How to promote effectiveness in terms of time in networking processes

Because time is present in all learning activities it is important to consider how to optimize it. This is even more important in e-learning given the virtual student profile, most of them adults who do not have time. A tool that seems to favor time management is the wiki. The aim of this article is to analyze how the wiki can favor efficiency in networking processes. The general context is the "ICT skills" course by the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. Starting from a qualitative methodology, the paper analyzes how students working in small groups carry out a virtual project through a wiki. In terms of encouraging effectiveness by using a wiki in a networking context, data show that it is important to consider three elements: the time required to learn how the tool works, organizing the process and optimizing usage of the tool. The paper provides some key elements along these lines

Social aspects as regards the time factor: an analysis of the work process in a virtual group.

The aim of this article is to analyze how social aspects are created according to the time factor in a virtual work group. Although these informal or emotional aspects are often undervalued or separated from those of learning, there are numerous studies into educational environments that show how social aspects play a basic, necessary role in a groups' success, taking into account the fact that this is responsible for the climate created, the perceived feeling of community and the learning carried out. Using this eminently qualitative process to analyse the different degree subjects studied at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya, the study focuses on identifying features associated with the time factor, which have implications in establishing the social side of virtual group work. Specifically, three elements have been detected that are associated with: Individual aspects, group dynamics and teaching staff intervention. The article also analyses the repercussions of features on the social side, noting that the time factor is significantly involved in forming the social dimension

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in diabetes and dyslipidemia management in a Spanish region: a retrospective study of the Aragon population

IntroductionPrevious research has indicated that the COVID-19 outbreak had a negative impact on the diagnosis and management of cardiometabolic diseases. Our aim was to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the management of dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the Aragon region of Spain.MethodsWe conducted an observational retrospective study, which included data from all patients diagnosed with active T2D or dyslipidemia in Aragon during 2019–2021. Data was collected from the BIGAN platform, a big database that includes all healthcare data from the Aragon population. Clinical, biochemical, and pharmacological prescription information was obtained for each patient and for each year.ResultsOut of the total population of 1,330,000 in the Aragon region, 90,000 subjects were diagnosed with T2D each year, resulting in a prevalence of approximately 7%. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a decrease in the prevalence of this disease and a lower incidence during the year 2020. In addition, patients with T2D experienced a deterioration of their glucose profile, which led to an increase in the number of patients requiring pharmacological therapy. The prevalence of dyslipidemia was approximately 23.5% in both 2019 and 2020 and increased to 24.5% in 2021. Despite the worsening of the anthropometric profile, the lipid profile improved significantly throughout 2020 and 2021 compared to 2019. Moreover, the number of active pharmacological prescriptions increased significantly in 2021.DiscussionOur findings suggest that the overload of the health system caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an underdiagnosis of T2D. Moreover, patients with T2D experienced a worsening of their glycemic profile, an increase in their pharmacological requirements, and lower performance of their analytical determinations. Dyslipidemic subjects improved their lipid profile although the value of lipid profile determination decreased between 2020 and 2021

Early Pliocene climatic optimum, cooling and early glaciation deduced by terrestrial and marine environmental changes in SW Spain

The Pliocene is a key period in Earth's climate evolution, as it records the transition from warm and stable conditions to the colder and more variable glaciated climate of the Pleistocene. Simultaneously, climate became more seasonal in the Mediterranean area, and Mediterranean-type seasonal precipitation rhythm with summer drought established. These climatic changes presumably had significant impacts on terrestrial environments. However, the response of terrestrial environments to such climate changes is still not fully understood due to the lack of detailed studies dealing with this period of time. In this study, multiproxy analyses of continuous core sampling from La Matilla (SW Spain) shows detailed and continuous record of pollen, sand content and abundance of benthic foraminifer Bolivina spathulata to describe paleoenvironmental and paleoclimate trends during the early Pliocene. This record shows warmest, most humid climate conditions and highest riverine nutrient supply at ~ 4.35 Ma, coinciding with the Pliocene climatic optimum and high global sea level. A climate cooling and aridity trend occurred subsequently and a significant glaciation occurred at ~ 4.1–4.0 Ma, during a period known by very little terrestrial evidence of glaciation. Our multiproxy data thus indicate that terrestrial and marine environments were significantly variable during the early Pliocene and that major glaciation-like cooling occurred before the intensification of northern hemisphere glaciation at the beginning of the Pleistocene (~2.7 Ma). This major climate cooling and aridity maxima between 4.1 and 4.0 Ma is independently validated by a coeval sea-level drop (third order Za2 sequence boundary). This sea level drawdown is supported by enhanced coarse sedimentation and minima in riverine nutrient supply, showing paired vegetation and sea-level changes and thus a strong land-ocean relationship. This study also shows that long-term climatic trends were interrupted by orbital-scale cyclic climatic variability, with eccentricity, obliquity and precession acting as the main triggers controlling climate and environmental change in the area.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

La psoriasis

Treballs d'Educació Farmacèutica als ciutadans. Unitat Docent d'Estades en Pràctiques Tutelades. Facultat de Farmàcia, Universitat de Barcelona. Curs: 2016-2017. Tutors: David Berlana, Ignasi Cardona Pascual i Marian March Pujol.La psoriasi és una malaltia dermatològica crònica no contagiosa que es caracteritza principalment per lesions a la pell, tot i que pot afectar qualsevol part del cos, inclosos el cuir cabellut, les mans, els peus, els genitals i les ungles. A més, afecta a la salut emocional. És una malaltia autoimmunitària, de manera que una part del sistema immunitari està sobreactivada, fet que provoca que hi hagi una inflamació persistent i una acceleració del procés de renovació de la pell. Les cèl·lules de la pell creixen massa ràpid, i això fa que s’acumulin a la superfície a un ritme molt superior al de la descamació de la pell, donant lloc a una inflamació i envermelliment al voltant de la zona afectada i a l’aparició d’unes plaques de descamació. La seva etiologia és multifactorial, donat que intervenen: - Factors ambientals: estrès, fred, obesitat, traumatismes, infeccions, alcohol, tabac i drogues. - Factors genètics: tot i que no es coneix com s’hereta la malaltia, es creu que la genètica juga un paper clau en el seu desenvolupament. - Factors immunològics És molt important tenir uns hàbits de vida saludables: cuidar-se, fer exercici de forma regular, menjar bé i controlar la pressió arterial

Perceived quality of automotive interior components

[EN] Biomechanics Institute of Valencia (IBV) and Faurecia Interior Systems, have worked together to develop a ¿virtual¿ protocol to assess the perceived quality of automotive interior components. For this purpose, the differences between the real product evaluation and the image have been analyzed, identifying what kind of adaptations are required by the perceived quality protocols.[ES] El Instituto de Biomecánica (IBV) y FAURECIA Interior Systems, han trabajado de la mano para desarrollar un protocolo de evaluación "virtual" de la calidad percibida de componentes de interior de automóvil. Para ello, se han analizado las diferencias entre la evaluación del producto real y una imagen, identificando qué tipo de adaptaciones requieren los protocolos de evaluación de calidad percibida.Soler Valero, A.; Mateo Martínez, B.; Diaz Pineda, JA.; Sancho Mollá, M.; Solaz Sanahuja, JS.; Signes Pérez, E.; Martín Pérez, J.... (2013). Calidad percibida en el interior de vehículos. Revista de biomecánica. 59:9-12. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/38697S9125

Estrategia de enseñanza y aprendizaje de programación basada en la idea de ’hackathon’

[EN] The acquisition of programming and data analysis skills in higher education is increa-singly necessary in all areas of Science and Engineering. In this paper we present a methodology for the motivation of programming learning, mainly focused on the deve-lopment of machine learning algorithms. This methodology is based on the hackathon idea and will have different levels. On the one hand the basic level where a competition is proposed in an improvised way during the development of the class. A second level where a programmed hackathon is proposed but within the classroom environment and using learning management systems such as Moodle. The last level consists of parti-cipation in an external hackathon and the delivery of a report. These levels have been adapted and tested in several undergraduate and master’s degree courses at the Uni-versity of Valencia. We include detailed information on how the methodology has been adapted to the teaching needs of the subject and we conducted anonymized surveys to students to know their degree of satisfaction. These surveys reveal a positive assessment of the experience by the students and include constructive comments for improvement in future editions.[ES] Se presenta una metodología para la motivación del aprendizaje de programación, principalmente enfocada al desarrollo de algoritmos de machine learning. Esta metodología está basada en la idea de hackathon o datathon y tendrá distintos niveles. Por un lado el nivel básico donde se plantea una competición de forma improvisada durante el desarrollo de la clase. Este nivel se puede utilizar para motivar, la evaluación tiene que restringirse a la mera participación. Un segundo nivel donde se plantea un hackathon programado pero dentro del entorno de la clase y utilizando sistemas de gestión de aprendizaje tipo Moodle. Este nivel se puede utilizar para evaluación tanto durante la clase como para un examen. El último nivel consiste en la participación en un hackathon externo y la entrega de un informe. Esta metodología puede servir para la evaluación de una tarea de clase y fomentar el trabajo en equipo. Además plantea un problema real en un entorno semi-profesional.Proyecto de innovación educativa “Explotación de las herramientas online de la Universitat de València para la evaluación a distancia de asignaturas en el área de ciencia” curso (2020-21) UV-SFPIE PID-1354708Piles, M.; Laparra Pérez-Muelas, V.; Peréz-Suay, A.; Mateo-García, G.; Girbés-Juan, V.; Moreno-Llácer, M.; Muñoz-Marí, J. (2021). Estrategia de enseñanza y aprendizaje de programación basada en la idea de ’hackathon’. En IN-RED 2021: VII Congreso de Innovación Edicativa y Docencia en Red. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1552-1564. https://doi.org/10.4995/INRED2021.2021.13785OCS1552156

Polymorphisms of Pyrimidine Pathway Enzymes Encoding Genes and HLA-B*40∶01 Carriage in Stavudine-Associated Lipodystrophy in HIV-Infected Patients

Altres ajuts: Fundación para la Investigación y Prevención del SIDA en España (FIPSE 36610, 36572/06); Red de Investigación en SIDA (RIS RD12/0017/0005, RD12/0017/0014).To assess in a cohort of Caucasian patients exposed to stavudine (d4T) the association of polymorphisms in pyrimidine pathway enzymes and HLA-B*40∶01 carriage with HIV/Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)-associated lipodystrophy syndrome (HALS). Three-hundred and thirty-six patients, 187 with HALS and 149 without HALS, and 72 uninfected subjects were recruited. The diagnosis of HALS was performed following the criteria of the Lipodystrophy Severity Grading Scale. Polymorphisms in the thymidylate synthase (TS) and methylene-tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genes were determined by direct sequencing, HLA-B genotyping by PCR-SSOr Luminex Technology, and intracellular levels of stavudine triphosphate (d4T-TP) by a LC-MS/MS assay method. HALS was associated with the presence of a low expression TS genotype polymorphism (64.7% vs. 42.9%, OR = 2.43; 95%CI: 1.53-3.88, P<0.0001). MTHFR gene polymorphisms and HLA-B*40∶01 carriage were not associated with HALS or d4T-TP intracellular levels. Low and high expression TS polymorphisms had different d4T-TP intracellular levels (25.60 vs. 13.60 fmol/10 6 cells, P<0.0001). Independent factors associated with HALS were(OR [95%CI]: (a) Combined TS and MTHFR genotypes (p = 0.006, reference category (ref.): 'A+A'; OR for 'A+B' vs. ref.: 1.39 [0.69-2.80]; OR for 'B+A' vs. ref.: 2.16 [1.22-3.83]; OR for 'B+B' vs. ref.: 3.13, 95%CI: 1.54-6.35), (b) maximum viral load ≥5 log10 (OR: 2.55, 95%CI: 1.56-4.14, P = 0.001), (c) use of EFV (1.10 [1.00-1.21], P = 0.008, per year of use). HALS is associated with combined low-expression TS and MTHFR associated with high activity polymorphisms but not with HLA-B*40∶01 carriage in Caucasian patients with long-term exposure to stavudine