Fine-scale mapping of High Nature Value farmlands: novel approaches to improve the management of rural biodiversity and ecosystem services

High Nature Value farmlands (HNVf) are defined as rural lands characterized by high levels of biodiversity and extensive farming practices. These farmlands are also known to provide important ecosystems services, such as food production, pollination, water purification and landscape recreation. Recently, this concept has been introduced in Rural Development Programmes related to biodiversity preservation in traditional agricultural landscapes. However, there are no specific rules concerning the practical use of the concept, particularly on the identification of potential HNVf areas at a local scale. However, this application becomes important for farmland biodiversity protection in the context of multi-scale agricultural development. We present a novel approach for HNVf mapping, which provides an improved local discrimination of farmlands according to their contribution for the conservation of rural biodiversity and ecosystem services. Our approach is based on a multi-criteria valuation of habitat types based on the national land cover map and agrarian censuses. It is onsidered applicable in other EU countries since comparable datasets are usually available. This methodology is also expected to provide the backbone of a standard, cost-effective methodology for HNVf monitoring, with an emphasis on the impacts of land use change on species, habitats and landscape function

Estrés académico, "engagement" y resiliencia en estudiantes de enfermería.

El estrés académico tiene una alta prevalencia actualmente. Esto es relevante, puesto que altos niveles de estrés repercutirán negativamente en la salud y en el rendimiento académico. Además, diversos análisis han señalado que en los estudiantes de Ciencias de la Salud estos niveles son más elevados. Por lo tanto, se hace necesario analizar el estrés en alumnos de Enfermería, así como variables que influyan sobre los mismos. Conocer dichos resultados orientaría hacia actuaciones preventivas y a la adquisición de habilidades frente al estrés que serían útiles en su vida laboral. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue describir los niveles de estrés académico en los alumnos de la Facultad de Enfermería de Valladolid. Además, se valoró su relación con resiliencia y engagement académico. El análisis fue cuantitativo, descriptivo, transversal, correlacional, comparativo. Se estudiaron variables sociodemográficas junto a estrés, engagement académico y resiliencia. Las herramientas utilizadas fueron: el Inventario SISCO del Estrés Académico, la escala Work Engagement adaptada a estudiantes (UWES-S) y la Resilience Scale-14 (RS-14). Los datos se recogieron mediante un cuestionario online durante el curso 2016-2017. Para el análisis estadístico se usó el programa SPSS V23. Respondieron al cuestionario 175 alumnos. El 94% de ellos mostró padecer estrés académico con intensidad media-alta. También demostraron tener niveles altos de resiliencia y nivel promedio de engagement, siendo la dimensión “dedicación” la que obtuvo mayores niveles. Se mostró correlación negativa entre la resiliencia y el estrés y positiva entre engagement y resiliencia. Los alumnos de segundo fueron los que más estrés presentaron.Grado en Enfermerí

Extensible metadata repository for information systems

Thesis submitted to Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Computer ScienceInformation Systems are, usually, systems that have a strong integration component and some of those systems rely on integration solutions that are based on metadata (data that describes data). In that situation, there’s a need to deal with metadata as if it were “normal”information. For that matter, the existence of a metadata repository that deals with the integrity, storage, validity and eases the processes of information integration in the information system is a wise choice. There are several metadata repositories available in the market, but none of them is prepared to deal with the needs of information systems or is generic enough to deal with the multitude of situations/domains of information and with the necessary integration features. In the SESS project (an European Space Agency project), a generic metadata repository was developed, based on XML technologies. This repository provided the tools for information integration, validity, storage, share, import, as well as system and data integration, but it required the use of fix syntactic rules that were stored in the content of the XML files. This situation causes severe problems when trying to import documents from external data sources (sources unaware of these syntactic rules). In this thesis a metadata repository that provided the same mechanisms of storage, integrity, validity, etc, but is specially focused on easy integration of metadata from any type of external source (in XML format) and provides an environment that simplifies the reuse of already existing types of metadata to build new types of metadata, all this without having to modify the documents it stores was developed. The repository stores XML documents (known as Instances), which are instances of a Concept, that Concept defines a XML structure that validates its Instances. To deal with reuse, a special unit named Fragment, which allows defining a XML structure (which can be created by composing other Fragments) that can be reused by Concepts when defining their own structure. Elements of the repository (Instances,Concepts and Fragment) have an identifier based on (and compatible with) URIs, named Metadata Repository Identifier (MRI). Those identifiers, as well as management information(including relations) are managed by the repository, without the need to use fix syntactic rules, easing integration. A set of tests using documents from the SESS project and from software-house ITDS was used to successfully validate the repository against the thesis objectives of easy integration and promotion of reuse

La web de Roger Wolfe como aparato multidiscursivo. Literatura y estrategia persuasiva

This article analyzes the website of the English-born writer Roger Wolfe as a multiple (literary, critical, essayistic and journalistic) and persuasive (ideological and promotional) discourse. The investigation aims to reveal the design and function of the persuasive strategy that structures the web and flows under a complex multi-discursive and multimedia mesh whose last intention is to persuade the site visitor about the utility to read the author. For that purpose it is always demonstrate his quality, peculiarity, independence, honesty and coherence.En este artículo se analiza la página web del escritor de origen inglés Roger Wolfe en tanto que discurso múltiple (literario, crítico, ensayístico y periodístico) y discurso persuasivo (ideológico y promocional). El trabajo persigue desvelar el diseño y el funcionamiento de la estrategia persuasiva que vertebra la web y que fluye bajo un complejo entramado multidiscursivo y multimedial cuya última intención es persuadir al visitante de la página acerca de la conveniencia o la utilidad de leer al autor citado, para lo cual se trata siempre de demostrar su calidad, singularidad, autonomía, honestidad y coherencia

microRNAs as biomarkers of cancer drug resistance

Cancer drug resistance (CDR) is a central problem in therapeutic failure. Several mechanisms can underlie CDR, including increased expression and activity of efflux ABC transporters and epigenetic phenomena. A topic that is not usually addressed is the mechanism underlying the loss of resistance to therapy once the challenge to these cells is withdrawn. A KCR cell line (doxorubicin-resistant and expressing ABCB1) was used to induce loss of resistance by withdrawing doxorubicin in culture medium, assess ABCB1 expression and activity and determine a signature of microRNAs expression. The activity of ABCB1 was analysed by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry through fluorescence (DiOC2) substrate retention assays. Expression of 1008 microRNAs was assessed before and after doxorubicin withdrawal. After 16 weeks of doxorubicin withdrawal we observed a decrease of ABCB1 activity and expression. Moreover, we determined a signature of 23 microRNAs, 13 under-expressed and 10 over expressed, as a tool to assess loss of resistance. Through pathway enrichment analysis, “Pathways in cancer”, “Proteoglycans in cancer” and “ECM-receptor interaction” were identified as relevant pathways in loss of CDR. Taken together, the data reported reinforces the assumption that ABCB1 may play a major role in the kinetics of CDR and their levels of expression are in the dependence of the circuitry of cell miRNAs

Intensidad de Cuidados Durante las Estancias Hospitalarias Inapropiadas: Project Research in Nursing y Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol

ReseumenObjetivoDeterminar la proporción de las estancias inapropiadas y la tipología e intensidad de cuidados de enfermería en las mismas, en determinados grupos de diagnósticos relacionados (GDR).MétodosEn una cohorte de pacientes ingresados entre los meses de febrero a julio del año 1997, se estudió la intensidad de cuidados de enfermería y la adecuación del penúltimo día de estancia. La población de estudio fueron 494 pacientes ingresados en el Consorci de l'Hospital de la Creu Roja de l'Hospitalet de Llobregat, que al alta se clasificaron en uno de los 10 GDR más frecuentes. La información utilizada se obtuvo a partir de la historia clínica y de las hojas de registro del sistema PRN. Se evaluaron variables datos sociodemográficos del paciente, actividades de cuidados de enfermería y la adecuación del uso de la hospitalización con el AEP, el día anterior al alta. Para la comparación de las estancias inapropiadas con las apropiadas, se realizó un análisis de ji cuadrado para la comparación de variables categóricas y la t de Student para las continuas. Mediante un modelo de regresión logística se estudiaron los factores asociados de forma independiente con la inadecuación de la estancia.ResultadosDe los 417 procesos válidos, en 269 (64,5%) se consideró la estancia apropiada y en 148 (35,5%) inapropiada. La edad media de las estancias inapropiadas fue significativamente superior a las estancias apropiadas (70,06 ± 13,84 vs 61,57 ± 15,07, p < 0,05). La intensidad de cuidados para las estancias inapropiadas fue mayor que en las apropiadas (mediana 137 (valor mínimo 45, valor máximo 355) vs mediana 95 (valor mínimo 35, valor máximo 1310) p < 0,001). Las estancias inapropiadas presentaron un tiempo de cuidar significativamente mayor que las estancias apropiadas, en las actividades de movilización, eliminación e higiene. En un modelo de regresión logística, la edad, la intensidad de cuidados en la alimentación, en los tratamientos y el GDR asignado a cada proceso, fueron factores predictivos independientes de estancia inapropiada. La aplicación del AEP se pudo hacer en el 56,9% de los procesos con las hojas de registro del PRN y el 43,1% se revisaron mediante la historia clínica.ConclusionesEn los GDR estudiados, los pacientes que presentan estancias inapropiadas, consumen una mayor intensidad de cuidados básicos de enfermería, por lo que serían candidatos de recibir una asistencia a domicilio y/o sociosanitaria. Las hojas de registro del PRN permiten disminuir el tiempo de revisión al aplicar el AEP.AbstractsObjectiveTo determine the proportion of inappropriate hospital stays, their typology and the level of nursing care in Diagnosis Related Groups(DRG). To evaluate the use of the PRN (Project Research in Nursing)register forms, when determining AEP (Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol).MethodA cross-sectional study was performed on 494 patients classified with one of the 10 more frequent DRG in the hospital from February to July 1997. Information from patient clinical histories, PRN register forms, sociodemographic data, and nursing care activities were used. The appropriateness of hospital stay to AEP was assessed on the day prior to discharge. Comparison of inappropriate stays with appropriate stays was performed by chi-square test for categorical variables and Student t-test for continuous variables. The independent associated factors with inappropriateness of hospital stay, were estimated using a log regression model.ResultsOut of 417 valid cases, hospital stay was considered appropriate in 269 (64.5%) patients and inappropriate in 148 (35.5%) patients. Mean-age of inappropriate stays was significantly higher than that of appropriate stays (70.06±13.84 vs 61.57 ± 15.07, p < 0.05). Care intensity for inappropriate stays was larger than that of appropriate stays (median 137 [minimal value 45, maximal value 355] vs median 95 [minimal value 35, maximal value 131] p < 0.001). Care time in mobilization, elimination and hygiene activities was longer in inappropriate stays than in appropriate stays. In a log regression model, the age, feeding care intensity, therapy care intensity and DRG assigned to each process were independent predictive factors of inappropriate stays. For application of AEP, 56.9% of cases were reviewed using PRN register forms and 43.1% were reviewed using the case history.ConclusionsFrom the DRG examined, patients who undertook inappropriate stays consumed a large intensity of nursing basic activities; therefore, they may be candidates for receiving home care and/or sociosanitary care. PRN register forms afforded a decreased review time on applying the AEP

On Conjectures in t-Norm Based Fuzzy Logics

This paper is a humble homage to EnricTrillas. Following his foundational contributions on models of ordinary reasoning in an algebraic setting, we study here elements of thesemodels, like conjectures and hypothesis, in the logical framework of continuous t-norm based fuzzy logics.We consider notions of consistency, conjecture and hypothesis arising from two natural families of consequence operators definable in these logics, namely the ones corresponding to the so-called truth-preserving and degree-preserving consequence relations. We pay special attention to the particular cases of three prominent fuzzy logics: Gödel, Product and Łukasiewicz logics © 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland.This work has been partially supported by the Spanish projects TIN2012-39348-C02-01 and TIN2011-29827-C02-01Peer Reviewe

Resumen gráfico y lingüístico de la calidad de la enseñanza en una discusión en gran grupo

Con el objetivo de conseguir un resumen visual y lingüístico de la percepción de la calidad de la enseñanza en una discusión en gran grupo a través de un conjunto borroso, durante el curso académico 2014-2015 realizamos un estudio de campo con 49 estudiantes del grado de Maestro en Educación Infantil. Para ello nos apoyamos en un conjunto de diez rúbricas, el Instructional Quality Assessment (IQA), que permiten valorar diversos aspectos del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje a través de una escala fija y discreta: 0, 1, 2, 3 ó 4 (Boston, 2012)