A Cross Cultural, Comparative Analysis of Teamwork to Embrace Diversity in Schools

Increasing diversity in schools today is prompting schools around the world to find effective means of addressing this diversity. Effective collaboration among educational professionals (teachers and other service providers) as a team is one key variable in effectively meeting the demands posed by diversity in classrooms. Responses (n =210) from special education and general education professionals in Spain and the United States to a survey, were analyzed to study how teachers and service providers in different schools from the two countries perceived team functioning. The study also compared team make-up and team functioning in schools in the two countries. The respondents expressed a need for continuous within-teams review of the goals ensuring parental input and parental satisfaction enabling the team to evaluate their success in achieving the goals set initially. Respondents from both countries did not perceive family input and involvement as being valued relative to their teaming. This paper discusses results, implications, and directions for schools, educators, and future research

Insights from Learning Analytics for Hands-On Cloud Computing Labs in AWS

Cloud computing instruction requires hands-on experience with a myriad of distributed computing services from a public cloud provider. Tracking the progress of the students, especially for online courses, requires one to automatically gather evidence and produce learning analytics in order to further determine the behavior and performance of students. With this aim, this paper describes the experience from an online course in cloud computing with Amazon Web Services on the creation of an open-source data processing tool to systematically obtain learning analytics related to the hands-on activities carried out throughout the course. These data, combined with the data obtained from the learning management system, have allowed the better characterization of the behavior of students in the course. Insights from a population of more than 420 online students through three academic years have been assessed, the dataset has been released for increased reproducibility. The results corroborate that course length has an impact on online students dropout. In addition, a gender analysis pointed out that there are no statistically significant differences in the final marks between genders, but women show an increased degree of commitment with the activities planned in the course

Osteosarcoma telangiectásico: a propósito de un caso localizado en tibia distal

El osteosarcoma telangiectásico es una rara variedad de osteosarcoma. La característica principal que lo diferencia del osteosarcoma convencional es la anatomía patológica, ya que está formado por áreas quísticas ocupadas por material hemático, siendo la producción de osteoide por las células malignas muy escasa. El pronóstico de este tumor ha variado radicalmente desde la introducción de la quimioterapia a la que responde incluso mejor que el osteosarcoma convencional. Presentamos un caso de osteosarcoma telangiectásico en un niño de 8 años a nivel de la tibia distal, revisando la literatura sobre este tema.The telangiectatic osteosarcoma is a rare variety of osteogenic sarcoma. The main characteristic that make it different is the histology, because is formed by cistic spaces that contain blood. The osteoid production used to be limited. The prognosis of this tumor has change since the introduction of adjuvant chemotherapy. This type of tumor respond to chemotherapy even better than the primary osteogenic sarcoma. We present a case of telangiectatic osteosarcoma in a 8-year-old located in the distal tibia and we review the literature about this item

Design and implementation of Java bindings in Open MPI

This paper describes the Java MPI bindings that have been included in the Open MPI distribution. Open MPI is one of the most popular implementations of MPI, the Message-Passing Interface, which is the predominant programming paradigm for parallel applications on distributed memory computers. We have added Java support to Open MPI, exposing MPI functionality to Java programmers. Our approach is based on the Java Native Interface, and has similarities with previous efforts, as well as important differences. This paper serves as a reference for the application program interface, and in addition we provide details of the internal implementation to justify some of the design decisions. We also show some results to assess the performance of the bindings. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.We are indebted to Siegmar Grog for his exhaustive testing of the Java bindings. We also thank Ralph Castain for helping in the integration of the Java bindings in the Open MPI infrastructure. The NPB-MPJ benchmarks used in Section 5 were kindly provided by Guillermo Lopez Taboada. The first two authors were supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness under project number TIN2013-41049-P.Vega Gisbert, O.; Román Moltó, JE.; Squyres, JM. (2016). Design and implementation of Java bindings in Open MPI. Parallel Computing. 59:1-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.parco.2016.08.004S1205

Analyse van klachten na sterilisatie met Essure® in Nederland : Gezondheidsproblemen na een niet chirurgische sterilisatie-ingreep bij vrouwen

alleen digitaal verschenenHet RIVM heeft klachten geanalyseerd van vrouwen die zijn gesteriliseerd met Essure®. Dit zijn metalen veertjes die via de baarmoeder in beide eileiders worden gebracht waardoor deze na ongeveer 3 maanden dichtgroeien. Het voordeel van deze sterilisatiemethode is, in vergelijking met de traditionele afsluiting van de eileiders, dat er geen chirurgische ingreep voor nodig is. Het aantal gemelde klachten komt van ruim 1,5 procent van de circa 30.000 vrouwen die in Nederland met Essure® zijn behandeld. De meest genoemde klachten zijn pijn en vermoeidheid. Bij de pijnklachten gaat het vooral om de buik, de rug en het hoofd. Daarnaast worden hevige bloedingen tijdens en tussen de menstruatie, stemmingswisselingen, geheugenverlies en concentratieproblemen gemeld. Het werkelijke aantal vrouwen met klachten is onbekend. Veel vrouwen geven aan dat deze klachten hun dagelijks leven negatief beïnvloeden. Ze voelen de veertjes zitten of ervaren beperkingen bij het bewegen. Verder kunnen ze de dagelijkse taken en de zorg voor kinderen vaak minder goed uitvoeren. Er zijn ook vrouwen die aangeven dat hun relatie lijdt onder de ontstane problemen. Bij 16 procent van de vrouwen die klachten gemeld hebben, is Essure® verwijderd naar aanleiding van de klachten. 38 procent van de vrouwen in dit onderzoek heeft een afspraak gemaakt om dat te laten doen. De klachten zijn gemeld nadat hieraan via diverse kanalen aandacht is besteed. De Nederlandse Vereniging voor Obstetrie en Gynaecologie (NVOG) heeft de resultaten van de analyse medisch geduid. Sommige klachten zijn mogelijk toe te wijzen aan de plaatsing van Essure®, zoals bepaalde pijnklachten. Bij andere klachten is het moeilijker om een direct verband te leggen omdat er ook andere zaken van invloed kunnen zijn, zoals stoppen met de pil waardoor menstruatieklachten kunnen verergeren. Daarnaast komen verschillende klachten, bijvoorbeeld gewichtsschommelingen en urinewegproblemen, ook met enige regelmaat voor bij vrouwen die geen Essure® hebben. De gemelde klachten komen van vrouwen die tussen 2001 en 2016 het implantaat hebben gekregen. Hun gemiddelde leeftijd was 37 jaar op het moment van de sterilisatie.The RIVM has analyzed the complaints reported by women sterilized using Essure®. Essure® is a sterilization method where two metal coils are placed into both fallopian tubes through the cervix and uterus, provoking those to become blocked after approximately 3 months. In comparison with the traditional sterilization methods, the advantage of the Essure® method is that no surgical procedure is required. The complaints that were received came from more than1,5 percent of the 30.000 women who are estimated to have been sterilized using Essure® in the Netherlands. Probably not all women with health problems have submitted a complaint; therefore, the actual number of women with health problems is unknown. The most frequently mentioned health problems are pain and tiredness. The pain is reported to be located mainly in the abdomen, back, and head. In addition, heavy bleeding during and between menstruations, mood swings, memory loss and concentration problems are also reported frequently. Many women indicated that these health problems negatively affect their daily life. They feel the coils in their body and often experience limitations when moving. They are often less able to adequately perform their daily tasks and take care of their children.There are also women that indicated that their relationship was negatively affected by the health problems. In 16 percent of the women in this study, Essure® has been removed because of the health problems and 38 percent of the women have made an appointment to have Essure® removed. The complaints were submitted, among other reasons, because the media attention on problems experienced by women following sterilization using Essure®. The Dutch Society of Obstetrics and Gyneacology (NVOG) contributed to the interpretation of the results from this study. Some health problems can be directly related to Essure®, for instance some kinds of pain. For other health problems it is more difficult to establish a direct link, because other factors may influence the health problems as well. For instance, heavier menstruation may also be explained by the fact that women stopped taking oral contraceptives following sterilization using Essure®.Furthermore, there are other health problems such as weight changes and urinary tract problems that are also regularly experienced by women not sterilized with Essure®. Women that submitted a complaint were sterilized using Essure between 2001 and 2016. Their mean age at implantation was 37 years.Dutch Health Care Inspectorat

La producción de agua desalinizada en las regiones de Murcia y Valencia : balance de un recurso alternativo con luces y sombras

El litoral de las regiones de Murcia y Valencia ha sufrido grandes transformaciones territoriales durante las últimas décadas, debido a la fuerte expansión de las funciones residenciales, turísticas y de servicios. El Plan Hidrológico Nacional (2001) y, en mayor medida, el Programa A.G.U.A. (2004) apostaron por la desalinización de agua marina a gran escala para garantizar demandas urbanas, turísticas e incluso agrícolas. La paralización de los planes urbanísticos provocada por la crisis financiera (2007), unida a la tendencia de reducción del consumo de agua potable de la última década, evidencian una capacidad de producción de agua desalinizada muy superior a las necesidades del momento presente. Esta investigación revisa la situación actual de la desalinización de agua marina y salobre continental en las regiones de Murcia y Valencia, hace balance de sus ventajas e inconvenientes y plantea una discusión en torno al papel que puede desempeñar esta fuente no convencional como recurso estratégico y de futuro para garantizar demandas urbano-turísticas y agrícolas, principalmente durante situaciones de sequía.El litoral de les regions de Múrcia i València ha patit grans transformacions territorials durant les últimes dècades, a causa de la forta expansió de les funcions residencials, turístiques i de servicis. El Pla Hidrològic Nacional (2001) i, en major grau, el Programa A.G.U.A. (2004) van apostar per la dessalinització d'aigua marina a gran escala per a garantir demandes urbanes, turístiques i inclús agrícoles. La paralització dels plans urbanístics provocada per la crisi financera (2007), junt amb la tendència de reducció del consum d'aigua potable de l'última dècada, evidencien una capacitat de producció d'aigua dessalinitzada molt superior a les necessitats del moment present. Esta investigació revisa la situació actual de la dessalinització d'aigua marina i salobre continental en les regions de Múrcia i València, fa balanç dels avantatges i dels inconvenients que comporta i planteja una discussió entorn del paper que pot exercir esta font no convencional com a recurs estratégic i de futur per a garantir demandes urbano-turístiques i agrícoles, principalment durant situacions de sequera.The coast of the regions of Murcia and Valencia has undergone important land use changes in recent decades due to the intense expansion of tourism activity and residential and services uses. In general, the Spanish National Hydrological Plan of 2001, and especially the A.G.U.A. Program of 2004, supported large-scale water desalination to guarantee urban, tourism and rural water demand. The end of the urban sprawl due to the economic crisis, in addition to the decrease in drinking water consumption in the last decade, have resulted in a desalination water production capacity that is higher than current needs. This research reviews the current status of desalination water (from the sea and underground) in the regions of Murcia and Valencia. Moreover, it takes stock of its advantages and disadvantages, and discusses the role that this strategic and unconventional resource could play in the future to ensure urban, tourism and rural demands, especially during droughts.Les régions côtières de Murcia et de Valencia ont subi d'importantes transformations territoriales au cours des dernières décennies en raison de la forte expansion des fonctions résidentielles, touristiques et des services. Le Plan Hidrológico Nacional (2001) et notamment, le Programa A.G.U.A. (2004) ont parié sur le dessalement d'eau de mer à grande échelle pour répondre aux demandes urbaine, touristique et rurale. L'interruption des plans urbains provoquée par la crise financière (2007), s'ajoutant à une réduction de la consommation d'eau potable à partir de la dernière décennie mettent en évidence une capacité de production d'eau dessalée supérieure aux besoins actuels. Cette étude passe en revue l'état actuel du dessalement d'eau de mer et saumâtre dans les régions de Murcia et de Valencia. Il fait aussi un équilibre des avantages et des inconvénients et présente une discussion sur le rôle que cette source non conventionnelle stratégique et d'avenir peut jouer pour répondre aux demances urbaine, touristique et rurale, particulièrement en période de sécheresse

Influence of Production Strategy on Gross Waste Output and Temporal Pattern of Gilthead Seabream (Sparus Aurata) Farming: Implications for Environmental Management

This study compares the farm management model used in the Mediterranean gilthead seabream (GHSB; Sparus aurata) industry (S1)—stepped entry of juveniles throughout the year with several production cycles and fish ages overlapping in a single farm—with that used in the salmon industry (S2)—the whole is farm filled with fish that are the same age at once with a fallowing period between rearing cycles—in terms of waste production by coupling digestibility coefficients with growth, feeding, and eating behavior models into a mass balance model. We considered the total C, N, and P content in the different waste fractions (particulate and dissolved wastes). The model, which simulated real farming conditions, showed relevant quantitative and qualitative differences between both strategies, with stocked biomass and water temperature as the main drivers, the amount of feed wasted by chewing as the most relevant fraction differentiating both strategies, and the fallowing period as the main distinguishing management feature. We discuss the influence of both farming strategies on some key performance and environmental aspects, such as benthic recovery, the breakdown of the life cycle of pathogens, and adaptability to climate change. Our results suggest that changing the GHSB industry’s production model is necessary for its sustainability.Versión del edito