How to introduce development education into university? Intruments and experiences of spanish technical environments

In this paper we present some experiences of Development Education (DE) introduced in the three main Spanish Universities with Technical Studies: Technical University of Valencia, Catalunya and Madrid. The concept of DE we are following in this paper is the next one: DE as a strategy of international cooperation aimed at the citizens/people of the North. Its main goal is the empowerment of people through a teaching and learning process, which develops knowledge, skills and values in learners, thus enabling them to become members of a global community of equals [1]. First of all, in this paper we present a tipology of different instruments that the University owe in order to develop development education activities. This proposal is based on the conclusion of the Committee of University Development Aid (CEURI) and was reelaborated by the authors of this paper and collaborators [2,3]. Secondly, we discuss about the main characteristic of four strategies we have developed in the three Universities referred above: 1) Ethical codes such the Ethical Code of the School of Industrial Engineers of Technical University of Valencia. 2) Teaching innovation groups such the GREVOL group of Technical University of Valencia, the Interest Group of Collaborative Learning of the Technical University of Catalunya and the Development Education Group of Information and Communication Technologies of the Technical University of Madrid. 3) Free elective courses in bachelor studies dedicated to international development aid in the three universities and posgraduate studies which link development education and technology for human development. 4) Mobility programs in coordination with NGDOs developed in the Technical University of Catalunya. The description of these initiatives would like to illustrate the great potential of the DE activities developed in the three Spanish Universities. We will introduce some considerations about the impact of the European Higher Education Area (EHEA) in those strategies.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Nostalgia de futuro: el transhumanismo y la libertad trascendental

This article analyses the notion of nostalgia for the future in order to understand its meaning in the context of transhumanist philosophy and the philosophy of Leonardo Polo. The representatives of transhumanism have been chosen as those who historically are its intellectual fathers: Julian Huxley and Fereidoun M. Esfandiary, who later changed his name to FM-2030. The aim of the article is to analyse the two philosophies in order to deepen the desire for transcendence that each develops and to see to what extent a dialogue between the two is possible.En el presente artículo se analiza la noción de nostalgia de futuro para comprender su significado en el contexto de la filosofía transhumanista y en el de la filosofía de Leonardo Polo. Se ha elegido como representantes del transhumanismo a los que históricamente son sus padres intelectuales: Julian Huxley y Fereidoun M. Esfandiary, quien más tarde cambió su nombre a FM-2030. El objetivo del artículo es analizar las dos filosofías para profundizar en el deseo de trascendencia que cada una desarrolla y ver hasta qué punto es posible un diálogo entre ambas

Estudio estático y dinámico del ángulo Q mediante videofotogrametría 3D

OBJETIVOS: Se estudia la evolución del ángulo Q (Q dinámico) en bipedestación y en una marcha frontal, para obtener los valores de normalidad para futuros estudios dónde la clínica femoropatelar es más acentuada (bajar escaleras y descenso de rampa). MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Participaron 20 individuos sanos (10 hombres y 10 mujeres) con edad media de 22,7 años + 3,02 (20-25 años), a los que se realizó un análisis tridimensional del movimiento mediante el sistema de videofotogrametría en 3D Orthobio, en la bipedestación y durante la marcha en terreno llano. RESULTADOS: Hemos observado que durante la bipedestación el ángulo Q estático medio tiene un valor de 16,12º. Los datos obtenidos muestran que el ángulo Q dinámico oscila 8,13º (6,03º-14,16º), produciéndose el valor máximo en el momento del choque de talón y el mínimo poco después del despegue. La media del ángulo Q dinámico en un ciclo de marcha ha sido de 11,47º. En los datos por sexos corresponde a las mujeres es de 12,46º, y el de los hombres de 10,48º. CONCLUSIONES: Durante la marcha el ángulo Q dinámico disminuye con respecto al estático.OBJECTIVES: In this paper we study the evolution of the dynamic Q-angle in bipedal standing and forward gait to obtain values of normality for future studies in which femoropatellar problems are more pronounced (e.g. descending stairs or ramps). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty healthy individuals (10 men and 10 women), with an average age of 22.7 + 3.02 years (i.e. 20–25 years), took part in this study. In these individuals, a tridimensional analysis of movement of bipedal standing and gait on flat terrain was conducted using 3D Orthobio videophotogrammetry. RESULTS: During bipedal standing, the average static Q angle was 16.12º. The dynamic Q angle fluctuated by 8.13º (between 6.03º and 14.16º), the maximum dynamic Q angle was reached as the heel contacted the ground and the minimum was reached just after leaving the ground. The average dynamic Q angle in a gait cycle was 11.47º (12.46º for women and 10.48º for men). CONCLUSIONS: During the cycle, the dynamic Q angle is lower than the static Q angle

A survey of partial differential equations in geometric design

YesComputer aided geometric design is an area where the improvement of surface generation techniques is an everlasting demand since faster and more accurate geometric models are required. Traditional methods for generating surfaces were initially mainly based upon interpolation algorithms. Recently, partial differential equations (PDE) were introduced as a valuable tool for geometric modelling since they offer a number of features from which these areas can benefit. This work summarises the uses given to PDE surfaces as a surface generation technique togethe

On the computation of zone and double zone diagrams

Classical objects in computational geometry are defined by explicit relations. Several years ago the pioneering works of T. Asano, J. Matousek and T. Tokuyama introduced "implicit computational geometry", in which the geometric objects are defined by implicit relations involving sets. An important member in this family is called "a zone diagram". The implicit nature of zone diagrams implies, as already observed in the original works, that their computation is a challenging task. In a continuous setting this task has been addressed (briefly) only by these authors in the Euclidean plane with point sites. We discuss the possibility to compute zone diagrams in a wide class of spaces and also shed new light on their computation in the original setting. The class of spaces, which is introduced here, includes, in particular, Euclidean spheres and finite dimensional strictly convex normed spaces. Sites of a general form are allowed and it is shown that a generalization of the iterative method suggested by Asano, Matousek and Tokuyama converges to a double zone diagram, another implicit geometric object whose existence is known in general. Occasionally a zone diagram can be obtained from this procedure. The actual (approximate) computation of the iterations is based on a simple algorithm which enables the approximate computation of Voronoi diagrams in a general setting. Our analysis also yields a few byproducts of independent interest, such as certain topological properties of Voronoi cells (e.g., that in the considered setting their boundaries cannot be "fat").Comment: Very slight improvements (mainly correction of a few typos); add DOI; Ref [51] points to a freely available computer application which implements the algorithms; to appear in Discrete & Computational Geometry (available online

Amino acid profile in malnourished patients with liver cirrhosis and its modification with oral nutritional supplements: Implications on minimal hepatic encephalopathy

Low plasma levels of branched chain amino acids (BCAA) in liver cirrhosis are associated with hepatic encephalopathy (HE). We aimed to identify a metabolic signature of minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE) in malnourished cirrhotic patients and evaluate its modification with oral nutritional supplements (ONS) enriched with ß-Hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HMB), a derivative of the BCAA leucine. Post hoc analysis was conducted on a double-blind placebo-controlled trial of 43 individuals with cirrhosis and malnutrition, who were randomized to receive, for 12 weeks, oral supplementation twice a day with either 220 mL of Ensure® Plus Advance (HMB group, n = 22) or with 220 mL of Ensure® Plus High Protein (HP group, n = 21). MHE evaluation was by psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES). Compared to the HP group, an HMB-specific treatment effect led to a larger increase in Val, Leu, Phe, Trp and BCAA fasting plasma levels. Both treatments increased Fischer’s ratio and urea without an increase in Gln or ammonia fasting plasma levels. MHE was associated with a reduced total plasma amino acid concentration, a reduced BCAA and Fischer´s ratio, and an increased Gln/Glu ratio. HMB-enriched ONS increased Fischer´s ratio without varying Gln or ammonia plasma levels in liver cirrhosis and malnutrition, a protective amino acid profile that can help prevent MHE. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Programa de vigilància de l'afectació dels residus de l'embassament de Flix en aigües de consum humà

Aigües de consum humà; Compostos contaminants; VigilànciaWater for human consumption; Polluting compounds; SurveillanceAguas de consumo humano; Compuestos contaminantes; VigilanciaMitjançant el Programa de vigilància, el Departament de Salut, seguirà l'evolució de l’afectació dels residus de l’embassament de Flix en aigües de consum humà, per tal de garantir l’aptitud i la qualitat de les aigües de consum captades del riu Ebre.The Surveillance program allows to Department of Health to follow the evolution of waste impact in Flix reservoir water for human consumption, in order to ensure the suitability and quality of drinking water taken from Ebre river.Mediante el Programa de vigilancia, el Departamento de Salud seguirá la evolución de la afectación de los residuos del embalse de Flix en aguas de consumo humano, a fin de garantizar la aptitud y la calidad de las aguas de consumo captadas del río Ebre

Supercoherent States, Super K\"ahler Geometry and Geometric Quantization

Generalized coherent states provide a means of connecting square integrable representations of a semi-simple Lie group with the symplectic geometry of some of its homogeneous spaces. In the first part of the present work this point of view is extended to the supersymmetric context, through the study of the OSp(2/2) coherent states. These are explicitly constructed starting from the known abstract typical and atypical representations of osp(2/2). Their underlying geometries turn out to be those of supersymplectic OSp(2/2) homogeneous spaces. Moment maps identifying the latter with coadjoint orbits of OSp(2/2) are exhibited via Berezin's symbols. When considered within Rothstein's general paradigm, these results lead to a natural general definition of a super K\"ahler supermanifold, the supergeometry of which is determined in terms of the usual geometry of holomorphic Hermitian vector bundles over K\"ahler manifolds. In particular, the supergeometry of the above orbits is interpreted in terms of the geometry of Einstein-Hermitian vector bundles. In the second part, an extension of the full geometric quantization procedure is applied to the same coadjoint orbits. Thanks to the super K\"ahler character of the latter, this procedure leads to explicit super unitary irreducible representations of OSp(2/2) in super Hilbert spaces of $L^2$ superholomorphic sections of prequantum bundles of the Kostant type. This work lays the foundations of a program aimed at classifying Lie supergroups' coadjoint orbits and their associated irreducible representations, ultimately leading to harmonic superanalysis. For this purpose a set of consistent conventions is exhibited.Comment: 53 pages, AMS-LaTeX (or LaTeX+AMSfonts

Evaluation of integrated care services in Catalonia: population-based and service-based real-life deployment protocols

Background: Comprehensive assessment of integrated care deployment constitutes a major challenge to ensure quality, sustainability and transferability of both healthcare policies and services in the transition toward a coordinated service delivery scenario. To this end, the manuscript articulates four different protocols aiming at assessing large-scale implementation of integrated care, which are being developed within the umbrella of the regional project Nextcare (2016–2019), undertaken to foster innovation in technologically-supported services for chronic multimorbid patients in Catalonia (ES) (7.5 M inhabitants). Whereas one of the assessment protocols is designed to evaluate population-based deployment of care coordination at regional level during the period 2011–2017, the other three are service-based protocols addressing: i) Home hospitalization; ii) Prehabilitation for major surgery; and, iii) Community-based interventions for frail elderly chronic patients. All three services have demonstrated efficacy and potential for health value generation. They reflect different implementation maturity levels. While full coverage of the entire urban health district of Barcelona-Esquerra (520 k inhabitants) is the main aim of home hospitalization, demonstration of sustainability at Hospital Clinic of Barcelona constitutes the core goal of the prehabilitation service. Likewise, full coverage of integrated care services addressed to frail chronic patients is aimed at the city of Badalona (216 k inhabitants). Methods: The population-based analysis, as well as the three service-based protocols, follow observational and experimental study designs using a non-randomized intervention group (integrated care) compared with a control group (usual care) with a propensity score matching method. Evaluation of cost-effectiveness of the interventions using a Quadruple aim approach is a central outcome in all protocols. Moreover, multi-criteria decision analysis is explored as an innovative method for health delivery assessment. The following additional dimensions will also be addressed: i) Determinants of sustainability and scalability of the services; ii) Assessment of the technological support; iii) Enhanced health risk assessment; and, iv) Factors modulating service transferability. Discussion: The current study offers a unique opportunity to undertake a comprehensive assessment of integrated care fostering deployment of services at regional level. The study outcomes will contribute refining service workflows, improving health risk assessment and generating recommendations for service selection.publishedVersio

Severe loss of mechanical efficiency in COVID‐19 patients

Background: There is limited information about the impact of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the muscular dysfunction, despite the generalized weakness and fatigue that patients report after overcoming the acute phase of the infection. This study aimed to detect impaired muscle efficiency by evaluating delta efficiency (DE) in patients with COVID-19 compared with subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), ischaemic heart disease (IHD), and control group (CG). Methods: A total of 60 participants were assigned to four experimental groups: COVID-19, COPD, IHD, and CG (n = 15 each group). Incremental exercise tests in a cycle ergometer were performed to obtain peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak). DE was obtained from the end of the first workload to the power output where the respiratory exchange ratio was 1. Results: A lower DE was detected in patients with COVID-19 and COPD compared with those in CG (P ≤ 0.033). However, no significant differences were observed among the experimental groups with diseases (P > 0.05). Lower VO2 peak, peak ventilation, peak power output, and total exercise time were observed in the groups with diseases than in the CG (P < 0.05). A higher VO2 , ventilation, and power output were detected in the CG compared with those in the groups with diseases at the first and second ventilatory threshold (P < 0.05). A higher power output was detected in the IHD group compared with those in the COVID-19 and COPD groups (P < 0.05) at the first and second ventilatory thresholds and when the respiratory exchange ratio was 1. A significant correlation (P < 0.001) was found between the VO2 peak and DE and between the peak power output and DE (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Patients with COVID-19 showed marked mechanical inefficiency similar to that observed in COPD and IHD patients. Patients with COVID-19 and COPD showed a significant decrease in power output compared to IHD during pedalling despite having similar response in VO2 at each intensity. Resistance training should be considered during the early phase of rehabilitation