La aplicación de las IDEs en la enseñanza en ingeniería

Las Infraestructuras de Datos Espaciales (IDEs) cada vez más cobran relevancia como recurso docente en la enseñanza en carreras técnicas. Las IDEs permiten a los estudiantes acceder vía Web a información geográfica que les es de utilidad en el desarrollo de supuestos prácticos, así como refuerza sus habilidades. Tras la publicación de la Directiva Europea INSPIRE es obligatoria su instalación. Ello ha supuesto un desafío en la formación de personal especializado en temática. Dada las características de la información a la que se refiere, el desarrollo de recursos didácticos para introducir esta formación en carreras técnicas se considera crucial. En el presente trabajo, se desarrolla una experiencia piloto que expone las fortalezas y debilidades de su utilización como recurso docente

Guidelines Based on Need-Findings Study and Communication Types to Design Interactions for MOOCs

Experts affirm that interaction in learning settings represent a necessary process for knowledge acquisition and cognitive development. In this vein, is crucial to ensure effective interaction and communication through the user interface of MOOCs. This work proposes a set of design guidelines as starting point for developers to integrate a set of interactive elements into the MOOCs' user interface oriented to foster the four basic types for communication in distance education. The design guidelines were conformed through a need-findings process (observing people-interviewing), in which 35 participants provided their user experience perceptions after using MOOCs from edX; Coursera; and Udacity. Obtained results suggest a particular set of interactive communication elements that should be incorporated in every MOOC's user interface

Tailoring single-molecule conductance with structured graphene electrodes

Modulation of electric currents through single-molecule junctions is usually achieved by synthesis of molecules with desired functionalities, in conjunction with suitable molecule–electrode contacts through specific anchoring groups. An alternative to this approach, barely explored so far, is to use structured electrodes, where conductivity could eventually be controlled by changing the specific anchoring site within the very same electrode. Here, we theoretically investigate how to exploit the pronounced anisotropy of corrugated graphene deposited on Ru(0001) (Gr/Ru) to tailor single-molecule conductivity in 4-aminophenyl and 4-aminobenzonitrile. We show that currents induced in the upper and lower anchoring positions in the Gr/Ru moiré are substantially different, irrespective of the chosen molecule. The magnitude of these currents can differ by as much as an order of magnitude at specific bias voltages. We also show that both molecules display rectifying properties, which can differ by up to a factor of five in different anchoring sites. Interestingly, the observed modulations strongly depend on the chemical binding nature between the molecule and the electrode, (strong) covalent bond for 4-aminophenyl and (weak) physisorption for 4-aminobenzonitrile. All this suggests that Gr/Ru can be an ideal electrode to modulate single-molecule electric conductivity under experimental conditions that are available in many laboratoriesPID2019-105458RB-I00, PID2019-106732GB-I0

Strain Relief Analysis of InN Quantum Dots Grown on GaN

We present a study by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the strain state of individual InN quantum dots (QDs) grown on GaN substrates. Moiré fringe and high resolution TEM analyses showed that the QDs are almost fully relaxed due to the generation of a 60° misfit dislocation network at the InN/GaN interface. By applying the Geometric Phase Algorithm to plan-view high-resolution micrographs, we show that this network consists of three essentially non-interacting sets of misfit dislocations lying along the directions. Close to the edge of the QD, the dislocations curve to meet the surface and form a network of threading dislocations surrounding the system

Impact of atmospheric deposition on the metabolism of coastal microbial communities

11 páginas, 3 tablas, 5 figurasThe impact of rain water collected at marine, urban and rural sites on coastal phytoplankton biomass, primary production and community composition as well as the effect on microbial plankton metabolism was studied in 3 microcosm experiments conducted under contrasting spring, autumn and winter conditions. The measured responses were highly variable. Rainwater additions increased chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration (5–68% difference between rainwater treatments relative to the control) in all experiments and reduced or stimulated primary production (PP) depending on the treatment and the experiment (from −10 to +169% relative to the control). Autotrophic stimulation was highest in spring, probably related to the low initial natural nutrient concentrations. Under winter nutrient replete conditions, rainwater inputs changed the phytoplankton community although this change did not promote increases in primary production. Enhancement of net autotrophy (increase of net oxygen production up to 227%) after rainwater inputs were only found during the period of low nutrient availability. Inputs of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) explained a large fraction of the variability in the response of PP, Chl a, community respiration (CR) and net community production (NCP). Our results suggest that differences in the initial environmental conditions (i.e. nutrient availability), rainwater composition and the ability of the present autotrophic communities to utilize the new nutrients result in substantial changes in the microbial responses and associated biologically-mediated carbon fluxes. As atmospheric nutrient inputs into coastal oceans are increasing rapidly, our results help to understand the effects of different inputs on the metabolism of distinct microbial communitiesThis research was supported by the Galician Government (Xunta de Galicia) through the grants 07MMA002402PR (IMAN) and PGIDIT06PXIB312222PR (AddEx). S.M-G. and E.E.G-M. were funded by F.P.U. fellowships and E.T. by a Ramón y Cajal contract of the Spanish Ministry of Science and InnovationPeer reviewe

Potential Involvement of NSD1, KRT24 and ACACA in the Genetic Predisposition to Colorectal Cancer

The ALFRED (Allelic Loss Featuring Rare Damaging) in silico method was developed to identify cancer predisposition genes through the identification of somatic second hits. By applying ALFRED to ~10,000 tumor exomes, 49 candidate genes were identified. We aimed to assess the causal association of the identified genes with colorectal cancer (CRC) predisposition. Of the 49 genes, NSD1, HDAC10, KRT24, ACACA and TP63 were selected based on specific criteria relevant for hereditary CRC genes. Gene sequencing was performed in 736 patients with familial/early onset CRC or polyposis without germline pathogenic variants in known genes. Twelve (predicted) damaging variants in 18 patients were identified. A gene-based burden test in 1596 familial/early-onset CRC patients, 271 polyposis patients, 543 TCGA CRC patients and >134,000 controls (gnomAD, non-cancer), revealed no clear association with CRC for any of the studied genes. Nevertheless, (non-significant) over-representation of disruptive variants in NSD1, KRT24 and ACACA in CRC patients compared to controls was observed. A somatic second hit was identified in one of 20 tumors tested, corresponding to an NSD1 carrier. In conclusion, most genes identified through the ALFRED in silico method were not relevant for CRC predisposition, although a possible association was detected for NSD1, KRT24 and ACACA

Bacterioplankton responses to riverine and atmospheric inputs in a coastal upwelling system (Ría de Vigo, NW Spain)

12 páginas, 5 figuras, 2 tablasAnthropogenic pressures are changing the magnitude and nature of matter inputs into the ocean. The Ría de Vigo (NW Spain) is a highly productive and dynamic coastal system that is likely affected by such alterations. Previous nutrient-addition microcosm experiments conducted during contrasting hydrographic conditions suggested that heterotrophic bacteria are limited by organic carbon (C) and occasionally co-limited by inorganic nutrients in this coastal area. In order to assess short-term responses in biomass, production, and respiration of heterotrophic bacteria from the Ría de Vigo to increasing amounts of natural inputs of matter, we conducted 6 microcosm experiments, wherein surface seawater collected in spring, summer, and autumn was mixed with increasing amounts of dissolved natural matter concentrates from riverine and atmospheric origin. Simultaneous experiments with controlled inorganic and/or organic additions indicated that bacteria were co-limited by inorganic nutrients and C in spring and summer and primarily limited by C in autumn. Production responded more than biomass to increasing inputs of matter, whereas respiration did not change. The bacterial production response to increasing dissolved organic C load associated with riverine and atmospheric inputs was strongly related to the relative phosphorus (P) content of the dissolved matter concentrates. Our data suggest that bacterial production might decrease with the increase of P-deficient allochthonous matter inputs, which would have important biogeochemical consequences for C cycling in coastal areasThis research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation through project REIMAGE (grants CTM2011-30155-C03-01 and CTM2011-30155-C03-02) and by the Xunta the Galicia trough project DIMENSION (grant EM2013/023). E. B-L was funded by a F.P.I. MICINN fellowship. M.N.-C. was funded by the CSIC Program "Junta para la Ampliación de Estudios" co-financed by the ESF. S.M.G. was funded by a Marie Curie fellowshipPeer reviewe

Recommendations for the classification of germline variants in the exonuclease domain of POLE and POLD1

BackgroundGermline variants affecting the proofreading activity of polymerases epsilon and delta cause a hereditary cancer and adenomatous polyposis syndrome characterized by tumors with a high mutational burden and a specific mutational spectrum. In addition to the implementation of multiple pieces of evidence for the classification of gene variants, POLE and POLD1 variant classification is particularly challenging given that non-disruptive variants affecting the proofreading activity of the corresponding polymerase are the ones associated with cancer. In response to an evident need in the field, we have developed gene-specific variant classification recommendations, based on the ACMG/AMP (American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics/Association for Molecular Pathology) criteria, for the assessment of non-disruptive variants located in the sequence coding for the exonuclease domain of the polymerases.MethodsA training set of 23 variants considered pathogenic or benign was used to define the usability and strength of the ACMG/AMP criteria. Population frequencies, computational predictions, co-segregation data, phenotypic and tumor data, and functional results, among other features, were considered.ResultsGene-specific variant classification recommendations for non-disruptive variants located in the exonuclease domain of POLE and POLD1 were defined. The resulting recommendations were applied to 128 exonuclease domain variants reported in the literature and/or public databases. A total of 17 variants were classified as pathogenic or likely pathogenic, and 17 as benign or likely benign.ConclusionsOur recommendations, with room for improvement in the coming years as more information become available on carrier families, tumor molecular characteristics and functional assays, are intended to serve the clinical and scientific communities and help improve diagnostic performance, avoiding variant misclassifications

Neuronal p38α mediates synaptic and cognitive dysfunction in an Alzheimer’s mouse model by controlling β-amyloid production.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a severe and progressive neuronal loss leading to cognitive dysfunctions. Previous reports, based on the use of chemical inhibitors, have connected the stress kinase p38α to neuroinflammation, neuronal death and synaptic dysfunction. To explore the specific role of neuronal p38α signalling in the appearance of pathological symptoms, we have generated mice that combine expression of the 5XFAD transgenes to induce AD symptoms with the downregulation of p38α only in neurons (5XFAD/p38α∆-N). We found that the neuronal-specific deletion of p38α improves the memory loss and long-term potentiation impairment induced by 5XFAD transgenes. Furthermore, 5XFAD/p38α∆-N mice display reduced amyloid-β accumulation, improved neurogenesis, and important changes in brain cytokine expression compared with 5XFAD mice. Our results implicate neuronal p38α signalling in the synaptic plasticity dysfunction and memory impairment observed in 5XFAD mice, by regulating both amyloid-β deposition in the brain and the relay of this accumulation to mount an inflammatory response, which leads to the cognitive deficits.post-print1848 K