Impact of Visual Design Elements and Principles in Human Electroencephalogram Brain Activity Assessed with Spectral Methods and Convolutional Neural Networks

The visual design elements and principles (VDEPs) can trigger behavioural changes and emotions in the viewer, but their effects on brain activity are not clearly understood. In this paper, we explore the relationships between brain activity and colour (cold/warm), light (dark/bright), movement (fast/slow), and balance (symmetrical/asymmetrical) VDEPs. We used the public DEAP dataset with the electroencephalogram signals of 32 participants recorded while watching music videos. The characteristic VDEPs for each second of the videos were manually tagged for by a team of two visual communication experts. Results show that variations in the light/value, rhythm/movement, and balance in the music video sequences produce a statistically significant effect over the mean absolute power of the Delta, Theta, Alpha, Beta, and Gamma EEG bands (p < 0.05). Furthermore, we trained a Convolutional Neural Network that successfully predicts the VDEP of a video fragment solely by the EEG signal of the viewer with an accuracy ranging from 0.7447 for Colour VDEP to 0.9685 for Movement VDEP. Our work shows evidence that VDEPs affect brain activity in a variety of distinguishable ways and that a deep learning classifier can infer visual VDEP properties of the videos from EEG activity

Met signaling in cardiomyocytes is required for normal cardiac function in adult mice

et al.Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor, Met, are key determinants of distinct developmental processes. Although HGF exerts cardio-protective effects in a number of cardiac pathologies, it remains unknown whether HGF/Met signaling is essential for myocardial development and/or physiological function in adulthood. We therefore investigated the requirement of HGF/Met signaling in cardiomyocyte for embryonic and postnatal heart development and function by conditional inactivation of the Met receptor in cardiomyocytes using the Cre-α-MHC mouse line (referred to as α-MHCMet-KO). Although α-MHCMet-KO mice showed normal heart development and were viable and fertile, by 6. months of age, males developed cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, associated with interstitial fibrosis. A significant upregulation in markers of myocardial damage, such as β-MHC and ANF, was also observed. By the age of 9. months, α-MHCMet-KO males displayed systolic cardiac dysfunction. Mechanistically, we provide evidence of a severe imbalance in the antioxidant defenses in α-MHCMet-KO hearts involving a reduced expression and activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase, with consequent reactive oxygen species accumulation. Similar anomalies were observed in females, although with a slower kinetics. We also found that Met signaling down-regulation leads to an increase in TGF-β production and a decrease in p38MAPK activation, which may contribute to phenotypic alterations displayed in α-MHCMet-KO mice. Consistently, we show that HGF acts through p38α to upregulate antioxidant enzymes in cardiomyocytes. Our results highlight that HGF/Met signaling in cardiomyocytes plays a physiological cardio-protective role in adult mice by acting as an endogenous regulator of heart function through oxidative stress control.This work was supported by grants: (AFM)-13683 from Association Française contre les myopathies, France, FIS-PI07/0071 and SAF-2010-20198-C02-01 from Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain, and grants from Comunidad de Madrid/Universidad Complutense de Madrid: CAM/UCM 920384 and UCM-BSCH 920384, Spain to A.P.; BFU2011-25304 from Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain, RD12/0019/0022 (TerCel network, ISCIII), P11-CTS-7564 (Junta de Andalucía) to R. M.-Ch.; FRM (Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale), Fondation Bettencourt-Schueller, and Association Française contre les myopathies (AFM) to F.M.; SAF2010-15881 from Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain, and RD012/0021 (RedinRen network, ISCIII), and GR100 (Junta de Castilla y León) to J.M. L.-N. The cardiovascular phenotyping unit of the University of Salamanca, including the telemetry equipment, has been acquired with the support of the European Regional Development Funds (FEDER).Peer Reviewe

Nuevos retos en la formación del profesorado. Lesson Study: acompañar la enseñanza y la investigación

This article aims to reflect the reflections, experiences and research of a research group of the University of Malaga in relation to the Lesson Study (LS): a cooperative research and action process. A way of teaching to be a teacher in initial and ongoing formation.One of our lines of research has focused on addressing the concepts and dilemmas involved in the formation of teachers' practical thinking, as well as in the complex processes of reconstructing it. In this last decade LS have helped us to understand that: (1) The knowledge of teachers should be considered, more broadly, as an active combination of knowledge, skills, attitudes, emotions, beliefs and values: called as thought practical of the teacher; (2) The majority of these personal and professional resources are unconscious or better subconscious; (3) Changes in the teacher's practical thinking require more practical experience and reflection, a dialectical process with two main moments: the theorization of the practice and the experimentation of the reconstructed theory; (4) The LS, as a cooperative action research facilitates the emergence of this dialectical process; (5) The LS is a particular way to develop action research, adding a complex, systematic, flexible and cooperative route to deal with specific and contextual curricular innovation projects; and (6) The pedagogical virtuality of the LS to reconstruct the practical thinking of teachers from within and strengthen the professional teaching community.Este artículo, pretende reflejar las reflexiones, experiencias e investigaciones de un grupo de investigación de la Universidad de Málaga en relación con las Lesson Study (LS): un proceso de investigación y acción cooperativa. Una forma de enseñar a ser docente en la formación inicial y permanente. Una de nuestras líneas de investigación se ha centrado en abordar los conceptos y dilemas involucrados en la formación del pensamiento práctico de los docentes, así como en los complejos procesos de reconstrucción del mismo. En esta última década las LS nos han ayudado a entender que: (1) El conocimiento de los docentes debe considerarse, de forma más amplia, como una combinación activa de conocimientos, habilidades, actitudes, emociones, creencias y valores: denominado como el pensamiento práctico del profesor; (2) La mayoría de estos recursos personales y profesionales son inconscientes o mejor subconscientes; (3) Los cambios en el pensamiento práctico del docente requieren más experiencia práctica y reflexión, un proceso dialéctico con dos momentos principales: la teorización de la práctica y la experimentación de la teoría reconstruida; (4) La LS, como investigación acción cooperativa facilita la emergencia de este proceso dialéctico; (5) La LS es una forma particular de desarrollar la investigación acción, agregando una ruta compleja, sistemática, flexible y cooperativa para tratar proyectos de innovación curriculares concretos y contextuales; y (6) La virtualidad pedagógica de la LS para reconstruir el pensamiento práctico del profesorado desde dentro y fortalecer la comunidad profesional docente.

The integration of project competences within the post-graduate programme: a case study of the International Masters in Rural Development AGRIS MUNDUS

Experiences relating to the InternationalMasters in Rural Development from the Technical University of Madrid (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, UPM), the first Spanish programme to receive a mention as a Registered Education Programme by InternationalProject Management Association (IPMA) are considered. Backed by an educational strategy based on Project-Based Learning dating back twenty years, this programme has managed to adapt to the competence evaluation requirements proposed by the European Space for Higher Education (ESHE). In order to do this the training is linked to the professional qualification using competences as a reference leading to the qualification in project management as established by the IPMA

Hepatic and serum branched-chain fatty acid profile in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: A case–control study

Objective Alterations in the hepatic lipidome are a crucial factor involved in the pathophysiology of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the serum and hepatic profile of branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) in patients with different stages of NAFLD. Methods This was a case–control study performed in 27 patients without NAFLD, 49 patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver, and 17 patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, defined by liver biopsies. Serum and hepatic levels of BCFAs were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The hepatic expression of genes involved in the endogenous synthesis of BCFAs was analyzed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Results A significant increase in hepatic BCFAs was found in subjects with NAFLD compared with those without NAFLD; no differences were observed in serum BCFAs between study groups. Trimethyl BCFAs, iso-BCFAs, and anteiso-BCFAs were increased in subjects with NAFLD (either nonalcoholic fatty liver or nonalcoholic steatohepatitis) compared with those without NAFLD. Correlation analysis showed a relationship between hepatic BCFAs and the histopathological diagnosis of NAFLD, as well as other histological and biochemical parameters related to this disease. Gene expression analysis in liver showed that the mRNA levels of BCAT1, BCAT2, and BCKDHA were upregulated in patients with NAFLD. Conclusions These results suggest that the increased production of liver BCFAs might be related to NAFLD development and progression.This work was funded by the Institute of Health “Carlos III” (ISCIII) and cofunded by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional-FEDER (grant number PI20/00505). J.C.F-G was supported by an intensification research program (INT21/00078, ISCIII, Spain; cofunded by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional-FEDER), M.A.M-S was supported by a PFIS predoctoral fellowship from the ISCIII (FI21/00003, ISCIII, Spain; cofunded by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional-FEDER), and B.R-M was supported by the “Miguel Servet Type I” program (CP19/00098, ISCIII, Spain; cofunded by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional-FEDER). The funding organizations played no role in the design of the study, review and interpretation of the data, or final approval of the manuscript. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga / CBU

Technology use and profitability analysis of the production system of tejocote (Crataegus spp.) in Sierra Nevada, Puebla

ABSTRACT Objective. The objective of this research was to analyze use of agricultural technology and profitability of the tejocote production system and its explanatory factors, in order to identify actions to increase the fruit growers income. Methodology. Two patterns were used (producers that carry out good phytosanitary practices and producers that export). A stratified sample of 90 fruit growers was obtained with 95% reliability and 10% precision. Subsequently, a survey was carried out, and with the data the profitability of tejocote production was calculated. In addition, the explanatory factors of profitability were identified using a multiple regression model. Results. Profitability, measured with the Benefit-Cost indicator, ranged from 0.13 to 2.38, and an average of 0.84. In the scenario of not accounting for family labor and depreciation of infrastructure, a Benefit-Cost Ratio is achieved from 0.35 to 6.37, with an average of 1.90. The use of technology, measured by the technological index (IT) in the cultivation of tejocote, it was significant to improve profitability. The average profitability of the high IT stratum is different from the average profitability of the medium and low IT strata. In addition, the explanatory factors of profitability that shows significant (p≤0.05) were the technological index, phytosanitary control, training, schooling and size of the plantation. Limitations. Most producers do not keep a record of production activities and costs. Likewise, in the analysis of economic profitability it is difficult to assess indirect benefits, intangible benefits and externalities. Conclusions. It was found that the tejocote activity is profitable for producers who use more technology and have a greater number of trees in production. The variables that most impact profitability were the use of technology, fitosanitary, the size of the plantation and training. &nbsp;Objective: The objective of this research was to analyze the use of agricultural technology and the profitability of the tejocote (Crataegus spp.)  production system and its explanatory factors, in order to identify actions to increase the income of fruit growers. Design/methodology/approach: Two patterns were used (producers who carry out good phytosanitary practices and producers who export). A stratified sample of 90 fruit growers was obtained, with 95% reliability and 10% accuracy. Subsequently, a survey was carried out and the profitability of tejocote production was calculated with the data. In addition, the explanatory factors of profitability were identified using a multiple regression model. Results: Profitability, measured with the Benefit-Cost indicator, ranged from 0.13 to 2.38, and an average of 0.84. In the scenario of not accounting for family labor or depreciation of infrastructure, a Benefit-Cost Ratio from 0.35 to 6.37 is achieved, with an average of 1.90. The use of technology, measured by the technological index (TI) in the cultivation of tejocote was significant to improve profitability. The average profitability of the high TI stratum is different from the average profitability of the medium and low TI strata. In addition, the explanatory factors of profitability that were significant (p≤0.05) were technological index, phytosanitary control, training, schooling and size of the plantation. Study limitations: Most producers do not keep a record of production activities and costs. Likewise, in the analysis of economic profitability it is difficult to assess indirect benefits, intangible benefits and externalities. Findings/Conclusions: It was found that the tejocote activity is profitable for producers who use more technology and have a greater number of trees in production. The variables that most impact profitability were use of technology, phytosanitary control, size of the plantation, and training

Open Standards for conservation as a tool for linking research and conservation agendas in complex socio-ecological systems

Disparity between the knowledge produced and knowledge required to address complex environmental challenges, such as biodiversity conservation and climate adaptation, continues to grow. Systems thinking under the Open Standards for Conservation framework can help close this gap by facilitating interdisciplinary engagement, advancing conversations on how environmental systems work, and identifying actions that could be implemented to achieve defined conservation goals. Here, we present a modelling exercise for one of the most endangered forested systems in the world: The Gran Chaco. We focus on unsustainable hunting, a pressing threat to this system. We highlight knowledge gaps that underpin all parts of an adaptive management process from understanding key relationships in social-ecological systems to design and implementation of strategies for Gran Chaco conservation as well as evaluation of outcomes.Fil: Núñez Regueiro, Mauricio Manuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; Argentina. Universidad Católica de Salta; ArgentinaFil: Branch, Lyn Clarke. University of Florida. Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation; Estados UnidosFil: Derlindati, Enrique Javier. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Cs.naturales. Escuela de Agronomia. Cat.de Agroecologia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gasparri, Nestor Ignacio. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo. Instituto Miguel Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Marinaro Fuentes, María Sofía. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Nanni, Ana Sofía. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Nuñez Godoy, Cristina Cecilia. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Piquer Rodríguez, María. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Instituto de Ecología Regional; ArgentinaFil: Soto, José R.. University of Arizona; Estados UnidosFil: Tálamo, Andrés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Museo de Ciencias Naturales. Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA; Argentin

A field portable method for the semi-quantitative estimation of dehydration tolerance of photosynthetic tissues across distantly related land plants.

Preprint sustituido por postprint 9-12-2019Desiccation tolerant (DT) plants withstand complete cellular dehydration (reaching relative water contents below 30% in their photosynthetic tissues), while desiccation sensitive (DS) plants exhibit different degrees of dehydration tolerance (DHT), never surviving water loss >70%. To date, no procedure for the quantitative evaluation of DHT extent exists that is able to discriminate DS species with different degrees of DHT from truly DT plants. We developed a simple, feasible, and portable protocol to differentiate between constitutive DT and different degrees of DHT in photosynthetic tissues. The protocol is based on (i) controlled desiccation inside Falcon tubes equilibrated at three different relative humidities (RH: 80%, 50% and <10%) and (ii) evaluation of the average recovery level of maximal photochemical efficiency (Fv/Fm) after rehydration. Applying the method to 10 bryophytes and 28 tracheophytes from various locations, we found that (i) imbibition of absorbent material with saturated salt solutions inside the tubes provides stable RH and avoids direct contact with samples; (ii) for 50 mL capacity tubes, the optimal initial plant amount is 50–200 mg FW; (iii) the tubes can be re-used up to three times with very little changes in RH; (iv) the method is useful in remote locations due to minimal instrumental requirements; (v) a threshold of 30% recovery of the initial Fv/Fm correctly categorises DT species with a few exceptions among tracheophytes: poikilochorophyllous DT-species and some DS herbs and gymnosperms. The protocol provides a semi-quantitative expression of DHT that facilitates comparisons of species with different morpho-physiological traits and/or ecological attributes.Basque Government (UPV/EHU IT-1018-16); Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) and the ERDF (FEDER) (CTM2014-53902-C2-2-P to JIGP and BFM, CGL2014-54127-P to ENO and JMA, and CTM2014-53902-C2-1-P to JF and JG); Juan de la Cierva-Incorporation fellowship IJCI-2014-22489 to BFM and Juan de la Cierva-Formación FPDI-2013-18167 and FPDI-2013-17135 to MJCM and JoG respectively); MC was supported by a predoctoral fellowship FPI/1700/2014 from the Conselleria d’Educació, Cultura i Universitats (Govern de les Illes Balears) and ESF; MN was supported by a predoctoral fellowship BES-2015-072578 from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) co-financed by the ESF. APC was supported by Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport (MECD) fellowship (FPU15/02054). MLP was supported by a pre-doctoral grant from the Basque Government. Authors also wish to thank for giving access to the living plant collection of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Jill M. Farrant acknowledges funding from the South African Department of Science and Technology and National Research Foundation (grant number 98406

Identifying priorities, targets, and actions for the long-term social and ecological management of invasive non-native species

Funding: The research and the workshop (December-2019; Centro Científico Tecnológico Patagonia Norte, San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina) described in this manuscript were funded by the CONTAIN programme under the Latin American Biodiversity Programme as part of the Newton Fund (NE/S011641/1), with contributions from NERC, the Argentine National Scientific & Technical Research Council (CONICET,-2019-74-APN-DIR#CONICET), the Brazilian São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP 2018/14995-8), and the Chilean Agency for Research and Development (ANID; formerly CONICYT). Acknowledgments Thanks to the colleagues who replied to our informal questions about the usefulness of the methods and procedures described here. This informal survey of colleagues to obtain an initial critical evaluation was aligned with the policies relevant to the authors who contacted the participants. No one else had access to the responses and identities of the respondents. Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero, Gobierno de Chile, is one of the CONTAIN project partners, and it is represented by ER in this paper. However, the opinions and results presented in this document are entirely those of ER and may not represent SAG position on the topic. The Associate Editor and two reviewers provided feedback that helped improve a previous version of the manuscript. Open access via Springer compact agreementPeer reviewedPublisher PD