Educación superior y TIC: conceptos y tendencias de cambio

The European Higher Education Space proposes the integration of ICT in higher education in response to knowledge society demands. Scientific and technical literature has reflected on the phenomena which derive from the technological pressure and incorporates a specific terminology to name them. The aim of this paper is to give an overall view of the mentioned literature, presenting a review of the concepts used and offering a classification of the main trends in education system changes.El Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior propone la integración de las TIC en la educación superior como respuesta a las demandas de la sociedad del conocimiento. La literatura científico-técnica ha reflexionado sobre los fenómenos derivados de la presión tecnológica así como incorpora una terminología específica para nombrarlos. Con el propósito de ofrecer una visión general, este trabajo repasa esa literatura a través de una revisión de conceptos y proponiendo una clasificación de las principales tendencias de cambio en el sector educativo

Educación superior y TIC: conceptos y tendencias de cambio

El Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior propone la integración de las TIC en la educación superior como respuesta a las demandas de la sociedad del conocimiento. La literatura científico-técnica ha reflexionado sobre los fenómenos derivados de la presión tecnológica así como incorpora una terminología específica para nombrarlos. Con el propósito de ofrecer una visión general, este trabajo repasa esa literatura a través de una revisión de conceptos y proponiendo una clasificación de las principales tendencias de cambio en el sector educativo

Computational mechanisms underpinning greater exploratory behaviour in excess weight relative to healthy weight adolescents

Obesity in adolescence is associated with cognitive changes that lead to difficulties in shifting unhealthy habits in favour of alternative healthy behaviours, similar to addictive behaviours. An outstanding question is whether this shift in goal-directed behaviour is driven by over-exploitation or over-exploration of rewarding outcomes. Here, we addressed this question by comparing explore/exploit behaviour on the Iowa Gambling Task in 43 adolescents with excess weight against 38 adolescents with healthy weight. We computationally modelled both exploitation behaviour (e.g., reinforcement sensitivity and inverse decay parameters), and explorative behaviour (e.g., maximum directed exploration value). We found that overall, adolescents with excess weight displayed more behavioural exploration than their healthy-weight counterparts – specifically, demonstrating greater overall switching behaviour. Computational models revealed that this behaviour was driven by a higher maximum directed exploration value in the excess-weight group (U = 520.00, p = .005, BF10 = 5.11). Importantly, however, we found substantial evidence that groups did not differ in reinforcement sensitivity (U = 867.00, p = .641, BF10 = 0.30). Overall, our study demonstrates a preference for exploratory behaviour in adolescents with excess weight, independent of sensitivity to reward. This pattern could potentially underpin an intrinsic desire to explore energy-dense unhealthy foods – an as-yet untapped mechanism that could be targeted in future treatments of obesity in adolescents.Junta de AndaluciaNational Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia GNT200946

Social dimensions affected by the communicative innovation

Una transformación irreversible en las relaciones de cada ser humano con los demás y con el entorno físico consiste en “virtualizar” actividades, llevándolas al ciberespacio. En este capítulo, se muestran resultados de un análisis de contenido de un conjunto de textos representativos de la literatura científico-técnica, donde cabe encontrar argumentos que relacionan la transformación de las comunicaciones, la virtualización y el cambio social. Se ofrece un repertorio de los elementos que se utilizan para construir los discursos sobre la virtualización (como innovación comunicativa) y el cambio en los planos del ser, el hacer y el creer de la sociedad. Finalmente, se señalan algunas de las explotaciones posibles de esta base de datos y líneas de investigación que se abren.An irreversible transformation in the relationships of each human being with others and with the physical environment consists on "virtualize" activities, taking them to cyberspace. In this chapter, results of a content analysis of a set of representative texts of scientific-technical literature are shown. Arguments can be found that relate the transformation of communications, virtualization and social change in these texts. We offer a repertoire of the elements used to construct the discourses on virtualization (as a communicative innovation) and the change in the planes of being, doing and believing in society. Finally, some of the possible exploitations of this database and research lines that are opened are indicated.Grupo de Investigación UCM (940324) “Identidades Sociales y Comunicación”Fac. de Ciencias de la InformaciónTRUEMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO)/FEDERpu

Feasibility Study of a Proton Irradiation Facility for Radiobiological Measurements at an 18 MeV Cyclotron

A feasibility study of an experimental setup for the irradiation of biological samples at the cyclotron facility installed at the National Centre of Accelerators (Seville, Spain) is presented. This cyclotron, which counts on an external beam line for interdisciplinary research purposes, produces an 18 MeV proton beam, which is suitable for the irradiation of mono-layer cultures for the measurement of proton cell damages and Relative Biological Effectiveness (RBE) at energies below the beam nominal value. Measurements of this kind are of interest for proton therapy, since the variation of proton RBE at the distal edge of the Bragg curve may have implications in clinical proton therapy treatments. In the following, the characteristics of the beam line and the solutions implemented for the irradiation of biological samples are described. When dealing with the irradiation of cell cultures, low beam intensities and broad homogeneous irradiation fields are required, in order to assure that all the cells receive the same dose with a suitable dose rate. At the cyclotron, these constraints have been achieved by completely defocusing the beam, intercepting the beam path with tungsten scattering foils and varying the exit-window-to-sample distance. The properties of the proton beam thus obtained have been analysed and compared with Monte Carlo simulations. The results of this comparison, as well as the experimental measurement of the lateral dose profiles expected at the position of samples are presented. Meaningful dose rates of about 2–3 Gy/min have been obtained. Homogeneous lateral dose profiles, with maximum deviations of 5%, have been measured at a distance of approximately 50 cm in air from the exit window, placing a tungsten scattering foil of 200 μm in the beam path

Types and Distribution of Bioactive Polyunsaturated Aldehydes in a Gradient from Mesotrophic to OligotrophicWaters in the Alborán Sea (Western Mediterranean)

Polyunsaturated aldehydes (PUAs) are bioactive molecules suggested as chemical defenses and infochemicals. In marine coastal habitats, diatoms reach high PUA production levels during bloom episodes. Two fractions of PUA can usually be analyzed: pPUA obtained via artificial breakage of collected phytoplankton cells and dissolved PUA already released to the environment (dPUA). In nature, resource supply arises as a main environmental controlling factor of PUA production. In this work, we monitored the vertical distribution and daily variation of pPUA associated with large-size phytoplankton and dPUA, at three sites located in the Alboran Sea from mesotrophic to oligotrophic waters. The results corroborate the presence of large-size PUA producers in oligotrophic and mesotrophic waters with a significant (58%-85%) diatom biomass. In addition to diatoms, significant correlations between pPUA production and dinoflagellate and silicoflagellate abundance were observed. 2E,4E/Z-Heptadienal was the most abundant aldehyde at the three sites with higher values (17.1 fg center dot cell(-1)) at the most oligotrophic site. 2E,4E/Z-Decadienal was the least abundant aldehyde, decreasing toward the oligotrophic site. For the first time, we describe the daily fluctuation of pPUA attributable to cellular physiological state and not exclusively to taxonomical composition. Our results demonstrate the persistence of threshold levels of dPUA deep in the water column, as well as the different chromatographic profiles of dPUA compared with pPUA. We propose different isomerization processes that alter the chemical structure of the released PUAs with unknown effects on their stability, biological function, and potential bioactivity

Evolution of the threshold temperature definition of a heat wave vs. evolution of the minimum mortality temperature: a case study in Spain during the 1983–2018 period

An area of current study concerns analysis of the possible adaptation of the population to heat, based on the temporal evolution of the minimum mortality temperature (MMT). It is important to know how is the evolution of the threshold temperatures (Tthreshold) due to these temperatures provide the basis for the activation of public health prevention plans against high temperatures. The objective of this study was to analyze the temporal evolution of threshold temperatures (Tthreshold) produced in different Spanish regions during the 1983–2018 period and to compare this evolution with the evolution of MMT. The dependent variable used was the raw rate of daily mortality due to natural causes ICD X: (A00-R99) for the considered period. The independent variable was maximum daily temperature (Tmax) during the summer months registered in the reference observatory of each region. Threshold values were determined using dispersion diagrams (annual) of the prewhitened series of mortality temperatures and Tmax. Later, linear fit models were carried out between the different values of Tthreshold throughout the study period, which permitted detecting the annual rate of change in Tthreshold.This research project was funded by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII) under file number ENPY 470/19 and is supported by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, in addition to the research projects ISCIII: ENPY107/18 and ENPY 376/1

Impact of urban heat islands on morbidity and mortality in heat waves: observational time series analysis of Spain's five cities

Urban heat islands (UHIs) have become an especially relevant phenomenon as a consequence of global warming and the growing proportion of people living in cities. The health impacts that are sometimes attributed to the rise in temperature generated in an UHI are not always adequately justified. The objective is to analyse what effect UHIs have on maximum (Tmax) and minimum daily temperatures (Tmin) recorded in urban and non-urban observatories, and quantify the impact on morbidity and mortality during heat waves in Spain's five cities