Aprendizaje basado en proyectos (PBL) aplicado a la docencia de sistemas tecnológicos de última generación

El planteamiento general de la docencia de asignaturas cuyo contenido es eminentemente tecnológico, presenta el reto del constante y rápido cambio asociado a los avances en desarrollo tecnológico. Dentro de este contexto, se plantea emplear un método basado en la generación de herramientas que permitan un seguimiento autónomo de los cambios frente a opciones más descriptivas del estado actual de los sistemas estudiados. Sobre esta base, se estudia la idoneidad de un contexto basado en el desarrollo de proyectos que, si bien tienen necesariamente que abordar una temática particular, supone una forma a priori interesante de generar las habilidades necesarias para el aprendizaje autónomo y continuado

Automatic Learning Improves Human-Robot Interaction in Productive Environments: A Review

In the creation of new industries, products and services -- all of which are advances of the Fourth Industrial Revolution -- the human-robot interaction that includes automatic learning and computer vision are elements to consider since they promote collaborative environments between people and robots. The use of machine learning and computer vision provides the tools needed to increase productivity and minimizes delivery reaction times by assisting in the optimization of complex production planning processes. This review of the state of the art presents the main trends that seek to improve human-robot interaction in productive environments, and identifies challenges in research as well as in industrial - technological development in this topic. In addition, this review offers a proposal on the needs of use of artificial intelligence in all processes of industry 4.0 as a crucial linking element among humans, robots, intelligent and traditional machines; as well as a mechanism for quality control and occupational safety.This work has been funded by the Spanish Government [TIN2016-76515-R] grant for the COMBAHO project, supported with Feder funds

Coordinación de competencias de tratamiento de señal y comunicaciones en estudios de Telecomunicación en EPS-UA

Los objetivos del presente trabajo son el seguimiento, la coordinación, la evaluación y la mejora en la distribución de competencias de las asignaturas obligatorias de los cursos primero, segundo y tercero del Grado en Ingeniería en Sonido e Imagen en Telecomunicación y una asignatura obligatoria del Máster en Ingeniería de Telecomunicación. La red tiene carácter transversal y se centra en materias de tratamiento de señal y comunicaciones de estudios de Telecomunicación en la Escuela Politécnica Superior de la Universidad de Alicante. Para alcanzar los objetivos se plantea llevar a cabo una colaboración de la que formen parte las subdirecciones de las titulaciones, la dirección del departamento y las profesoras y los profesores de las asignaturas relacionadas con las competencias de tratamiento de señal y comunicaciones en el Grado y Máster Universitario de estudios de Telecomunicación en la Escuela Politécnica Superior. En el proceso se elaboraron documentos para facilitar la puesta en común y la concreción de acuerdos de mejora

How to measure student's performance in PBL?

[EN] In this paper, we present an analysis of metrics for teamwork efficiency in University degrees, by considering Project Based Learning as a teaching methodology. We defined indicators to evaluate the ability to prioritize tasks, the group communication and the produced value. Such parameters were designed to provide objective information about teamwork efficiency. To test the effectiveness of the proposed indicators, an experiment based on a classic team-building game was performed in the context of the Interactive Technologies Degree at Universitat Politècnica de València. Students were divided into two groups (one from the first course and another the fourth course) and were asked to solve a problem in a limited amount of time. Our hypothesis was that the group corresponding to the fourth course would achieve higher teamwork efficiency because of their experience with the Project Based Learning methodology. After measuring the proposed indicators and other state-of-the-art parameters, we assessed the evolution and improvement of teamwork efficiency by comparing the results of both sets of metrics. Finally, we concluded that the presented metrics can be useful for teamwork efficiency evaluation, but also for students to manage their work.This work has been partially financed by UPV-Innovation Project PIME-I 1776 (2022-2024).Pérez Pascual, MA.; Alberola Oltra, JM.; Marín-Roig Ramón, J.; Toledo Alarcón, JF.; Palacio Samitier, D.; Giménez López, JL.; Heras, S.... (2023). How to measure student's performance in PBL?. IATED. 1-9. https://doi.org/10.21125/inted.2023.08461

Señales, sistemas y telecomunicación

En ingeniería de telecomunicación los conceptos relacionados con teoría de la señal son uno de los pilares básicos. Si bien, la teoría no es excesivamente compleja, su asimilación no resulta sencilla. Los métodos empleados para el proceso de optimización de sistemas de refuerzo sonoro suponen una aplicación práctica directa de estos conceptos, con un impacto visual inmediato. Se pretende evaluar el impacto en el proceso de interiorización de los conceptos de teoría de la señal (principalmente respuesta al impulso y función de transferencia) de la aplicación de los procesos de análisis y optimización de sistemas de refuerzo sonoro

Impaired Cytotoxic Response in PBMCs From Patients With COVID-19 Admitted to the ICU: Biomarkers to Predict Disease Severity

Infection by novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 causes different presentations of COVID-19 and some patients may progress to a critical, fatal form of the disease that requires their admission to ICU and invasive mechanical ventilation. In order to predict in advance which patients could be more susceptible to develop a critical form of COVID-19, it is essential to define the most adequate biomarkers. In this study, we analyzed several parameters related to the cellular immune response in blood samples from 109 patients with different presentations of COVID-19 who were recruited in Hospitals and Primary Healthcare Centers in Madrid, Spain, during the first pandemic peak between April and June 2020. Hospitalized patients with the most severe forms of COVID-19 showed a potent inflammatory response that was not translated into an efficient immune response. Despite the high levels of effector cytotoxic cell populations such as NK, NKT and CD8+ T cells, they displayed immune exhaustion markers and poor cytotoxic functionality against target cells infected with pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 or cells lacking MHC class I molecules. Moreover, patients with critical COVID-19 showed low levels of the highly cytotoxic TCRγδ+ CD8+ T cell subpopulation. Conversely, CD4 count was greatly reduced in association to high levels of Tregs, low plasma IL-2 and impaired Th1 differentiation. The relative importance of these immunological parameters to predict COVID-19 severity was analyzed by Random Forest algorithm and we concluded that the most important features were related to an efficient cytotoxic response. Therefore, efforts to fight against SARS-CoV-2 infection should be focused not only to decrease the disproportionate inflammatory response, but also to elicit an efficient cytotoxic response against the infected cells and to reduce viral replication.This work was supported by the Coordinated Research Activities at the Centro Nacional de Microbiología (CNM, Instituto de Salud Carlos III) (COV20_00679) to promote an integrated response against SARS-CoV-2 in Spain (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation) that is coordinated by Dr. Inmaculada Casas (WHO National Influenza Center of the CNM); a generous donation provided by Chiesi España, S.A.U. (Barcelona, Spain); the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (PID2019-110275RB-I00); the Spanish AIDS Research Network RD16CIII/0002/0001 that is included in Acciόn Estratégica en Salud, Plan Nacional de Investigaciόn Científica, Desarrollo e Innovaciόn Tecnolόgica 2016-2020, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, European Region Development Fund (ERDF). The work of ML-H and SR-M is financed by NIH grant R01AI143567. The work of LH is supported by a pre-doctoral grant from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (FIS PI16CIII/00034-ISCIII-FEDER).S

Slow progression of pediatric HIV associates with early CD8+ T cell PD-1 expression and a stem-like phenotype

HIV non-progression despite persistent viraemia is rare among antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve adults, but relatively common among ART-naïve children. Previous studies indicate that ART-naïve paediatric slow-progressors (PSPs) adopt immune evasion strategies similar to those described in the SIV natural hosts. However, the mechanisms underlying this immunophenotype are not well understood. In a cohort of early-treated infants who underwent analytical treatment interruption (ATI) after 12 months of ART, expression of PD-1 on CD8+ T-cells immediately prior to ATI was the main predictor of slow progression during ATI (r=0.77, p=0.002). PD-1+ CD8+ T-cell frequency was also negatively correlated with CCR5 (r=-0.74, p=0.005) and HLA-DR (r=-0.63, p=0.02) expression on CD4+ T-cells and predicted stronger HIV-specific T-lymphocyte responses. In the CD8+ T-cell compartment of PSPs, we identified an enrichment of stem-like TCF-1+PD-1+ memory cells, whereas paediatric progressors and viraemic adults were populated with a terminally exhausted PD-1+CD39+ population. TCF-1+PD-1+ expression on CD8+ T-cells was associated with higher proliferative activity (r=0.41, p=0.03) and stronger Gag-specific effector functionality. These data prompt the hypothesis that the proliferative burst potential of stem-like HIV-specific cytotoxic cells could be exploited in therapeutic strategies to boost the antiviral response and facilitate remission in early-ART-treated infants with a preserved and non-exhausted T-cell compartment

Somatotypes trajectories during adulthood and their association with COPD phenotypes

Rationale: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) comprises distinct phenotypes, all characterised by airflow limitation. Objectives: We hypothesised that somatotype changes – as a surrogate of adiposity – from early adulthood follow different trajectories to reach distinct phenotypes. Methods: Using the validated Stunkard’s Pictogram, 356 COPD patients chose the somatotype that best reflects their current body build and those at ages 18, 30, 40 and 50 years. An unbiased group-based trajectory modelling was used to determine somatotype trajectories. We then compared the current COPD-related clinical and phenotypic characteristics of subjects belonging to each trajectory. Measurements and main results: At 18 years of age, 88% of the participants described having a lean or medium somatotype (estimated body mass index (BMI) between 19 and 23 kg·m−2 ) while the other 12% a heavier somatotype (estimated BMI between 25 and 27 kg·m−2 ). From age 18 onwards, five distinct trajectories were observed. Four of them demonstrating a continuous increase in adiposity throughout adulthood with the exception of one, where the initial increase was followed by loss of adiposity after age 40. Patients with this trajectory were primarily females with low BMI and DLCO (diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide). A persistently lean trajectory was seen in 14% of the cohort. This group had significantly lower forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), DLCO, more emphysema and a worse BODE (BMI, airflow obstruction, dyspnoea and exercise capacity) score thus resembling the multiple organ loss of tissue (MOLT) phenotype. Conclusions: COPD patients have distinct somatotype trajectories throughout adulthood. Those with the MOLT phenotype maintain a lean trajectory throughout life. Smoking subjects with this lean phenotype in early adulthood deserve particular attention as they seem to develop more severe COPD

New GOLD classification: Longitudinal data on group assignment

Rationale: Little is known about the longitudinal changes associated with using the 2013 update of the multidimensional GOLD strategy for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Objective: To determine the COPD patient distribution of the new GOLD proposal and evaluate how this classification changes over one year compared with the previous GOLD staging based on spirometry only. Methods: We analyzed data from the CHAIN study, a multicenter observational Spanish cohort of COPD patients who are monitored annually. Categories were defined according to the proposed GOLD: FEV1%, mMRC dyspnea, COPD Assessment Test (CAT), Clinical COPD Questionnaire (CCQ), and exacerbations-hospitalizations. One-year follow-up information was available for all variables except CCQ data. Results: At baseline, 828 stable COPD patients were evaluated. On the basis of mMRC dyspnea versus CAT, the patients were distributed as follows: 38.2% vs. 27.2% in group A, 17.6% vs. 28.3% in group B, 15.8% vs. 12.9% in group C, and 28.4% vs. 31.6% in group D. Information was available for 526 patients at one year: 64.2% of patients remained in the same group but groups C and D show different degrees of variability. The annual progression by group was mainly associated with one-year changes in CAT scores (RR, 1.138; 95%CI: 1.074-1.206) and BODE index values (RR, 2.012; 95%CI: 1.487-2.722). Conclusions: In the new GOLD grading classification, the type of tool used to determine the level of symptoms can substantially alter the group assignment. A change in category after one year was associated with longitudinal changes in the CAT and BODE index

Desired weight loss and its association with health, health behaviors and perceptions in an adult population with weight excess: One-year follow-up

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) worsens quality of life and increases mortality. Dissatisfaction with weight in patients with MetS may modify the effect of lifestyle interventions to achieve changes in health-related behaviors. Objective: To assess 1-year changes in cardiovascular risk scores, self-perceived general health and health-related behaviors according to observed changes in desired weight loss during the first year of intervention in a large cardiovascular prevention trial. Design: Prospective analysis of the PREDIMED-PLUS trial, including 5,499 adults (55-75 years old) with overweight or obesity at baseline. Methods: The desired weight loss was the difference between ideal and measured weight. Tertiles of change in desired weight loss (1 year vs. baseline) were defined by the following cut-off points: >= 0.0 kg (T1, n = 1,638); 0.0 to -4.0 kg (T2, n = 1,903); <=-4.0 kg (T3, n = 1,958). A food frequency questionnaire assessed diet and the Minnesota-REGICOR questionnaire assessed physical activity. The Framingham equation assessed cardiovascular risks. The changes in the severity of MetS were also assessed. The Beck Depression Inventory assessed depressive symptoms and the SF-36 assessed health-related quality of life. Data were analyzed using general linear models. Results: BMI decreased at T2 and T3 (T1: 0.3, T2: -0.7, T3: -1.9). The most significant improvement in diet quality was observed at T3. Cardiovascular risk decreased at T2 and T3. Mean reductions in MetS severity score were: -0.02 at T1, -0.39 at T2 and -0.78 at T3. The perception of physical health increases in successive tertiles. Conclusions: In older adults with MetS, more ambitious desired weight loss goals were associated with improvements in diet, cardiovascular health and perceived physical health during the first year of a healthy lifestyle intervention programme. Weight dissatisfaction needs to be considered by health professionals