Exploring the development of mental rotation and computational skills in elementary students through educational robotics

Interest in educational robotics has increased over the last decade. Through various approaches, robots are being used in the teaching and learning of different subjects at distinct education levels. The present study investigates the effects of an educational robotic intervention on the mental rotation and computational thinking assessment in a 3rd grade classroom. To this end, we carried out a quasi-experimental study involving 24 third-grade students. From an embodied approach, we have designed a two-hour intervention providing students with a physical environment to perform tangible programming on Bee-bot. The results revealed that this educational robotic proposal aimed at map-reading tasks leads to statistically significant gains in computational thinking. Moreover, students who followed the Bee-bot-based intervention achieved greater CT level compared to students following a traditional instruction approach, after controlling student's prior level. No conclusive results were found in relation to mental rotation

La resolución de problemas matemáticos en primeras edades escolares con Bee-bot

Los entornos relacionados con la robótica y los lenguajes visuales de programación por bloques permiten plantear tareas que pueden ser entendidas como problemas con contenido matemático aptos para edades escolares tempranas. Estos entornos permiten proponer situaciones problemáticas en edades en las que el formalismo o el escaso conocimiento matemático impide a los estudiantes abordar problemas matemáticos más complejos. En este trabajo se da cuenta de cómo el robot programable Bee-bot constituye un dispositivo privilegiado donde poder observar cómo los estudiantes toman decisiones durante el proceso de resolución

Machine Learning-Based Analysis in the Management of Iatrogenic Bile Duct Injury During Cholecystectomy: a Nationwide Multicenter Study

Background Iatrogenic bile duct injury (IBDI) is a challenging surgical complication. IBDI management can be guided by artificial intelligence models. Our study identified the factors associated with successful initial repair of IBDI and predicted the success of definitive repair based on patient risk levels. Methods This is a retrospective multi-institution cohort of patients with IBDI after cholecystectomy conducted between 1990 and 2020. We implemented a decision tree analysis to determine the factors that contribute to successful initial repair and developed a risk-scoring model based on the Comprehensive Complication Index. Results We analyzed 748 patients across 22 hospitals. Our decision tree model was 82.8% accurate in predicting the success of the initial repair. Non-type E (p < 0.01), treatment in specialized centers (p < 0.01), and surgical repair (p < 0.001) were associated with better prognosis. The risk-scoring model was 82.3% (79.0-85.3%, 95% confidence interval [CI]) and 71.7% (63.8-78.7%, 95% CI) accurate in predicting success in the development and validation cohorts, respectively. Surgical repair, successful initial repair, and repair between 2 and 6 weeks were associated with better outcomes. Discussion Machine learning algorithms for IBDI are a novel tool may help to improve the decision-making process and guide management of these patients

Common variants in Alzheimer’s disease and risk stratification by polygenic risk scores

Genetic discoveries of Alzheimer’s disease are the drivers of our understanding, and together with polygenetic risk stratification can contribute towards planning of feasible and efficient preventive and curative clinical trials. We first perform a large genetic association study by merging all available case-control datasets and by-proxy study results (discovery n = 409,435 and validation size n = 58,190). Here, we add six variants associated with Alzheimer’s disease risk (near APP, CHRNE, PRKD3/NDUFAF7, PLCG2 and two exonic variants in the SHARPIN gene). Assessment of the polygenic risk score and stratifying by APOE reveal a 4 to 5.5 years difference in median age at onset of Alzheimer’s disease patients in APOE ɛ4 carriers. Because of this study, the underlying mechanisms of APP can be studied to refine the amyloid cascade and the polygenic risk score provides a tool to select individuals at high risk of Alzheimer’s disease.Fil: Dalmasso, Maria Carolina. Gobierno de la Provincia de la Pampa. Ministerio Publico. Laboratorio de Genetica Forense.; Argentina. Universitat zu Köln; Alemania. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Confluencia; ArgentinaFil: de Rojas, Itziar. Universitat Internacional de Catalunya; España. Instituto de Salud Carlos Iii (isciii); EspañaFil: Moreno Grau, Sonia. Universitat Internacional de Catalunya; España. Instituto de Salud Carlos Iii (isciii); EspañaFil: Tesi, Niccolo. Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam; Países Bajos. Delft University of Technology; Países BajosFil: Grenier Boley, Benjamin. Universite Lille; FranciaFil: Andrade, Victor. Universitat zu Köln; Alemania. Universitat Bonn; AlemaniaFil: Pedersen, Nancy L.. Karolinska Huddinge Hospital. Karolinska Institutet; SueciaFil: Stringa, Najada. University of Amsterdam; Países BajosFil: Zettergren, Anna. University of Gothenburg; SueciaFil: Hernández, Isabel. Universitat Internacional de Catalunya; España. Instituto de Salud Carlos Iii (isciii); EspañaFil: Montrreal, Laura. Universitat Internacional de Catalunya; EspañaFil: Antúnez, Carmen. Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca; EspañaFil: Antonell, Anna. Universidad de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Tankard, Rick M.. Murdoch University; AustraliaFil: Bis, Joshua C.. University of Washington; Estados UnidosFil: Sims, Rebecca. Cardiff University; Reino UnidoFil: Bellenguez, Céline. Universite Lille; FranciaFil: Quintela, Inés. Universidad de Santiago de Compostela; EspañaFil: González Perez, Antonio. Centro Andaluz de Estudios Bioinformáticos; EspañaFil: Calero, Miguel. Instituto de Salud Carlos Iii (isciii); España. Fundación Reina Sofia; EspañaFil: Franco Macías, Emilio. Universidad de Sevilla; EspañaFil: Macías, Juan. Hospital Universitario de Valme; EspañaFil: Blesa, Rafael. Instituto de Salud Carlos Iii (isciii); España. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Cervera Carles, Laura. Instituto de Salud Carlos Iii (isciii); España. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Menéndez González, Manuel. Universidad de Oviedo; EspañaFil: Frank García, Ana. Instituto de Salud Carlos Iii (isciii); España. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; España. Instituto de Investigacion del Hospital de la Paz.; España. Hospital Universitario La Paz; EspañaFil: Royo, Jose Luís. Universidad de Málaga; EspañaFil: Moreno, Fermin. Instituto de Salud Carlos Iii (isciii); España. Hospital Universitario Donostia; España. Instituto Biodonostia; EspañaFil: Huerto Vilas, Raquel. Hospital Universitari Santa Maria de Lleida; España. Institut de Recerca Biomedica de Lleida; EspañaFil: Baquero, Miquel. Hospital Universitari i Politècnic La Fe; Españ

Long runs of homozygosity are associated with Alzheimer's disease

Altres ajuts: The Genome Research at Fundació ACE project (GR@ACE) is supported by Fundación bancaria "La Caixa," Grifols SA and Fundació ACE. L.M.R. is supported by Consejería de Salud de la Junta de Andalucía (Grant PI-0001/2017).Long runs of homozygosity (ROH) are contiguous stretches of homozygous genotypes, which are a footprint of inbreeding and recessive inheritance. The presence of recessive loci is suggested for Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, their search has been poorly assessed to date. To investigate homozygosity in AD, here we performed a fine-scale ROH analysis using 10 independent cohorts of European ancestry (11,919 AD cases and 9181 controls.) We detected an increase of homozygosity in AD cases compared to controls [ β (CI 95%) = 0.070 (0.037-0.104); P = 3.91 × 10 −5 ; β (CI95%) = 0.043 (0.009-0.076); P = 0.013]. ROHs increasing the risk of AD (OR > 1) were significantly overrepresented compared to ROHs increasing protection (p < 2.20 × 10 −16). A significant ROH association with AD risk was detected upstream the HS3ST1 locus (chr4:11,189,482‒11,305,456), (β (CI 95%) = 1.09 (0.48 ‒ 1.48), p value = 9.03 × 10 −4), previously related to AD. Next, to search for recessive candidate variants in ROHs, we constructed a homozygosity map of inbred AD cases extracted from an outbred population and explored ROH regions in whole-exome sequencing data (N = 1449). We detected a candidate marker, rs117458494, mapped in the SPON1 locus, which has been previously associated with amyloid metabolism. Here, we provide a research framework to look for recessive variants in AD using outbred populations. Our results showed that AD cases have enriched homozygosity, suggesting that recessive effects may explain a proportion of AD heritability

Clinical Audits in Outpatient Clinics for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Methodological Considerations and Workflow

Objectives: Previous clinical audits for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have provided valuable information on the clinical care delivered to patients admitted to medical wards because of COPD exacerbations. However, clinical audits of COPD in an outpatient setting are scarce and no methodological guidelines are currently available. Based on our previous experience, herein we describe a clinical audit for COPD patients in specialized outpatient clinics with the overall goal of establishing a potential methodological workflow.Methods: A pilot clinical audit of COPD patients referred to respiratory outpatient clinics in the region of Andalusia, Spain (over 8 million inhabitants), was performed. The audit took place between October 2013 and September 2014, and 10 centers (20% of all public hospitals) were invited to participate. Cases with an established diagnosis of COPD based on risk factors, clinical symptoms, and a post-bronchodilator FEV1/FVC ratio of less than 0.70 were deemed eligible. The usefulness of formally scheduled regular follow-up visits was assessed. Two different databases (resources and clinical database) were constructed. Assessments were planned over a year divided by 4 three-month periods, with the goal of determining seasonal-related changes. Exacerbations and survival served as the main endpoints.Conclusions: This paper describes a methodological framework for conducting a clinical audit of COPD patients in an outpatient setting. Results from such audits can guide health information systems development and implementation in real-world settings.This study was financially supported by an unrestricted grant from Laboratorios Menarini, SA (Barcelona, Spain)

Corrigendum to ‘a horizon scan exercise for aquatic invasive alien species in Iberian inland waters’

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Common variants in Alzheimer’s disease and risk stratification by polygenic risk scores

Funder: Funder: Fundación bancaria ‘La Caixa’ Number: LCF/PR/PR16/51110003 Funder: Grifols SA Number: LCF/PR/PR16/51110003 Funder: European Union/EFPIA Innovative Medicines Initiative Joint Number: 115975 Funder: JPco-fuND FP-829-029 Number: 733051061Genetic discoveries of Alzheimer's disease are the drivers of our understanding, and together with polygenetic risk stratification can contribute towards planning of feasible and efficient preventive and curative clinical trials. We first perform a large genetic association study by merging all available case-control datasets and by-proxy study results (discovery n = 409,435 and validation size n = 58,190). Here, we add six variants associated with Alzheimer's disease risk (near APP, CHRNE, PRKD3/NDUFAF7, PLCG2 and two exonic variants in the SHARPIN gene). Assessment of the polygenic risk score and stratifying by APOE reveal a 4 to 5.5 years difference in median age at onset of Alzheimer's disease patients in APOE ɛ4 carriers. Because of this study, the underlying mechanisms of APP can be studied to refine the amyloid cascade and the polygenic risk score provides a tool to select individuals at high risk of Alzheimer's disease

A Roadmap for HEP Software and Computing R&D for the 2020s

Particle physics has an ambitious and broad experimental programme for the coming decades. This programme requires large investments in detector hardware, either to build new facilities and experiments, or to upgrade existing ones. Similarly, it requires commensurate investment in the R&D of software to acquire, manage, process, and analyse the shear amounts of data to be recorded. In planning for the HL-LHC in particular, it is critical that all of the collaborating stakeholders agree on the software goals and priorities, and that the efforts complement each other. In this spirit, this white paper describes the R&D activities required to prepare for this software upgrade.Peer reviewe

New insights into the genetic etiology of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

Characterization of the genetic landscape of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias (ADD) provides a unique opportunity for a better understanding of the associated pathophysiological processes. We performed a two-stage genome-wide association study totaling 111,326 clinically diagnosed/'proxy' AD cases and 677,663 controls. We found 75 risk loci, of which 42 were new at the time of analysis. Pathway enrichment analyses confirmed the involvement of amyloid/tau pathways and highlighted microglia implication. Gene prioritization in the new loci identified 31 genes that were suggestive of new genetically associated processes, including the tumor necrosis factor alpha pathway through the linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex. We also built a new genetic risk score associated with the risk of future AD/dementia or progression from mild cognitive impairment to AD/dementia. The improvement in prediction led to a 1.6- to 1.9-fold increase in AD risk from the lowest to the highest decile, in addition to effects of age and the APOE ε4 allele