Protocol and material for the introduction to the laboratory experimentation

Introducing students in the world of the experimentation has always been a complicated task, since the students are not familiar with the new work place. They have to handle different measuring devices, interiorize the philosophy of the experimentation, measure and estimate uncertainty, graph data, and finally write a report about the results of the experimentation. Students do not know this whole process, and although they delight to do practical work in the laboratory, they do not feel confident of carrying out a proper work. In order to achieve so, a multimedia material has been elaborated, with an introduction to the laboratory and the experimental techniques which require the implication and the autonomy from the student. The outcome of this process -students setting the established protocol in practice and achieving competences- has been clearly superior to that reached in previous years.Peer Reviewe

Making a virtual learning environment for non-assisted physics laboratory

The Physics laboratory is usually the main place where our students of engineering approach to the physical daily reality, from the technological and the scientific point of view, through experiments and motivating demonstrations. Thinking of those students that can not follow an established schedule of attendance to the classroom, an innovative educational material has been created, which is based on digital filming of the experiments that nowadays are carried out in our real Physics laboratory. The objective is to minimize the lack of acquisition of some abilities associated with the real experimentation, by means of the use of virtual experiments and by working others individual competences by a streaming video. The filming is accompanied by some tutorials that introduce the experiment and illustrate the associated theoretical concepts, together with some simulations. Evaluation and self-evaluation tests are also available to monitor the student’s learning. Anyone can find all the material in the webpage: http://www.epsem.upc.edu/~practiquesfisica/ After putting these materials into practice, we have carried out a survey in which the students compare the real and the virtual experimentation systems and to ask their opinion about the quality of the generated material for two different experiments. The answers of the students encourage us to produce more material of this kind and to improve the autonomous learning of our future students of engineering.Peer Reviewe

Elaboració de material multimèdia de suport per al laboratori de física aplicada.

L’objectiu del projecte ha estat incrementar el material docent, digital i multimèdia, del laboratori de física, per tal d'optimitzar els resultats d'anteriors projectes (2007MQD00084, UPC_PMD2007), centrant-nos en el rendiment de les màquines relacionades amb processos industrials. Els futurs enginyers han de saber dissenyar màquines més eficients en un entorn tecnològic cada vegada més competitiu sense oblidar d’analitzar els efectes que poden transcendir en el medi ambient. El rendiment o eficiència és un paràmetre clau que cal ser estimat. El projecte es desenvolupa a l’entorn de la filmació de vídeos de quatre temàtiques diferents: calorimetria (calorímetre elèctric), energia elèctrica (pila elèctrica), màquines tèrmiques (motor Stirling) i energia solar (col•lector solar tèrmic). En els dos primers casos s’ha elaborat material en format digital que permet preparar, realitzar i després analitzar les dades obtingudes, i elaborar un informe de les pràctiques igual com si l’estudiantat l’hagués fet al laboratori. També s’ha dissenyat un sistema d'autoavaluació de l'aprenentatge de l'estudiantat i d'avaluació de companys. En els altres dos casos, el material elaborat es dedica preferentment a explicar el funcionament dels aparells. Aquest material permetrà a l'estudiantat realitzar pràctiques de laboratori no presencials, complementant l'experimentació al laboratori en augmentar les seves competències formatives: capacitat d'anàlisi i síntesi, treball en equip, presa de decisions, compromís ètic...Peer Reviewe

Making a virtual learning environment for non-assisted physics laboratory

The Physics laboratory is usually the main place where our students of engineering approach to the physical daily reality, from the technological and the scientific point of view, through experiments and motivating demonstrations. Thinking of those students that can not follow an established schedule of attendance to the classroom, an innovative educational material has been created, which is based on digital filming of the experiments that nowadays are carried out in our real Physics laboratory. The objective is to minimize the lack of acquisition of some abilities associated with the real experimentation, by means of the use of virtual experiments and by working others individual competences by a streaming video. The filming is accompanied by some tutorials that introduce the experiment and illustrate the associated theoretical concepts, together with some simulations. Evaluation and self-evaluation tests are also available to monitor the student’s learning. Anyone can find all the material in the webpage: http://www.epsem.upc.edu/~practiquesfisica/ After putting these materials into practice, we have carried out a survey in which the students compare the real and the virtual experimentation systems and to ask their opinion about the quality of the generated material for two different experiments. The answers of the students encourage us to produce more material of this kind and to improve the autonomous learning of our future students of engineering.Postprint (author’s final draft

Introducció a l'experimentació: pràctica zero

La connexió dels alumnes, que s’integren a la universitat, amb el món de l’experimentació (física, electrònica, biologia,...), sempre ha estat una tasca complicada: per no conèixer els estudiants el nou espai de treball, haver de manipular aparells normalment desconeguts, haver d’interioritzar la filosofia de l’experimentació, la dificultat de prendre mesures correctament, procedir a estimar les incerteses en les mesures o representar les dades gràficament, així com presentar els resultats de forma correcta, calcular l’error comès respecte al valor teòric i treure’n conclusions. Pensant en l’EEES i la necessitat d’adquirir competències transversals per parts dels estudiants, en particular els del nostre centre, s’ha volgut establir un protocol de treball, en allò referit a l’entorn de les pràctiques de laboratori, per tal que els estudiants calculin i expressin els resultats experimentals (càlcul d’incerteses, rectes de regressió, representacions gràfiques, etc.) de manera que ho facin seguint uns criteris adequats. Per això, a la vegada s’ha aprofitat per acostar, estudiants i professors implicats, a les normes de la “International Standardisation Organisation” (ISO) i de la “International Electrotechnical Commission” (IEC) en els coneixements teòrics de l’experimentació en el laboratori.Per tal d’aconseguir els objectius, s’ha elaborat una “pràctica zero” amb material multimèdia que la fa interactiva, amb implicació i autonomia de l’estudiant.Peer Reviewe

Detoxification of paralytic shellfish poisoning toxins in naturally contaminated mussels, clams and scallops by an industrial procedure

Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) episodes cause important economic impacts due to closure of shellfish production areas in order to protect human health. These closures, if are frequent and persistent, can seriously affect shellfish producers and the seafood industry, among others. In this study, we have developed an alternative processing method for bivalves with PSP content above the legal limit, which allows reducing toxicity to acceptable levels. A modification of the PSP detoxifying procedure stablished by Decision 96/77/EC of the European Union in Acanthocardia tuberculatum, was developed and implemented for PSP elimination in other bivalves species. The procedure was applied to 6 batches of mussels, 2 batches of clams and 2 batches of scallops, achieving detoxification rates of around 85%. A viable industrial protocol which allows the transformation of a product at risk into a safe product was developed. Although a significant reduction was obtained, in a sample circa 9000 μg STX diHCl equiv/kg, the final toxin level in these highly toxic mussels did not fall below the European limit. The processing protocol described may be applied efficiently to mussels, clams and scallops and it may be a major solution to counteract the closure of shellfish harvesting areas, especially if persistent.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Baremo del Trail Making Test para Capital Federal y Gran Buenos Aires

Trail Making Test (TMT) is one of the most widely used tests to evaluate attentional processes since its resolution requires the indemnity of multiple attentional aspects that underlie the correct execution of the task. The aim of this study was to update TMT norms for the Argentine population of Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires and Gran Buenos Aires. The sample consisted of 407 participants (59% women), aged between 16 and 90 years, with educational level from incomplete primary to postgraduate. The sample was divided into four age groups and three educational levels. Special norms were made for individuals with low educational level because age did not differentiate their performance. The present TMT standardization includes the types of errors that may occur in part A and B of the test. This study allows for representative and up-to-date norms according to the socio-demographic characteristics of the population under investigation.El Trail Making Test (TMT) es una de las pruebas más utilizadas para evaluar los procesos atencionales, su resolución requiere de múltiples aspectos atencionales que subyacen a la ejecución correcta de la tarea. Este trabajo se propuso como objetivo actualizar las normas del TMT para la población argentina de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires y Gran Buenos Aires. La muestra 407 participantes (59% mujeres), entre 16 y 90 años de edad, con escolaridad desde primaria incompleta hasta posgrado. Se realizó un baremo especial para los individuos con baja escolaridad, no se dividió este grupo por edad, ya que la edad no diferenciaba su rendimiento. En la presente estandarización del TMT se incluyen los tipos de errores que pueden presentarse en la parte A y B de la prueba. Este trabajo permite contar con normas representativas y actualizadas según las características socio demográficas de la población investigada

Participation in the Metropolitan Urban Planning: from the shared diagnosis to the participated strategy of the Advancement of the metropolitan PDU

La redacción del PDU metropolitano —el plan urbanístico que definirá el modelo territorial de las próximas décadas en el ámbito metropolitano—, responde a dos lógicas: estratégica y urbanística. A su vez, se sitúa a caballo entre dos escalas: regional y municipal. Por tanto, debe construir un discurso inclusivo, aflorar la consciencia metropolitana a partir de los principios de cooperación y reconocimiento mutuo, y reforzar los vínculos de proximidad como una herramienta de cohesión social. Desde el inicio del proceso de redacción, hemos entendido la participación ciudadana como un proceso para compartir el conocimiento generado y recoger la voz de diferentes agentes del territorio. Para ello, fue necesario un ejercicio de responsabilidad, innovación y transparencia. Durante seis meses, se realizaron varias sesiones de participación por todo el territorio metropolitano. Al finalizar este período de consulta, recopilamos los principales retos, restricciones, resultados y aprendizajes. La ponencia se centra en la participación en documentos de carácter estratégico y urbanístico dentro del contexto metropolitano, la metodología y resultados del trabajo vinculado al Avance del PDU, tanto durante su redacción como durante el período de información pública, y las principales conclusiones y aprendizajes a tener en cuenta en próximas fases.The drafting of the Metropolitan Urban Master Plan (PDU) will define the territorial model for the next decades in the metropolitan area, based on two different logics: strategical and urban. In turn, it works on two territorial scales: regional and municipal. Therefore, the PDU must build an inclusive vision, raise a metropolitan awareness based on the principles of cooperation and mutual recognition, and strengthen the bonds of proximity as a tool of social cohesion. From the beginning of the drafting of the Plan’s Proposal, citizen participation has been understood as a process aimed at sharing knowledge and gathering the voice of different civil stakeholders. It was necessary to take into account responsibility, innovation and transparency. Over 6 months, ad hoc participation forums were deployed in working sessions all around the metropolitan area. When the public consultation finished, we gathered its main challenges, constraints, outputs and learnings. This paper focus on: participation in documents of an strategic and urban planning nature within the metropolitan context, the methodology and re- sults of the work related to the PDU Proposal during its drafting and during the period of public information and the main findings and learnings to be taken into account in future stages.Peer Reviewe

Análisis de la capa límite atmosférica y su relación con el clima

Ponencia presentada en: I Congreso de la Asociación Española de Climatología “La climatología española en los albores del siglo XXI”, celebrado en Barcelona del 1 al 3 de diciembre de 1999.[ES]Dada la relación existente entre la capa límite atmosférica y el clima, se presenta un estudio de los diversos estados que puede presentar la capa límite atmosférica nocturna. Se analiza mediante la observación directa y remota y la simulación, el comportamiento de los distintos flujos turbulentos de calor y de momento que van a representar la interacción entre la micro y la macroescala.[EN]Knowing the relation between the atmospheric boundary layer and the climate, in this work we present a study of the different behaviour that the nocturnal atmospheric boundary layer shows. We have analyzed by means of simulation, and directly and remote measurements its different fluxes of heat and momentum in the ABL, since these fluxes are going to represent the relationship between the micro and the macroscale.Los datos de este estudio se han obtenido a partir de la campaña SABLES 98, financiada por la “Comisión Interministerial de ciencia y tecnología (CICYT), programa Clima”, proyecto CLI97-0343

La participación en la planificación urbanística metropolitana: de la diagnosis compartida a la estrategia participada del Avance del PDU metropolitano

Las características e identidades de la sociedad actual, cada vez más informada y exigente, son múltiples y se superponen con lógicas diferentes. Actualmente, nos enfrentamos a la redacción del PDU metropolitano —el plan urbanístico que definirá el modelo territorial de las próximas décadas en el ámbito metropolitano—, que responde a dos lógicas: estratégica y urbanística. A su vez, se sitúa a caballo entre dos escalas: regional y municipal. Por tanto, debe construir un discurso inclusivo, aflorar la consciencia metropolitana a partir de los principios de cooperación y reconocimiento mutuo, y reforzar los vínculos de proximidad como una herramienta de cohesión social. Desde el inicio del proceso de redacción del Avance del Plan, el AMB siempre ha querido involucrar a las distintas administraciones públicas. Por consiguiente, hemos entendido la participación ciudadana relacionada con el Avance del PDU como un proceso para compartir el conocimiento generado de manera transparente y recoger la voz de diferentes agentes del territorio. Para diseñar un marco compartido de trabajo acorde con este enfoque, fue necesario un ejercicio de responsabilidad, innovación y transparencia. Durante 6 meses, se realizaron varias sesiones de participación por todo el territorio metropolitano. Al finalizar este período de consulta, recopilamos los principales retos, restricciones, resultados y aprendizajes. La ponencia se centra en la participación en documentos de carácter estratégico y urbanístico dentro del contexto metropolitano, la metodología y resultados del trabajo vinculado al Avance del PDU, tanto durante su redacción como durante el período de información pública y las principales conclusiones y aprendizajes a tener en cuenta en próximas fases.The features and diverse identities of today’s society – increasingly informed and demanding – are multiple and overlap with different logics. Currently, the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) is facing the drafting of the Metropolitan Urban Master Plan (PDU), which will define the territorial model for the next decades in the metropolitan area of Barcelona, based on two different logics: strategical and urban. In turn, it works on two territorial scales: regional and municipal. Therefore, the PDU must build an inclusive vision, raise a metropolitan awareness based on the principles of cooperation and mutual recognition, and strengthen the bonds of proximity as a tool of social cohesion. From the beginning of the drafting of the Plan’s Proposal, the AMB pushed to involve many different public administrations. Accordingly, citizen participation regarding the PDU Proposal has been understood as a process aimed at sharing knowledge with transparency and gathering the voice of different civil stakeholders. In order to design a shared framework that suited this approach, it was necessary to take into account responsibility, innovation and transparency. Over 6 months, ad hoc participation forums were deployed in working sessions all around the metropolitan area. When the public consultation finished, we gathered its main challenges, constraints, outputs and learnings. This paper focus on: participation in documents of a strategic and urban planning nature within the metropolitan context, the methodology and results of the work related to the PDU Proposal during its drafting and during the period of public information and the main findings and learnings to be taken into account in future stages