristup triangulacije. Rezultati pokazuju da je najutjecajniji faktor zadovoljstva učenjem u online okružju interakcija između studenta i nastavnika. S druge strane, učinkovitost učenja najviše ovisi o njihovim stavovima prema korištenju tehnologije. Zbog toga je nužno razumjeti koji elementi učenja u online okružju pomažu i potiču stvaranje dobroga okružja za učenje. Štoviše, kvaliteta dizajna sustava, alati koji im omogućuju rad te kako se oni povezuju sa sadržajem i kompetencijama zajedno izravno utječu na percepciju lakoće korištenja i na zadovoljstvo studenata online nastavom

Engineering a Spin-Orbit Bandgap in Graphene-Tellurium Heterostructures

Intensive research has focused on harnessing the potential of graphene for electronic, optoelectronic, and spintronic devices by generating a bandgap at the Dirac point and enhancing the spin-orbit interaction in the graphene layer. Proximity to heavy p elements is a promising approach; however, their interaction in graphene heterostructures has not been as intensively studied as that of ferromagnetic, noble, or heavy d metals, neither as interlayers nor as substrates. In this study, the effective intercalation of Te atoms in a graphene on Ir(111) heterostructure is achieved. Combining techniques such as low energy electron diffraction and scanning tunneling microscopy, the structural evolution of the system as a function of the Te coverage is elucidated, uncovering up to two distinct phases. The presented angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy analysis reveals the emergence of a bandgap of about 240 meV in the Dirac cone at room temperature, which preserves its characteristic linear dispersion. Furthermore, a pronounced n-doping effect induced by Te in the heterostructure is also observed, and remarkably the possibility of tuning the Dirac point energy towards the Fermi level by reducing the Te coverage while maintaining the open bandgap is demonstrated. Spin-resolved measurements unveil a non-planar chiral spin texture with significant splitting values for both in-plane and out-of-plane spin components. These experimental findings are consistent with the development of a quantum spin Hall phase, where a Te-enhanced intrinsic spin orbit coupling in graphene surpasses the Rashba one and promotes the opening of the spin-orbit bandgap.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure

Flora Vascular of Algarve (Portugal): new Project

Trabajo presentado al: XI International Meeting of Phytosociology. Natural and semi-natural habitats of the Natura 2000 network: Improving knowledge to support conservation measures. Faro (Portugal), 10-11 septiembre 2019.Peer reviewe