Analysis of the narrative communication characteristics of virtual reality experiences: meaning-making components of the immersive story

Virtual reality is a technology and media that has evolved dramatically in the last decades. Undoubtedly, the medium has developed its own dynamics and narrative characteristics, due to the possibility of interaction and the ability to allow the viewer/user to focus on different levels of action. In this research, the relevant narrative characteristics in virtual reality are described based on a literature review. Secondly, a sample of online experiences of 360º virtual reality, or cinematic virtual reality (CVR), are analyzed to determine the characters and possibilities of narrative features presented. This analysis can help establish parameters and guidelines for the creation of virtual reality and 360º immersive contents in heterogeneous audiovisual and multimedia fields. The results show both the narrative and aesthetic possibilities of the analyzed videos and their technical and expressive possibilities, in terms of the ability to integrate narrative structures, as well as content in the use of innovative formal resources. In this sense, 360º immersive video becomes an added value of considerable dimensions

DEVELOPMENT OF A ROBOT MODEL APPLIED TO EDUCATION AND SIMULATION IN VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS WITH ROS: SPECIFICATIONS OF THE ROBOT UNICICLO MODEL EDUBOT-V4

La robótica es una disciplina que viene siendo aplicada a los contextos de aprendizaje desde hace décadas. El uso de robots como tecnología mediadora en los procesos de enseñanzaaprendizaje ha evolucionado notablemente desde entonces, encuadrándose en diferentes perspectivas y aplicaciones. El desarrollo de la creatividad, así como la planificación y la resolución de problemas, o la adquisición de competencias procedimentales relacionadas con el ámbito tecnológico, son algunos de los aspectos que produce la robótica en el ámbito educativo. En el presente artículo describimos el desarrollo de un modelo de robot enmarcado dentro de este ámbito educativo, así como sus características y las aplicaciones. El modelo, cuyo primer prototipo fue iniciado en 2014 se ha desarrollado con componentes de hardware libre y código abierto. El presente artículo muestra las implicaciones de implementar dinámicas de trabajo con robots en ámbitos educativos universitarios, al tiempo que el uso de herramientas de simulación en entornos virtuales e inmersivos, usando librerías de software como ROS o simuladores como Gazebo, incrementa las posibilidades de desarrollar nuevas líneas de trabajo y dinámicas de aprendizaje innovadoras.Robotics is a discipline that has been applied to learning contexts for decades. The use of robots as a technology for approaching to educational processes, has progressed since then, and has been part of diverse approaches and applications. The development of creativity, the resolution of problems or acquisition of competences connected with the technological scope, are some of the features set out by robotics in the educational domain. This manuscript describes the development of a model of robot for educational purposes, as well as its features and applications. The model, whose first prototype was initiated in 2014, has been developed with free hardware components and open source. This manuscript shows implications when implementing work dynamics with robots in educational university contexts. Simultaneously, when using tools for simulating robots in virtual immersive environments, all together increases possibilities for developing new lines and dynamics for collaborative and cooperative work

Desarrollo de un modelo de robot aplicado a la educación y simulación en entornos virtuales con ros: Especificaciones del modelo robot uniciclo edubot-v4

La robótica es una disciplina que viene siendo aplicada a los contextos de aprendizaje desde hace décadas. El uso de robots como tecnología mediadora en los procesos de enseñanzaaprendizaje ha evolucionado notablemente desde entonces, encuadrándose en diferentes perspectivas y aplicaciones. El desarrollo de la creatividad, así como la planificación y la resolución de problemas, o la adquisición de competencias procedimentales relacionadas con el ámbito tecnológico, son algunos de los aspectos que produce la robótica en el ámbito educativo. En el presente artículo describimos el desarrollo de un modelo de robot enmarcado dentro de este ámbito educativo, así como sus características y las aplicaciones. El modelo, cuyo primer prototipo fue iniciado en 2014 se ha desarrollado con componentes de hardware libre y código abierto. El presente artículo muestra las implicaciones de implementar dinámicas de trabajo con robots en ámbitos educativos universitarios, al tiempo que el uso de herramientas de simulación en entornos virtuales e inmersivos, usando librerías de software como ROS o simuladores como Gazebo, incrementa las posibilidades de desarrollar nuevas líneas de trabajo y dinámicas de aprendizaje innovadoras

Prosthetic shoulder joint infection by Cutibacterium acnes: does rifampin improve prognosis? a retrospective, multicenter, observational study.

This retrospective, multicenter observational study aimed to describe the outcomes of surgical and medical treatment of C. acnes-related prosthetic joint infection (PJI) and the potential benefit of rifampin-based therapies. Patients with C. acnes-related PJI who were diagnosed and treated between January 2003 and December 2016 were included. We analyzed 44 patients with C. acnes-related PJI (median age, 67.5 years (IQR, 57.3-75.8)); 75% were men. The majority (61.4%) had late chronic infection according to the Tsukayama classification. All patients received surgical treatment, and most antibiotic regimens (43.2%) included β-lactam. Thirty-four patients (87.17%) were cured; five showed relapse. The final outcome (cure vs. relapse) showed a nonsignificant trend toward higher failure frequency among patients with previous prosthesis (OR: 6.89; 95% CI: 0.80-58.90) or prior surgery and infection (OR: 10.67; 95% IC: 1.08-105.28) in the same joint. Patients treated with clindamycin alone had a higher recurrence rate (40.0% vs. 8.8%). Rifampin treatment did not decrease recurrence in patients treated with β-lactams. Prior prosthesis, surgery, or infection in the same joint might be related to recurrence, and rifampin-based combinations do not seem to improve prognosis. Debridement and implant retention appear a safe option for surgical treatment of early PJI

Clustering COVID-19 ARDS patients through the first days of ICU admission. An analysis of the CIBERESUCICOVID Cohort

Background Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) can be classified into sub-phenotypes according to different inflammatory/clinical status. Prognostic enrichment was achieved by grouping patients into hypoinflammatory or hyperinflammatory sub-phenotypes, even though the time of analysis may change the classification according to treatment response or disease evolution. We aimed to evaluate when patients can be clustered in more than 1 group, and how they may change the clustering of patients using data of baseline or day 3, and the prognosis of patients according to their evolution by changing or not the cluster.Methods Multicenter, observational prospective, and retrospective study of patients admitted due to ARDS related to COVID-19 infection in Spain. Patients were grouped according to a clustering mixed-type data algorithm (k-prototypes) using continuous and categorical readily available variables at baseline and day 3.Results Of 6205 patients, 3743 (60%) were included in the study. According to silhouette analysis, patients were grouped in two clusters. At baseline, 1402 (37%) patients were included in cluster 1 and 2341(63%) in cluster 2. On day 3, 1557(42%) patients were included in cluster 1 and 2086 (57%) in cluster 2. The patients included in cluster 2 were older and more frequently hypertensive and had a higher prevalence of shock, organ dysfunction, inflammatory biomarkers, and worst respiratory indexes at both time points. The 90-day mortality was higher in cluster 2 at both clustering processes (43.8% [n = 1025] versus 27.3% [n = 383] at baseline, and 49% [n = 1023] versus 20.6% [n = 321] on day 3). Four hundred and fifty-eight (33%) patients clustered in the first group were clustered in the second group on day 3. In contrast, 638 (27%) patients clustered in the second group were clustered in the first group on day 3.Conclusions During the first days, patients can be clustered into two groups and the process of clustering patients may change as they continue to evolve. This means that despite a vast majority of patients remaining in the same cluster, a minority reaching 33% of patients analyzed may be re-categorized into different clusters based on their progress. Such changes can significantly impact their prognosis

The evolution of the ventilatory ratio is a prognostic factor in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 ARDS patients

Background: Mortality due to COVID-19 is high, especially in patients requiring mechanical ventilation. The purpose of the study is to investigate associations between mortality and variables measured during the first three days of mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19 intubated at ICU admission. Methods: Multicenter, observational, cohort study includes consecutive patients with COVID-19 admitted to 44 Spanish ICUs between February 25 and July 31, 2020, who required intubation at ICU admission and mechanical ventilation for more than three days. We collected demographic and clinical data prior to admission; information about clinical evolution at days 1 and 3 of mechanical ventilation; and outcomes. Results: Of the 2,095 patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU, 1,118 (53.3%) were intubated at day 1 and remained under mechanical ventilation at day three. From days 1 to 3, PaO2/FiO2 increased from 115.6 [80.0-171.2] to 180.0 [135.4-227.9] mmHg and the ventilatory ratio from 1.73 [1.33-2.25] to 1.96 [1.61-2.40]. In-hospital mortality was 38.7%. A higher increase between ICU admission and day 3 in the ventilatory ratio (OR 1.04 [CI 1.01-1.07], p = 0.030) and creatinine levels (OR 1.05 [CI 1.01-1.09], p = 0.005) and a lower increase in platelet counts (OR 0.96 [CI 0.93-1.00], p = 0.037) were independently associated with a higher risk of death. No association between mortality and the PaO2/FiO2 variation was observed (OR 0.99 [CI 0.95 to 1.02], p = 0.47). Conclusions: Higher ventilatory ratio and its increase at day 3 is associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19 receiving mechanical ventilation at ICU admission. No association was found in the PaO2/FiO2 variation

Key Factors Associated With Pulmonary Sequelae in the Follow-Up of Critically Ill COVID-19 Patients

Introduction: Critical COVID-19 survivors have a high risk of respiratory sequelae. Therefore, we aimed to identify key factors associated with altered lung function and CT scan abnormalities at a follow-up visit in a cohort of critical COVID-19 survivors. Methods: Multicenter ambispective observational study in 52 Spanish intensive care units. Up to 1327 PCR-confirmed critical COVID-19 patients had sociodemographic, anthropometric, comorbidity and lifestyle characteristics collected at hospital admission; clinical and biological parameters throughout hospital stay; and, lung function and CT scan at a follow-up visit. Results: The median [p25–p75] time from discharge to follow-up was 3.57 [2.77–4.92] months. Median age was 60 [53–67] years, 27.8% women. The mean (SD) percentage of predicted diffusing lung capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) at follow-up was 72.02 (18.33)% predicted, with 66% of patients having DLCO < 80% and 24% having DLCO < 60%. CT scan showed persistent pulmonary infiltrates, fibrotic lesions, and emphysema in 33%, 25% and 6% of patients, respectively. Key variables associated with DLCO < 60% were chronic lung disease (CLD) (OR: 1.86 (1.18–2.92)), duration of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) (OR: 1.56 (1.37–1.77)), age (OR [per-1-SD] (95%CI): 1.39 (1.18–1.63)), urea (OR: 1.16 (0.97–1.39)) and estimated glomerular filtration rate at ICU admission (OR: 0.88 (0.73–1.06)). Bacterial pneumonia (1.62 (1.11–2.35)) and duration of ventilation (NIMV (1.23 (1.06–1.42), IMV (1.21 (1.01–1.45)) and prone positioning (1.17 (0.98–1.39)) were associated with fibrotic lesions. Conclusion: Age and CLD, reflecting patients’ baseline vulnerability, and markers of COVID-19 severity, such as duration of IMV and renal failure, were key factors associated with impaired DLCO and CT abnormalities

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Gestión del conocimiento: perspectiva multidisciplinaria. Volumen 12

El libro “Gestión del Conocimiento. Perspectiva Multidisciplinaria”, Volumen 12, de la Colección Unión Global, es resultado de investigaciones. Los capítulos del libro, son resultados de investigaciones desarrolladas por sus autores. El libro cuenta con el apoyo de los grupos de investigación: Universidad Sur del Lago “Jesús María Semprúm” (UNESUR), Zulia – Venezuela; Universidad Politécnica Territorial de Falcón Alonso Gamero (UPTAG), Falcón – Venezuela; Universidad Politécnica Territorial de Mérida Kleber Ramírez (UPTM), Mérida – Venezuela; Universidad Guanajuato (UG) - Campus Celaya - Salvatierra - Cuerpo Académico de Biodesarrollo y Bioeconomía en las Organizaciones y Políticas Públicas (C.A.B.B.O.P.P), Guanajuato – México; Centro de Altos Estudios de Venezuela (CEALEVE), Zulia – Venezuela, Centro Integral de Formación Educativa Especializada del Sur (CIFE - SUR) - Zulia - Venezuela, Centro de Investigaciones Internacionales SAS (CIN), Antioquia - Colombia.y diferentes grupos de investigación del ámbito nacional e internacional que hoy se unen para estrechar vínculos investigativos, para que sus aportes científicos formen parte de los libros que se publiquen en formatos digital e impreso

Creación experimental en el espacio digital : entornos digitales colaborativos y laboratorios multimedia

Se describe una serie de fenómenos que comprenden el contexto tecnológico relatico al ámbito del continuo de la virtualidad (virtuality continuum), propuesto por primea vez por Milgram y Kishino (1994), el cual se compone de cuatro niveles fundamentales, en función del grado y la procedencia (real o virtual) de la información: espacio físico, realidad aumentada, virtualidad aumentada y realidad virtual. Los fenómenos, por tanto relativos al continuo de la virtualidad se configuran como parte del objeto de estudio de este proyecto de investigación, partiendo del conjunto de transformaciones que producen, en los diferentes ámbitos, debido a la reconfiguración del espacio en base a la incorporación del factor de la virtualidad: cultura, social, científico-tecnológico e incluso, reconfigurando el uso de las propias tecnologías digitales y los dispositivos de hardware.Los resultados de la investigación presentan escenarios de convergencia entre disciplinas, permitiendo observar una serie de transformaciones en las prácticas, llevadas a cabo para la realización de proyectos que incorporan una componente creativa y constructivista relevante, medidas por tecnologías que permiten acceder a entornos con un grado de virtualidad determinado. La discusión, en torno a la configuración de escenarios, donde el continuo de la virtualidad tenga un grado de importancia notable, posibilita la reflexión en torno a la incorporación de líneas de investigación emergentes, a la vez que plantea aproximaciones en lo referente a las implicaciones prácticas, que parten de los fenómenos analizados, cuyo potencial es objeto de estudio en los presentes contextos: social, educativo, tecnológico, científico, artístico y creativo.MadridES