Measuring the coefficient of restitution and more: a simple experiment to promote students’ critical thinking and autonomous work

Innovación EducativaAbstract A simple experiment on the determination of the coefficient of restitution of different materials is taken as the basis of an extendable work that can be done by the students in an autonomous way. On the whole, the work described in this paper would involve concepts of kinematics, materials science, air drag and buoyancy, and would help students to think of physics as a whole subject instead of a set of, more or less, isolated parts. The experiment can be done either in teaching laboratories or as an autonomous work by students at home. Students’ smartphones and cheap balls of different materials are the only experimental materials required to do the experiment. The proposed work also permits the students to analyse the limitations of a physical model used in the experiment by analysing the approximations considered in it, and then enhancing their critical thinking

A multi-stakeholder multicriteria decision analysis for the reimbursement of orphan drugs (FinMHU-MCDA study)

Medicaments orfes; Reemborsament; EspanyaMedicamentos huérfanos; Reembolso; EspañaOrphan drugs; Reimbursement; SpainBackground Patient access to orphan medicinal products (OMPs) is limited and varies between countries, reimbursement decisions on OMPs are complex, and there is a need for more transparent processes to know which criteria should be considered to inform these decisions. This study aimed to determine the most relevant criteria for the reimbursement of OMPs in Spain, from a multi-stakeholder perspective, and using multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA). Methods An MCDA was developed in 3 phases and included 28 stakeholders closely related to the field of rare diseases (6 physicians, 5 hospital pharmacists, 7 health economists, 4 patient representatives and 6 members from national and regional health authorities). Initially [phase A], a bibliographic review was conducted to identify the potential reimbursement criteria. Then, a reduced advisory board (8 members) proposed, selected, and defined the final list of criteria that could be relevant for reimbursement. A discrete choice experiment (DCE) [phase B] was developed to determine the relevance and relative importance weight of such criteria according to the stakeholders’ preferences by choosing between pairs of hypothetical financing scenarios. A multinomial logit model was fitted to analyze the DCE responses. Finally [phase C], the advisory board review the results using a deliberative process. Results Thirteen criteria were selected, related to 4 dimensions: patient population, disease, treatment, and economic evaluation. Nine criteria were deemed relevant for decision-making and associated with a higher relative importance: Health-related quality of life (HRQL) (23.53%), treatment efficacy (14.64%), availability of treatment alternatives (13.51%), disease severity (12.62%), avoided costs (11.21%), age of target population (7.75%), safety (seriousness of adverse events) (4.72%), quality of evidence (3.82%) and size of target population (3.12%). The remaining criteria had a < 3% relative importance: economic burden of disease (2.50%), cost of treatment (1.73%), cost-effectiveness (0.83%) and safety (frequency of adverse events) (0.03%). Conclusion The reimbursement of OMPs in Spain should be determined by its effect on patient’s HRQL, the extent of its therapeutic benefit from efficacy and the availability of other therapeutic options. Furthermore, the severity of the rare disease should also influence the decision along with the potential of the treatment to avoid associated costs.This project was carried out with an unrestricted grant from AELMHU (Asociación Española de Laboratorios de Medicamentos Huérfanos y Ultrahuérfanos). AELMHU was not involved in the design of the study and collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and writing the manuscript

Hacia una formación docente en la práctica del diseño concientizado y su metodología

El pensamiento concientizado encuentra significación en la ardua tarea del diseñador industrial y ¿Por qué no? de todo tipo de diseñadores encargados de transformar al mundo con conceptos y formas que ayudan a comunicarse entre sí, tarea que cada vez exige un pensamiento renovado y ético sobre los usos de recursos naturales y sus procesos muy cercanos a la sustentabilidad, recursos que de alguna manera están desapareciendo, por lo menos como se conocen en el planeta y que lleva a una extinción fulminante y anunciada

A cognitive-related neural oscillation pattern, generated in the prelimbic cortex, can control operant learning in rats

Material suplementario en vídeoDivision of Neurosciences, Pablo de Olavide University, Seville, SpainAudiovisual Communication and Advertising Department, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainPreprin

BIM education experience in social project resolution with user evaluation

This article is the continuation of the research published in WorldCist 2020 under the topic “L) Information technologies in education”, which describes the educational results of the implementation of Building Information Modeling (BIM) systems in an inter-university workshop. The purpose consists in a real case study in which experiences are observed and evaluated. The main objective is to encourage and improve the preparation of students in the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and BIM methodologies. These skills that must be developed to face the transformations of the construction sector. The participants were 27 students from the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Azcapotzalco (UAM-Azc), the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona (ETSAB) and the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura La Salle (URL). These students participated in the “1st International BIM Workshop on the Resolution of Social Projects 2020”, to carry out a preliminary project of urban equipment in Mexico City (CDMX). The activity was focused into exploring the use of virtual environments, applying the BIM methodology and bringing students closer to scenarios committed to social reality. The evaluation of the user experience was performed with a quantitative survey. The results showed a favorable adoption of BIM systems. The main contribution of the article is the validation of educational methodologies through enhanced learning with technology. This study also aims to be the first stage of academic interoperability between the universities ETSAB-UPC, La Salle URL and UAM Azc.Postprint (author's final draft

The angiopoietin-like protein 4, apolipoprotein C3, and lipoprotein lipase axis is disrupted in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Background: Modulators of triglyceride metabolism include lipoprotein lipase (LPL), angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4), and apolipoprotein C-3 (ApoC3). There is evidence on the influence of this triangle of molecules on an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CV) in the general population. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) present changes in lipid profiles and accelerated CV disease. In the present study, we set out to study whether the ANGPTL4, ApoC3, and LPL axis differs in subjects with RA compared to controls. In a further step, we investigated the relationship of this axis with subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with RA. Methods: Cross-sectional study that included 569 individuals, 323 patients with RA and 246 age-matched controls. ANGPTL4, ApoC3 and LPL, and standard lipid profiles were analyzed in patients and controls. Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and carotid plaques were assessed in RA patients. A multivariable analysis was performed to assess whether the ANGPTL4, ApoC3, and LPL axis was altered in RA and to study its relationship with RA dyslipidemia and subclinical carotid atherosclerosis. Results: Most lipid profile molecules did not differ between patients and controls. Despite this, and after fully multivariable analysis including CV risk factors, use of statins, and changes in the lipid profile caused by the disease itself, patients with RA showed higher serum levels of ANGPTL4 (beta coef. 295 [95% CI 213-376] ng/ml, p<0.001) and ApoC3 (beta coef. 2.9 [95% CI 1.7-4.0] mg/dl, p<0.001), but lower circulating LPL (beta coef. -174 [95% CI -213 to - 135] ng/ml, p<0.001). ANGPTL4 serum levels were positively and independently associated with a higher cIMT in patients with RA after fully multivariable adjustment. Conclusion: The axis consisting in ANGPTL4, ApoC3, and LPL is disrupted in patients with RA. ANGPTL4 serum levels are positively and independently associated with a higher cIMT in RA patients.Funding: This work was supported by a grant to IFA from the Spanish Ministry of Health, Subdirección General de Evaluación y Fomento de la Investigación, Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica y de Innovación 2013-2016 and by Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional - FEDER - (Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias, PI17/00083)

Evaluación de la rentabilidad y competitividad de los sistemas de producción de ovinos en la región de Libres, Puebla

With the objective to evaluate the degree of competitiveness and comparative advantage of local lamb production systems, a sample of  139 sheep producers were interviewed, and six herds of three production systems were under observation for 7 mo in the Libres region of Puebla, Mexico. Information was recorded on costs, infrastructure, agricultural activity, labor, production and sale of sheep. The profitability and competitiveness was determined with the Policy Analysis Matrix. The system of production on feeding indoors was the most profitable and competitive according to the Index of Private Profitability, Private Cost Ratio, Private Profitability Ratio and Private Cost-Benefit Ratio. The cost of the factors of production was higher in the lamb grazing system, being of the less competitive. The Social Cost-Benefit Ratio (CSBR) indicated inefficiency of systems to replace imports. The production of sheep had an oligopsonic market structure due to institutional deficiencies and absence of protection policies oriented to this sector. The producers used as the criterion of sale the mature weight, although the sale of the lambs began between 30 and 90 d old. It is advisable to perform an analysis of the production function, to determine the viability of the sale of weaned lambs as an option to increase the profits of the producers and the competitiveness of these systems.Con el objetivo de evaluar el grado en que los sistemas de producción de ovinos son competitivos y presentan ventajas comparativas, se entrevistaron a 139 productores, y se dio seguimiento a seis rebaños de tres sistemas de producción durante siete meses, en la región de Libres, Puebla. Se registró información de costos, infraestructura, actividad agrícola, mano de obra, producción y venta de ovinos. Para determinar la rentabilidad y la competitividad se utilizó la Matriz de Análisis de Política. El sistema de producción con alimentación en corral fue el más rentable y competitivo de acuerdo con los indicadores de rentabilidad privada, Relación del Costo Privado, Coeficiente de Rentabilidad Privada y la Relación del Costo-Beneficio Privado. El costo de los factores de producción fue mayor en el sistema de producción de corderos en pastoreo y fue el de menor competitividad. La Relación Costo-Beneficio Social indicó ineficiencia para reemplazar las importaciones. La producción de ovinos tuvo una estructura de mercado oligopsónica, producto de las deficiencias institucionales y ausencia de políticas de protección.  Los productores utilizaron como criterio de venta el peso adulto, aunque la venta de los corderos inició entre los 30 y 90 días. Es recomendable realizar el análisis de la función de producción, para determinar la viabilidad de la venta de cordero destetado, como una opción para aumentar las ganancias de los productores y la competitividad de estos sistemas

Uso de dispositivos móviles para experimentación en física

Innovación EducativaLa incorporación de sensores en los dispositivos móviles permite su uso como herramientas experimentales para la realización de prácticas de física tanto en los laboratorios tradicionales como fuera de ellos.Física de la Materia CondensadaFísica AplicadaPonencia presentada en la 20ª Conferência Nacional de Física 26º Encontro Ibérico para o Ensino da Física. 8 de septiembre de 2016 - 10 de septiembre de 2016 · Braga