Learning carbohydrate digestion and insulin absorption curves using blood glucose level prediction and deep learning models

This article belongs to the Section Biomedical Sensors.Type 1 diabetes is a chronic disease caused by the inability of the pancreas to produce insulin. Patients suffering type 1 diabetes depend on the appropriate estimation of the units of insulin they have to use in order to keep blood glucose levels in range (considering the calories taken and the physical exercise carried out). In recent years, machine learning models have been developed in order to help type 1 diabetes patients with their blood glucose control. These models tend to receive the insulin units used and the carbohydrate taken as inputs and generate optimal estimations for future blood glucose levels over a prediction horizon. The body glucose kinetics is a complex user-dependent process, and learning patient-specific blood glucose patterns from insulin units and carbohydrate content is a difficult task even for deep learning-based models. This paper proposes a novel mechanism to increase the accuracy of blood glucose predictions from deep learning models based on the estimation of carbohydrate digestion and insulin absorption curves for a particular patient. This manuscript proposes a method to estimate absorption curves by using a simplified model with two parameters which are fitted to each patient by using a genetic algorithm. Using simulated data, the results show the ability of the proposed model to estimate absorption curves with mean absolute errors below 0.1 for normalized fast insulin curves having a maximum value of 1 unit.This work was supported in part by the project "ANALISIS EN TIEMPO REAL DE SENSORES SOCIALES Y ESTIMACION DE RECURSOS PARA TRANSPORTE MULTIMODAL BASADA EN APRENDIZAJE PROFUNDO" MaGIST-RALES, funded by the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI, doi 10.13039/501100011033) under grant PID2019-105221RB-C44 /AEI/10.13039/501100011033. This work has been supported by the Madrid Government (Comunidad de Madrid-Spain) under the Multiannual Agreement with UC3M in the line of Excellence of University Professors (EPUC3M21), and in the context of the V PRICIT (Regional Programme of Research and Technological Innovation)

El papel de los hogares sustitutos en el proceso de restablecimiento de los derechos de los niños, niñas y adolescentes en Colombia.

En Colombia existe una amplia legislación con respecto al proceso de restablecimiento de los derechos de los niños, niñas y adolescentes (N.N.A) llevada a la práctica a través de distintos instrumentos, entre ellos los hogares sustitutos, los cuales son una de las formas para adelantar dicho proceso. Sin embargo, estos hogares se ven enfrentados a múltiples problemas, desde los recortes económicos por parte del Estado, hasta una alta demanda de sus servicios en todo el país a raíz de problemas sociales, familiares y de violencia que se viven en los diferentes departamentos, situaciones que dificultan el papel que deben cumplir los hogares sustitutos para el restablecimiento de los derechos de los N.N.A. Por otra parte, es necesario reconocer el papel que desempeña el defensor de familia, el cual es de vital importancia con respecto a las decisiones que se deben tomar frente a los N.N.A relacionados con sus situaciones legales. Así mismo la corresponsabilidad que debe existir entre los diferentes actores sociales como veedores y garantes de los derechos de los N.N.A.Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dio

El papel de los hogares sustitutos en el proceso de restablecimiento de los derechos de los niños, niñas y adolescentes en Colombia.

En Colombia existe una amplia legislación con respecto al proceso de restablecimiento de los derechos de los niños, niñas y adolescentes (N.N.A) llevada a la práctica a través de distintos instrumentos, entre ellos los hogares sustitutos, los cuales son una de las formas para adelantar dicho proceso. Sin embargo, estos hogares se ven enfrentados a múltiples problemas, desde los recortes económicos por parte del Estado, hasta una alta demanda de sus servicios en todo el país a raíz de problemas sociales, familiares y de violencia que se viven en los diferentes departamentos, situaciones que dificultan el papel que deben cumplir los hogares sustitutos para el restablecimiento de los derechos de los N.N.A. Por otra parte, es necesario reconocer el papel que desempeña el defensor de familia, el cual es de vital importancia con respecto a las decisiones que se deben tomar frente a los N.N.A relacionados con sus situaciones legales. Así mismo la corresponsabilidad que debe existir entre los diferentes actores sociales como veedores y garantes de los derechos de los N.N.A.Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dio

Patterns and Trends in Cetacean Occurrence Revealed by Shorewatch, a Land-Based Citizen Science Program in Scotland (United Kingdom)

Shorewatch is a citizen science project, managed by Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), that records the occurrence of cetaceans during regular, standardized watches from a series of locations along the coast of Scotland (United Kingdom). Observer training and a clearly defined protocol help deliver a valuable source of information about cetacean occurrence and activity along the coast. Between 2005–2018, over 52000 watches generated over 11000 sightings of at least 18 cetacean species. Generalized Additive Models based on sightings for the five most commonly sighted species (bottlenose dolphin, harbor porpoise, minke whale, Risso’s dolphin, and common dolphin), at those sites with the longest time series, demonstrated seasonal, geographical and year-to-year differences in their local occurrence and relative abundance. Bottlenose dolphins are mainly present at observation sites located on the east coast of Scotland, being uncommon on the west coast, while harbor porpoise and minke whale are principally present at sites located on the west coast. The seasonality observed in cetacean occurrence is consistent with peak abundance in summer months described by previous studies in the area. Mean depth around the observation sites is the static variable that apparently has the greatest influence on species presence and number of sightings, except for Risso’s dolphin. All the species except bottlenose dolphin showed upward trends in occurrence and number of sightings over the period 2012–2018. Evidence of temporal autocorrelation was found between results from consecutive watches at the same site on the same day as well as between results from consecutive days at the same site. The power to detect declines in local abundance over a 6-year period depends on the underlying sighting rate of each cetacean species, the number of watches performed and the rate of decline. Simulations performed to determine the power to detect a decline suggest that the current intensity of observation effort in some observation sites, of about 2500 watches per year, may offer good prospects of detecting a 30% decline of the most frequently sighted species (95% of the time) over a 6-year period, although a more even distribution of observation effort in space and time is desirable. The data could potentially be used for monitoring and 6-yearly reporting of the status of cetacean populations.En prens

A Risk-Based Model Using Communication Distance Reduction for the Assessment of Underwater Continuous Noise: An Application to the Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Inhabiting the Spanish North Atlantic Marine Demarcation

Over the last decade, national authorities and European administrations have made great efforts to establish methodological standards for the assessment of underwater continuous noise, especially under the requirements set by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). Through the MSFD implementation across EU Member States Marine Reporting Units (MRUs), it is intended to establish the Good Environmental Status (GES) whether it is achieved or not. The evaluation of the Sound Pressure Level (SPL) at the local or regional scale for 1/3 octave band of 63 Hz and 125 Hz and the identification of long temporary trends were considered to be a priority due to the valuable information they can offer in relation to continuous low-frequency noise. Nevertheless, the methodology to determine threshold values from which to evaluate the GES has become difficult to define, and new approaches and considerations are currently being discussed by groups of experts, such as the technical subgroup on underwater acoustics (TGnoise) and regional commissions (e.g., OSPAR). This work presents a methodology to perform the assessment of a given area, providing a risk index that is related to potential appearance of masking effect due to the underwater noise produced by marine traffic. The risk index is hinged on the calculation of area under curves defined by the density of animals and a variable related to underwater noise SPL, defined as percentage of communication distance reduction. At this stage, the methodology presented does not consider physiological or behavioral mechanisms to overcome the masking by animals. The methodology presented has been applied to the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) inhabiting the ABIES—NOR marine demarcation to illustrate the possible use of risk-based models to manage marine areas related to human pressures, such as marine traffic, with the potential adverse impact on a given species (e.g., masking effect).En prens

Incidencias de lo digital : prácticas de escritura híbridas y su relación con la ciudadanía en un colectivo de comunicación comunitaria

RESUMEN: Esta investigación se ocupó de explorar de qué manera el uso de tecnologías digitales en las prácticas de producción textual de un colectivo de comunicación comunitaria pueden contribuir a la formación y ejercicio de la ciudadanía en contextos de exclusión social, con miras a indagar acerca de su potencial para la formación de ciudadanos interesados en la búsqueda de cambios sociales mediante su participación y sus prácticas políticas. A la luz de las perspectivas críticas de la educación y del enfoque sociocultural de la lectura y la escritura, este trabajo describe las prácticas de producción textual en las cuales un colectivo de comunicación comunitaria hace uso de tecnologías digitales, caracteriza los textos producidos por el colectivo con dichas tecnologías, identifica los sentidos políticos que el colectivo le otorga a los textos y analiza qué habilidades y conocimientos para el ejercicio de la ciudadanía se desarrollan dentro del colectivo a partir de sus prácticas de escritura digital.ABSTRACT: This research took on the exploration of how the use of digital technologies in the textual production practices of a collective of community communication could contribute to the shaping and exercising of citizenship in contexts of social exclusion, in the aim of investigating their potential for the shaping of citizens interested in the search for social changes through their participation and political practices. In the light of education’s critical perspectives and the sociocultural approach to reading and writing, this work describes the textual production practices in which a collective of community communication makes use of digital technologies; it characterizes the texts produced by the group with said technologies; it identifies the political meanings that the group grants to the texts; and it analyzes which skills and knowledge are developed for the exercising of citizenship within the collective and through its practices of digital writing

Sentidos atribuidos a la educación familiar y escolar en las narrativas de un grupo de niños y niñas entre 5 y 9 años de tres contextos rurales del Valle de Aburrá : un estudio de caso múltiple

RESUMEN: Los discursos modernos defienden la categoría de infancia moderna, como un sector de la población que goza de derecho inalienables, entre ellos, la capacidad de influir en su propio desarrollo social. De esta manera, es pretensión de esta investigación determinar los sentidos que otorgan un grupo de niños y niñas de 5 a 9 años de edad, en las narrativas acerca de la educación familiar y la educación escolar de tres contextos rurales del Valle de Aburrá. Se emplea una metodología cualitativa de tipo hermenéutica-interpretativa, que posibilita un análisis profundo del estudio de casos. La información generada en conjunto con los niños y niñas, permitió acceder a los sentidos que otorgan a la educación familiar, la cual, es cuidado y protección, pero es al mismo tiempo regulación del comportamiento. Mientras la educación escolar, se comprende como un lugar de aprendizaje, diversiones y obligaciones, donde los mandatos de los padres también operan. Finalmente, se hace énfasis en la necesidad de trabajar en conjunto con los niños, niñas y adultos para dar apertura a sistemas sociales y educativos que integren las necesidades y motivaciones de los niños y niñas.ABSTRACT: Modern discourses defend the category of modern childhood, as a sector of the population that enjoys inalienable rights, including the ability to influence their own social development. In this way, it is the aim of this research to determine the meanings that a group of children from 5 to 9 years of age give in the narratives about family education and school education in three rural contexts of the Aburrá Valley. A qualitative methodology of hermeneutic-interpretative type is used, which allows an in-depth analysis of case studies. The information generated in conjunction with the children, allowed access to the senses that give to family education, which is care and protection, but is at the same time regulation of behavior. While school education is understood as a place of learning, fun and obligations, where the mandates of parents also operate. Finally, emphasis is placed on the need to work together with children and adults to open up social and educational systems that integrate the needs and motivations of children

Aportes de la práctica pedagógica a la constitución de la identidad profesional de los maestros en formación inicial de ciencias naturales

RESUMEN: En las últimas décadas la línea de investigación sobre profesores de ciencias naturales se ha consolidado como campo de interés y potencialidad en el contexto educativo. En este sentido, se desarrolló durante los años 2016 y 2018 una investigación en el marco de la Maestría en Educación en Ciencias Naturales que buscó analizar los aportes que brinda la práctica pedagógica a la constitución de la identidad profesional de los maestros en formación inicial de esta área del conocimiento. Dicha investigación, se realizó mediante el enfoque biográfico-narrativo y los participantes fueron cinco maestros en formación que se encontraban realizando su práctica pedagógica en Instituciones Educativas de la ciudad de Medellín. Finalizada, la investigación, se puede concluir que esta aportó no solo en la identificación de elementos reflexivos sobre el papel de la práctica en la constitución de la identidad de los futuros profesores y en la forma de ver la profesión docente, sino en los procesos formativos que se están llevando en la actualidad en el programa y que permitieron proponer algunas recomendaciones para mejorar la formación de los futuros maestros de Ciencias.ABSTRACT: En the last decades the research line about natural sciences teachers has consolidated as a field of interest and potentiality in the educational context. In this sense, during the years 2016 and 2018, a research was developed in the frame of the Magister degree in Natural Sciences Education which looked to analyze the contributions that the pedagogical practice provides to the constitution of the professional identity of teachers in initial training of this area of knowledge. Said research was done through a biographic-narrative focus and participants were five teachers in training that were doing their pedagogical practices in Educative Institutions in Medellin. Once finalized, the research, it can be concluded that it contributed not only to de the identification of reflexive elements about the role of the practice in constructing the identity of future teachers and the way of seeing the teaching profession, but also in the formative processes that are been currently carried in the program and allowed to propose some recommendations to improve the education of the future Science teachers

First tracks of newborn straight‑tusked elephants (Palaeoloxodon antiquus)

Tracks and trackways of newborns, calves and juveniles attributed to straight-tusked elephants were found in the MIS 5 site (Upper Pleistocene) known as the Matalascañas Trampled Surface (MTS) at Huelva, SW Spain. Evidence of a snapshot of social behaviour, especially parental care, can be determined from the concentration of elephant tracks and trackways, and especially from apparently contemporaneous converging trackways, of small juvenile and larger, presumably young adult female tracks. The size frequency of the tracks enabled us to infer body mass and age distribution of the animals that crossed the MTS. Comparisons of the MTS demographic frequency with the morphology of the fore- and hind limbs of extant and fossil proboscideans shed light into the reproductive ecology of the straight-tusked elephant, Palaeloxodon antiquus. The interdune pond habitat appeared to have been an important water and food resource for matriarchal herds of straight-tusked elephants and likely functioned as a reproductive habitat, with only the rare presence of adult and older males in the MTS. The preservation of this track record in across a paleosol surface, although heavily trampled by different animals, including Neanderthals, over a short time frame, permitted an exceptional view into short-term intraspecific trophic interactions occurring in the Last Interglacial coastal habitat. Therefore, it is hypothesized that Neanderthals visited MTS for hunting or scavenging on weakened or dead elephants, and more likely calves