A combined measure for quantifying and qualifying the topology preservation of growing self-organizing maps

The Self-OrganizingMap (SOM) is a neural network model that performs an ordered projection of a high dimensional input space in a low-dimensional topological structure. The process in which such mapping is formed is defined by the SOM algorithm, which is a competitive, unsupervised and nonparametric method, since it does not make any assumption about the input data distribution. The feature maps provided by this algorithm have been successfully applied for vector quantization, clustering and high dimensional data visualization processes. However, the initialization of the network topology and the selection of the SOM training parameters are two difficult tasks caused by the unknown distribution of the input signals. A misconfiguration of these parameters can generate a feature map of low-quality, so it is necessary to have some measure of the degree of adaptation of the SOM network to the input data model. The topologypreservation is the most common concept used to implement this measure. Several qualitative and quantitative methods have been proposed for measuring the degree of SOM topologypreservation, particularly using Kohonen's model. In this work, two methods for measuring the topologypreservation of the Growing Cell Structures (GCSs) model are proposed: the topographic function and the topology preserving ma

Vocational Education and Training students’ families’ expectations about their future employment

Este artículo es el resultado parcial de un estudio cualitativo centrado en la exploración de las expectativas que tienen las familias de alumnado de formación profesional de grado medio acerca del futuro laboral de aquél. Hasta hace poco se asumía que cursar este tipo de estudios era la mejor vía para acceder rápidamente a un empleo. Sin embargo, la crisis económica actual parece estar tambaleando esta creencia. La formación profesional ya no parece asegurar una adecuada incorporación al mercado laboral. Esta premisa ha guiado nuestra aproximación, mediante entrevistas, a familias del sur de España cuyos hijos e hijas cursan formación profesional. El análisis de contenido revela que las familias están satisfechas con los estudios que están realizando, pero preocupadas acerca de su futuro laboral. Critican las políticas actuales y se muestran reticentes a que sus hijos e hijas tengan que emigrar a otros países para acceder a un empleo en condiciones dignas.This paper is part of a qualitative research focused in vocational education & training (VET) about the expectations of students’ families on their future employment. It has been accepted till not so long that VET was the best way to get a job quickly. The current economic crisis may has altered this belief. So that we have interviewed some families from the South of Spain to better know what they think about their children’s decisions of being enrolled in VET. The data content analysis shows that they agree with their children academic choices (VET), and that they are worried about their future access to an employment. They criticize current politics and disagree with young people emigrating to other countries in order to get a better job

Growing Cell Structures Neural Networks for Designing Spectral Indexes

Remote sensing can be defined as the technique that facilitates the acquisition of land surface data without contact with the material object of observation. The development of tools for analyzing and processing multispectral images captured by sensors aboard satellites has provided the automation of tasks that could not be possible otherwise. The main problem related with this discipline is the large volume of data of multidimensional nature that must be handled. The concept of spectral index emerged as an idea to reduce the number of dimensions to one, and thus facilitate the study of different features associated to the types of land cover categories that exhibits a multispectral image. Formally, a spectral index is defined as a combination of spectral bands whose function is to enhance the contribution of one type of land cover mitigating the rest of covers. In this work a no-supervised methodology to analyze and discover spectral indexes based on growing self-organizing neural network (GCS-Growing Cell Structures) is presented

Growing Self-Organizing Maps for Data Analysis

Currently, there exist many research areas that produce large multivariable datasets that are difficult to visualize in order to extract useful information. Kohonen self organizing maps have been used successfully in the visualization and analysis of multidimensional data. In this work, a projection technique that compresses multidimensional datasets into two dimensional space using growing self-organizing maps is described. With this embedding scheme, traditional Kohonen visualization methods have been implemented using growing cell structures networks. New graphical map display have been compared with Kohonen graphs using two groups of simulated data and one group of real multidimensional data selected from a satellite scene

Uso de Redes Neuronales Autoorganizativas Dinámicas no Supervisadas para la Discriminación de tipos de aguas en Lagos.

Las técnicas de clasificación supervisadas aplicadas a imágenes de satélite requieren la selección de muestras representativas de los distintos tipos de clases de cubiertas presentes en la imagen a analizar. El proceso de selección de áreas y su categorización son trabajos que habitualmente se realizan de manera manual por un experto o bien mediante campañas de campo. Para el caso particular de clasificación de imágenes con cubiertas acuosas con diferentes características, hay tres aspectos muy importantes a considerar; en primer lugar, la baja separabilidad de las respuestas espectrales de cada una de las clases de aguas; en segundo lugar, el hecho de que para mejorar los resultados sea necesario trabajar con imágenes de alta resolución, lo que implica que para lagos de tamaños medios y grande el volumen de datos es muy elevado y consecuentemente se requieren una gran cantidad de muestras de entrenamiento; finalmente, cabe destacar el alto costo y complejidad de las tomas de datos en terreno

Evaluación de los Proyectos de Experimentación de Docencia Virtual (EDOVI) 2006-2007 de la Universidad de La Laguna

El presente informe forma parte del desarrollo de la disposición Novena de la Convocatoria de participación en proyectos de Experimentación de la Docencia Virtual (EDOVI) para asignaturas del curso 2006-07. En dicha disposición se recoge que la evaluación de la docencia virtual es especialmente importante por ser una enseñanza menos tradicional y también se plantea que la Unidad para la Docencia Virtual (UDV) tiene las competencias en la evaluación de la calidad de estos procesos formativos. Los proyectos de Experimentación de Docencia Virtual (EDOVI) forman parte de un proceso de innovación educativa sobre el desarrollo de ciberestrategias en materia de e-formación. Son proyectos de innovación educativa porque inciden sustancialmente en el cambio y la mejora. En el cambio porque se sustituyen recursos y medios tradicionales por recursos y medios telemáticos y, en la mejora porque se perfeccionan aspectos diversos y variados, dependiendo de la naturaleza de las asignaturas, por ejemplo, se vinculan aspectos teóricos-prácticos, se incluyen actividades de aprendizaje colaborativo, etc. Estos proyectos que aquí se valoran pertenecen al curso 2006-2007 (segundo curso de experimentación de proyectos piloto), en el que participaron un total de 157 asignaturas, impartidas por 135 profesores y ubicadas en 41 titulaciones

Effect of resistance training and hypocaloric diets with different protein content on body composition and lipid profile in hypercholesterolemic obese women

Lifestyle changes such as following a hypocaloric diet and regular physical exercise are recognized as effective non-pharmacological interventions to reduce body fat mass and prevent cardiovascular disease risk factors. Purpose: To evaluate the interactions of a higher protein (HP) vs. a lower protein (LP) diet with or without a concomitant progressive resistance training program (RT) on body composition and lipoprotein profile in hypercholesterolemic obese women. Methods: Retrospective study derived from a 16-week randomized controlled-intervention clinical trial. Twentyfive sedentary, obese (BMI: 30-40 kg/m²) women, aged 40-60 with hypercholesterolemia were assigned to a 4-arm trial using a 2 x 2 factorial design (Diet x Exercise). Prescribed diets had the same calorie restriction (-500 kcal/day), and were categorized according to protein content as: lower protein ( 22% daily energy intake, HP). Exercise comparisons involved habitual activity (control) vs. a 16-week supervised whole-body resistance training program (RT), two sessions/wk. Results: A significant decrease in weight and waist circumference was observed in all groups. A significant decrease in LDL-C and Total-Cholesterol levels was observed only when a LP diet was combined with a RT program, the RT being the most determining factor. Interestingly, an interaction between diet and exercise was found concerning LDL-C values. Conclusion: In this study, resistance training plays a key role in improving LDL-C and Total-Cholesterol; however, a lower protein intake (< 22% of daily energy intake as proteins) was found to achieve a significantly greater reduction in LDL-C

Virtualización de materiales de aprendizaje sobre evaluación. Experiencia de conocimiento abierto a través de un MOOC

Memoria ID-203. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2018-2019

Effect of thermal processing on the profile of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity of fermented orange juice

Previously, we reported that alcoholic fermentation enhanced flavanones and carotenoids content of orange juice. The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of pasteurization on the qualitative and quantitative profile of bioactive compounds and the antioxidant capacity of fermented orange juice. Ascorbic acid (203 mg/L), total flavanones (647 mg/L), total carotenoids (7.07 mg/L) and provitamin A (90.06 RAEs/L) values of pasteurized orange beverage were lower than those of fermented juice. Total phenolic remained unchanged (585 mg/L) and was similar to that of original juice. The flavanones naringenin-7-O-glucoside, naringenin-7-O-rutinoside, hesperetin-7-O-rutinoside, hesperetin-7-O-glucoside and isosakuranetin-7-O-rutinoside, and the carotenoids karpoxanthin and isomer, neochrome, lutein, ζ-carotene, zeaxanthin, mutatoxanthin epimers, β-cryptoxanthin and auroxanthin epimers were the major compounds. Pasteurization produced a decrease in antioxidant capacity of fermented juice. However, TEAC (5.45 mM) and ORAC (6353 μM) values of orange beverage were similar to those of original orange juice. The novel orange beverage could be a valuable source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant capacity and exert potential beneficial effects.We are grateful for the support of Junta de Andalucía (Projects P09-AGR4814M, P08-AGR-03477 and Grupo PAI BIO311), and of National Funding Agencies (Projects AGL2010-14850/ALI, AGL2011-23690, CSD007-0063 and CSIC 201170E041). We are also grateful to Fundación Séneca - CARM “Group of Excellence in Research” 04486/GERM/06. The research project grant of B.E.-L. is supported by Junta de Andalucía. A.G.-I., F.F. and S.M. are members of the CORNUCOPIA Network 112RT0460 and D.H.-M. of the IBERCAROT Network 112RT0445 financed by CYTED. We are also grateful to Grupo Hespérides Biotech S.L. for providing the samples.Peer Reviewe

Legionella feeleii: Ubiquitous Pathogen in the Environment and Causative Agent of Pneumonia

L. feeleii is one of the most frequent Legionella species isolated from natural pools of the central region of Spain. This study aimed to evaluate its ecology and to identify this Legionella species as a respiratory pathogen. A PCR assay for detecting the L. feeleii mip gene was developed to identify it in clinical and environmental samples. Culture and PCR were performed in environmental samples from four drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). Free L. feeleii was only detected in raw water samples (3.4%), while L. feeleii as an Acanthamoeba endosymbiont was found in 30.7% of raw water, 11.5% of decanter biofilm, and 32% of finished water samples. Therefore, Acanthamoeba spp. plays an essential role in the multiplication, persistence, and spread of Legionella species in the environment. The first case of Legionnaires' disease caused by L. feeleii in Spain is described in this study. The case was diagnosed in an older woman through PCR and sequencing from urine and sputum samples. A respiratory infection could be linked with health care procedures, and the patient presented several risk factors (age, insulin-dependent diabetes, and heart disease). The detection of non-L. pneumophila, such as L. feeleii, is a factor that must be considered when establishing or reviewing measures for the control and prevention of legionellosis.This work was supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI12/02725) (PI17/01670) (Co-funded by European Regional Development Fund/European Social Fund “A way to make Europe”/“Investing in your future”); and Fundación Universitaria San Pablo CEU (USPCEU-PC07/2013 and USP-PC07/2014). LV was supported by Universidad San Pablo CEU/Spain (FPI Grants). TG was supported by CAPES/Brazil (BEX 9132/13-9). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.S