Análisis de la deserción en los SPOOCs a partir de la retroalimentación digital y la interacción sincrónica y asincrónica

Los SPOOCs (por sus siglas en inglés Self Paced Online'Open Curses) han revolucionado el sistema de enseñanza debido a que se pueden realizar al propio ritmo del estudiante y tienen ventajas como: la ausencia de pagos, flexibilidad de horarios, acceso digital y falta de requerimientos previos al momento de la inscripción. Sin embargo, la cantidad de estudiantes que no logran terminar un curso alcanza el 61 %. Existen diferentes razones relacionadas con la deserción en los SPOOCs, según la literatura, la retroalimentación y la interacción son variables que pueden tener un impacto significativo en la disminución de la deserción del curso, ya que estas desarrollan positivamente aspectos emocionales y motivacionales de los estudiantes de cursos de educación virtual. Las herramientas escogidas para la interacción fueron ChatBot y Foro a la vez que para retroalimentación se escogieron videos y textos aclaratorios, para la primera variable se tuvo en cuenta que los más jóvenes tienen preferencia por una comunicación sincrónica y los mayores prefieren comunicaciones asincronas, para la segunda variable se buscaron herramientas que respondieran a las formas de aprendizaje de lecto-escritura, visual y auditiva. El resultado de la investigación suponía hallar una relación significativa entre una combinación de estas herramientas y la deserción, para lograr esto, se siguió un diseño factorial 2x2 que implicaba el desarrollo de 8 SPOOCs con la misma temática (Pronósticos de Ventas) donde cada uno contaba con una combinación diferente de herramientas. El proceso de creación se constituyó a partir de la definición del Avatar, la estructuración de los cursos en la plataforma MOODLE y el reclutamiento digital, el desarrollo se basó en un análisis inferencial con pruebas Log Lineal y de hipótesis, soporte en terceros especializados y publicidad digital. Una vez cada SPOOC había sido configurado correctamente y contaba con los estudiantes necesarios, se definió un tiempo de duración de 4 semanas para la realización del curso donde se verificaba semanalmente el correcto funcionamiento de la plataforma, las validaciones semanales permitían hacerle seguimiento al avance de los estudiantes en los cursos e identificar oportunidades de mejora para el curso comprobatorio. El análisis de los resultados de los 8 cursos arrojó que un curso con la presencia de ChatBot y retroalimentación por video tenía el mayor impacto en la disminución de la deserción, esto se validó a partir de un análisis inferencial que se componía de tres fases; experimental, relacional-causal y longitudinal, esto permitió validar apropiadamente los niveles de significancia existentes entre las variables abordadas y la disminución de la deserción, todo esto haciendo uso del programa SPSS. Un curso comprobatorio constituyó el final de esta investigación, esto fue importante para validar que la combinación de herramientas que disminuía la deserción fuese verídica, el curso mantuvo los mismos parámetros de los cursos iniciales y se hicieron algunas correcciones no significativas de contenido con el fin de mantener la ecuanimidad de la investigación.SPOOCs (Self-Paced Online Open Courses) have revolutionized the learning system since they can be done at the student's pace and have other advantages like not having a fee, being flexible with people's schedules, being available digitally and not having any requirements for enrolment. However, a large portion of students, reaching as high as 60%, do not get to finish the course. There are numerous reasons related to the desertion of SPOOCs. According to literature, feedback and interaction are variables that have a significant impact in the reduction of this desertion. This is because they develop positive emotional and motivational aspects in the students of the online courses. In this research, the tools chosen were a ChatBot and Forums. For clarifying feedback videos and text were presented. The first variable that was considered was that younger people have a preference in synchronous communication while older people have a preference in asynchronous communication. For the second variable different tools were found that would respond to learning styles for reading, writing, visual and listening. The results hoped to find a significant relation between the combinations of these tools and the desertion of the students. To accomplish this, a 2x2 factorial design that involved the development of 8 SPOOCs with the same theme “Sales Prognostics” each one having a different tool combination. The creation process began from the definition of an Avatar, the making of the courses in the MOODLE platform and the digital recruitment. This creation process was based on a inferential analysis with Log Lineal and hypothesis tests, specialized third party support and digital publicity. A duration time of 4 weeks was set once each SPOOC was correctly arranged and had the right number of students was enrolled. A weekly check was performed for the functions of the platform. These weekly checks allowed to follow up the progress of the students in the course and identify improvement opportunities that were added in the evidential course. An analysis was made of the results of the 8 courses. It determined that the presence of a ChatBot and video feedback had the biggest impact in the decrease of desertion. This was validated through an inferential longitudinal analysis that comprised three stages; experimental, casual-relational, and longitudinal. This analysis allowed to properly valídate the existing significance levels between the different types of used variables and the reduction of desertion. This analysis was all done using the software SPSS. An evidential course established the end of the investigation which was important to valídate that the combination of tools that were stablished to reduce desertion were effective and true. The course maintained the same parameters as the initial courses and some non-significant content corrections were made with the purpose of maintain the equanimity of the investigation.Ingeniero (a) IndustrialPregrad

A flexible methanol-to-methane thermochemical energy storage system (TCES) for gas turbine (GT) power production

This study introduces an innovative solution to address the challenges arising from the volatile natural gas market and the growing integration of renewable energy sources within the industrial sector. The research strives to confront this challenge by including renewable methanol (CH3OH) and converting it into methane (CH4), with an intermediate step involving synthesis gas (CO/H2) by using concentrating solar power. This approach provides a sustainable and adaptable solution to reduce dependence on natural gas. The process entails a methanol decomposition reaction at moderate temperatures (500 °C). The resulting methane is used as fuel for gas turbines and can also serve as feedstock in the chemical industry. The simulations were conducted in ASPEN HYSYS and yielded overall system efficiencies exceeding 29% and roundtrip efficiencies of 44%. Through techno-economic optimisation of the reaction conditions, competitive levelized fuel costs (LCOF) of €172/MWh and future LCOE values of €145/MWh were achieved. These findings present an innovative strategy for integrating gas turbine cycles and additional conversion pathways for green methanol.ESASUR and VS Energy Tech SL (University of Seville, Spain

Rede iberoamericana de programas pós-consumo de medicamentos: passado, presente e futuro

Contamination by pharmaceuticals is a worldwide concern. Several studies have shown the deleterious effect that these products cause to ecosystems, including human beings. Among the strategies proposed to mitigate this problem are post- consumer drug management programs, mostly based on the concepts of Corporate Social Responsibility, Circular Economy, and Reverse Logistics. Four of these programs stand out, which have been successfully installed in Colombia (Punto Azul), Spain (SIGRE), Mexico (SINGREM) and Portugal (VALORMED). Together they conform the Ibero-American Network of Post-Consumer Drug Programs. This paper provides an overview of the origins of these programs, their current situation, and future projections.La contaminación por residuos farmacéuticos es una preocupación a nivel mundial. Diversos estudios han demostrado el efecto deletéreo que estos productos ocasionan sobre los ecosistemas en general, incluyendo los seres humanos. Entre las estrategias propuestas para mitigar esta problemática figuran los programas de gestión posconsumo de medicamentos, basados, en su mayoría, en conceptos de Responsabilidad Social Empresaria, Economía Circular y Logística Inversa. De tales programas se destacan cuatro, que han sido instalados con éxito, en Colombia (Punto Azul), España (SIGRE), México (SINGREM) y Portugal (VALORMED). En forma conjunta integran la Red Iberoamericana de Programas Posconsumo de Medicamentos. En este trabajo se brinda un panorama de los orígenes de estos programas, su situación actual y las proyecciones futuras.A contaminação por resíduos farmacêuticos é uma preocupação mundial. Vários estudos têm mostrado o efeito deletério que esses produtos causam nos ecossistemas em geral, inclusive no ser humano. Entre as estratégias propostas para mitigar esse problema estão os programas de gestão de medicamentos pós-consumo, em sua maioria baseados nos conceitos de Responsabilidade Social Corporativa, Economia Circular e Logística Reversa. Destacam-se quatro desses programas, implantados com sucesso na Colômbia (Punto Azul), Espanha (SIGRE), México (SINGREM) e Portugal (VALORMED). Juntos, eles compõem a Rede Ibero-Americana de Programas Pós-Consumo de Medicamentos. Este artigo fornece uma visão geral sobre as origens desses programas, sua situação atual e projeções futuras

Defective lysosomal proteolysis and axonal transport are early pathogenic events that worsen with age leading to increased APP metabolism and synaptic Abeta in transgenic APP/PS1 hippocampus

Background: Axonal pathology might constitute one of the earliest manifestations of Alzheimer disease. Axonal dystrophies were observed in Alzheimer’s patients and transgenic models at early ages. These axonal dystrophies could reflect the disruption of axonal transport and the accumulation of multiple vesicles at local points. It has been also proposed that dystrophies might interfere with normal intracellular proteolysis. In this work, we have investigated the progression of the hippocampal pathology and the possible implication in Abeta production in young (6 months) and aged (18 months) PS1(M146L)/APP(751sl) transgenic mice. Results: Our data demonstrated the existence of a progressive, age-dependent, formation of axonal dystrophies, mainly located in contact with congophilic Abeta deposition, which exhibited tau and neurofilament hyperphosphorylation. This progressive pathology was paralleled with decreased expression of the motor proteins kinesin and dynein. Furthermore, we also observed an early decrease in the activity of cathepsins B and D, progressing to a deep inhibition of these lysosomal proteases at late ages. This lysosomal impairment could be responsible for the accumulation of LC3-II and ubiquitinated proteins within axonal dystrophies. We have also investigated the repercussion of these deficiencies on the APP metabolism. Our data demonstrated the existence of an increase in the amyloidogenic pathway, which was reflected by the accumulation of hAPPfl, C99 fragment, intracellular Abeta in parallel with an increase in BACE and gamma-secretase activities. In vitro experiments, using APPswe transfected N2a cells, demonstrated that any imbalance on the proteolytic systems reproduced the in vivo alterations in APP metabolism. Finally, our data also demonstrated that Abeta peptides were preferentially accumulated in isolated synaptosomes. Conclusion: A progressive age-dependent cytoskeletal pathology along with a reduction of lysosomal and, in minor extent, proteasomal activity could be directly implicated in the progressive accumulation of APP derived fragments (and Abeta peptides) in parallel with the increase of BACE-1 and gamma-secretase activities. This retard in the APP metabolism seemed to be directly implicated in the synaptic Abeta accumulation and, in consequence, in the pathology progression between synaptically connected regions

Desarrollo de una App para el Grado de Publicidad y Relaciones Públicas como Sistema de Evaluación y Mejora Continua de la Calidad

Elaboración de una aplicación informática para conseguir mayor interacción con los alumnos y su opinión sobre la calidad del plan docente del grado de Publicidad y Relaciones Públicas

Estrategias para la transformación de los residuos del plátano generando valor agregado

En la actualidad el desarrollo de la sociedad y el consumo generado por la misma ha llevado a un incremento en la utilización de plásticos de un solo uso. En respuesta a ello, se están generando estrategias y alternativas que buscan mitigar éste efecto contaminante y adicionalmente dar valor agregado a subproductos de cosecha de muchos cultivos. En el caso del Departamento del Tolima, existen algunos municipios con una importante producción de Plátano (Musa paradisiaca) que en su gran mayoría es aprovechado solo en un 20-25% del volumen total de la planta - representado en el racimo y las hojas -  y generando residuos orgánicos que tienen un impacto ambiental. Se espera llenar un vacío del conocimiento acerca de las oportunidades de generación de valor agregado a partir del procesamiento agroindustrial de los residuos de plátano logrando que las comunidades y productores logren transformar estos residuos en contenedores de alimentos

Information and communication technologies for approaching smokers : a descriptive study in primary healthcare

Background: Common interventions for smoking cessation are based on medical advice and pharmacological aid. Information and communication technologies may be helpful as interventions by themselves or as complementary tools to quit smoking. The objective of the study was to determine the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the smoking population attended in primary care, and describe the major factors associated with its use. Methods: Descriptive observational study in 84 health centres in Cataluña, Aragon and Salamanca. We included by simple random sampling 1725 primary healthcare smokers (any amount of tobacco) aged 18-85. Through personal interview professionals collected Socio-demographic data and variables related with tobacco consumption and ICTs use were collected through face to face interviews Factors associated with the use of ICTs were analyzed by logistic regression. Results: Users of at least one ICT were predominantly male, young (18-45 years), from most favoured social classes and of higher education. Compared with non-ICTs users, users declared lower consumption of tobacco, younger onset age, and lower nicotine dependence. The percentages of use of email, text messages and web pages were 65.3%, 74.0% and 71.5%, respectively. Factors associated with the use of ICTs were age, social class, educational level and nicotine dependence level. The factor most closely associated with the use of all three ICTs was age; mainly individuals aged 18-24. Conclusions: The use of ICTs to quit smoking is promising, with the technology of mobile phones having a broader potential. Younger and more educated subjects are good targets for ICTs interventions on smoking cessation

Aportaciones hidrogeológicas al estudio arqueológico de los orígenes de la Edad del Bronce de La Mancha: la cueva monumentalizada de Castillejo del Bonete (Terrinches, Ciudad Real-España)

Estudios recientes indican que las motillas, asentamientos de la Edad del Bronce de La Mancha, pudieron ser las más antiguas captaciones de agua subterránea en la Península Ibérica. Pero ¿por qué no existen motivas en el Campo de Montiel, territorio ubicado tradicionalmente en esta área cultural? En Castillejo del Bonete, sitio arqueológico situado en esa comarca, existe una cueva que fue utilizada y sellada durante la Prehistoria Reciente. Se presenta ahora la primera investigación paleohidrogeológica interdisciplinar en La Mancha, que ha analizado manantiales y niveles de agua subterránea del acuífero de Campo de Montiel, así como el interior de la sima de Castillejo del Bonete. Las conclusiones avanzan una relación entre el sustrato hidrogeomorfológico y la distribución espacial de las motillas. Además permiten descartar que la sima de Castillejo del Bonete fuera utilizada como mina o como acceso al acuífero, dos de las hipótesis de trabajo planteadas. De ese modo cobra fuerza que Castillejo del Bonete fuera un excepcional monumento funerario y simbólico durante el Calcolítico y la Edad del Bronce, perteneciente a una nueva clase de asentamientos desconocidos hasta ahora en el grupo cultural de la Edad del Bronce de La Mancha