Editorial

UID/SOC/04647/2013publishersversionpublishe

Use of laser interferometry for measuring concrete substrate roughness in patch repairs

The overall success and long-term durability of a patch repair is significantly influenced by the bond developed at the interface between the concrete substrate and the repair material. In turn, the bond strength is influenced by the topography (roughness) of the substrate surface after removal of the defective concrete. However, different removal methods of defective concrete produce substrate surfaces with different topographies. Hence, the ability to measure and characterise the topography of substrate surfaces is of great importance for evaluating the effectiveness of different removal methods. In this paper, the effect of two removal methods: electric chipping hammers and Remote Robotic Hydro-erosion (RRH) on the surface roughness is investigated through the use of a prototype non-contact (optical) laser interferometry measuring device. Laboratory results show that the above equipment can be used to characterise substrate roughness and confirm the ability of RRH to create rougher surfaces as opposed to chipping hammers

Neurobiological substrates of chronic low back pain (CLBP): a brain [⁹⁹ᵐTc]Tc-ECD SPECT study

Background: Recent neuroimaging studies have demonstrated pathological mechanisms related to cerebral neuroplasticity in chronic low back pain (CLBP). Few studies have compared cerebral changes between patients with and without pain in the absence of an experimentally induced stimulus. We investigated the neurobiological substrates associated with chronic low back pain using [99mTc]Tc-ECD brain SPECT and correlated rCBF findings with the numeric rating scale (NRS) of pain and douleur neuropathique en 4 questions (DN4). Ten healthy control volunteers and fourteen patients with neuropathic CLBP due to lumbar disc herniation underwent cerebral SPECT scans. A quantitative comparison of rCBF findings between patients and controls was made using the Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM), revealing clusters of voxels with a significant increase or decrease in rCBF. The intensity of CLBP was assessed by NRS and by DN4. / RESULTS: The results demonstrated an rCBF increase in clusters A (occipital and posterior cingulate cortex) and B (right frontal) and a decrease in cluster C (superior parietal lobe and middle cingulate cortex). NRS scores were inversely and moderately correlated with the intensity of rCBF increase in cluster B, but not to rCBF changes in clusters A and C. DN4 scores did not correlate with rCBF changes in all three clusters. / CONCLUSIONS: This study will be important for future therapeutic studies that aim to validate the association of rCBF findings with the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profiles of therapeutic challenges in pain

Pharmacodynamic effect of gabapentin on central nervous system in patients with chronic low back pain: a [99mTc]Tc-ECD SPECT study

Background: Gabapentin is an effective therapeutic alternative for chronic low back pain, indicated in several guidelines for treating neuropathic pain as first-line medication. This study aimed to describe the pharmacodynamics of gabapentin in the central nervous system of patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) by using single-photon emission CT (SPECT) with [99mTc]Tc-ECD. Methods: We selected 13 patients with CLBP due to lumbar disc herniation. They underwent SPECT before and after using gabapentin, compared with a SPECT database of healthy volunteers. A second analysis compared regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) changes between responders and non-responders to gabapentin and the healthy controls. Results: The mean age of patients was 41 years, and the mean pain intensity was 5.92 points, measured by the Numeric Rating Scale. After using gabapentin, SPECT showed an increase of rCBF in the bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus and a decrease of rCBF in periaqueductal gray matter. Non-responder patients with gabapentin showed a post-treatment decrease of rCBF in the paracentral lobule of the brain. Conclusions: A lack of improvement in some patients with gabapentin may be associated with an activated affective circuit of pain, evidenced by the increase of rCBF of the anterior cingulate cortex. A maladaptive brain state in chronic pain can explain the decrease of rCBF in the default mode network structures. Gabapentin acts directly or indirectly on neurons of periaqueductal gray substance by increasing the pain threshold and decreasing the rCBF of this structure

I Jornadas de Jóvenes Investigadores en Arqueología: libro de Actas

Libro I de Actas de las Jornadas de Jóvenes Investigadores en Arqueología, celebradas en la Universidad Complutense de Madrid en febrero de 2016

Environmental noise control during its transmission phase to protect buildings. Design model for acoustic barriers based on arrays of isolated scatterers

A new generation of acoustic barriers is being introduced into the noise control market. These barriers, based on arrays of isolated scatterers, present interesting properties to be used in cities to reduce the transmitted transport noise affecting buildings. Among them, both aesthetic and continuity factors of the urban landscape may be mentioned. This new kind of barrier is technologically advanced and acoustically competitive with respect to the current ones formed by continuous rigid materials. To design these barriers whilst taking into account their inherent acoustic complexity, we present an overlapping numerical model here that enables us to split the real three-dimensional problem into two twodimensional ones, allowing both the reduction of the computational cost and the separate analysis of each one of the noise control mechanisms involved. We analyse different cases, checking the numerical simulations with accurate experimental results.This work is supported by MEC (Spanish Government) under grant No. MTM2012-36740-C02-02.Castiñeira Ibáñez, S.; Rubio Michavila, C.; Sánchez Pérez, JV. (2015). Environmental noise control during its transmission phase to protect buildings. Design model for acoustic barriers based on arrays of isolated scatterers. Building and Environment. 93:179-185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2015.07.002S1791859

The Term Equity in Education: A Literature Review with Scientific Mapping in Web of Science

In this section you can acknowledge any support given which is not covered by the author contribution or funding sections. This may include administrative and technical support, or donations in kind (e.g., materials used for experiments).The term “equity” (EQUI) is a complex concept to be defined, because it depends on many factors, mainly political ideals. The objective of this research is to determine the evolution and development of the term equity in education by the scientific community. The main objective is to identify the scientific production and performance of the term equity in the field of education. The research method developed is based on bibliometrics, specifically on the technique of scientific mapping, and a process of quantification, analysis, evaluation and estimation of scientific documents was developed. The results indicate there is no established line of research or strong connections between the themes. This shows the existing variety of research on the term equity. Thus, the trend in research on the term equity is focused on the early periods of study on the students’ diversity in order to evolve to more concrete and specific aspects of equity, such as gender and race. It is concluded that the theoretical framework of reference shows how equity should be incorporated into the education system under the parameters of equal opportunities, of equality in access to higher education, regardless of gender or socio-cultural background.Proyecto de investigacion I+D Reference: ISPRS-2017-2021Corporacion Escuela Tecnologica del Oriente y Secretaria de Educacion de Santander (Colombia) & University of Granad

La didàctica en un entorn virtual interuniversitari : experimentació d'ECTS basada en TIC

En el context actual de desenvolupament tecnològic i de construcció de l'espai europeu d'educació superior emergeixen les necessitats d'adaptació a les noves exigències de treball didàctic d'estratègies propiciades pel mateix sistema de crèdits (ECTS). És a dir, es fa present l'exigència d'experimentar metodologies relacionades amb la implementació imminent dels crèdits europeus. En l'estudi, fet sobre la virtualització de determinades assignatures del Pla d'estudis de Pedagogia, es presenten diversos projectes individuals que conjuntament aposten per la incorporació de les tecnologies de la informació i la comunicació (TIC) a la docència com un dels elements clau per millorar el procés d'ensenyament-aprenentatge, com també l'experimentació dels crèdits europeus. En aquest article es presenten els resultats més rellevants de l'experimentació duta a terme el curs acadèmic 2005-2006, des de la valoració dels actors (professorat i alumnat).En el contexto actual de desarrollo tecnológico y de construcción del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior emergen las necesidades de adaptación a las nuevas exigencias de trabajo didáctico de estrategias propiciadas por el propio sistema de créditos (ECTS). Es decir, se hace presente la exigencia de experimentar metodologías relacionadas con la implementación inminente de los créditos europeos. En el estudio, realizado sobre la virtualización de determinadas asignaturas del plan de estudios de pedagogía, se presentan varios proyectos individuales que conjuntamente apuestan por la incorporación de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) a la docencia como uno de los elementos clave para mejorar el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje, así como la experimentación de los créditos europeos. En este artículo se presentan los resultados más relevantes de la experimentación realizada en el curso académico 2005-2006, desde la valoración de los actores (profesores y alumnos).In today's environment of technological development and the construction of the European Higher Education Area, new needs are emerging to adapt to the new demands of teaching using strategies being promoted by the credit system (ECTS). That is, there is an imperative to experiment with methodologies related to the imminent implementation of the European credit system. In this study, which was conducted on the virtualisation of certain courses in within the curriculum of the Pedagogy degree programme, several individual projects are presented that together aim to incorporate information and communication technologies (ITCs) into teaching as one of the key elements to improving the teachinglearning process, as well as experimenting with the new European credits. This article presents the most noteworthy results of the experiment carried out in academic year 2005-06 based on the assessments of the main stakeholders (professors and students)

Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy for Reducing Anxiety and Depression in Fibromyalgia

Ajuts: Financial support was obtained through Gobierno de Aragón's funding of regional excellence research groups (B17-20R). This study was supported by the Chair of Contemplative Sciences and Master of Mindfulness degree program of University of Zaragoza, Spain. The funders did not have any influence on the results.Fibromyalgia patients often experience anxiety and depressive symptoms; however, validated interventions show only limited efficacy. This pilot study analyzed the effects of a 16-session version of attachment-based compassion therapy (ABCT-16) for improving anxiety and depressive symptomatology, as well as self-compassion and decentering, in 11 fibromyalgia patients. Scales were assessed at four time points: baseline, after sessions 8 and 16, and 3.5 months after the completion of the program. Significant improvements were found in all outcomes after the program, and most remained significant in the follow-up assessment. Our preliminary results suggest that ABCT-16 can be effective for improving anxiety and depressive symptomatology in fibromyalgia patients. Nonetheless, further studies with larger samples and control groups are necessary to confirm these results