Searching for the Higgs boson in the bb decay channel with the ATLAS experiment

The discovery of the Higgs boson by the ATLAS and CMS experiments is one of the main results of Run 1 of the Large Hadron Collider. However, clear evidence for the Higgs boson decay to a pair of b-quarks has not been observed and is crucial to establish the nature of the new found particle. The work presented in this thesis focuses on the search for the Higgs boson in the VH(bb) channel, where it is produced in association with a leptonically decaying vector boson (W, Z), and decays to a pair of b-quarks. Prior to the start of LHC operations, the challenges posed by a pp collider to a H→bb search motivated the development of jet substructure techniques. The boosted regime plays a vital role in the sensitivity of a VH(bb) search and the topologies where the decay products merge can be recovered by implementing a substructure-based selection. The sensitivity of such an approach in a VH(bb) search is studied using ATLAS pp collision data, at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 7 TeV. It was found that the sensitivity in the boosted region of the VH(bb) channel in Run 1 is already fully exploited by the resolved approach. The mass of the Higgs boson, the energies and luminosities delivered and the good performance of anti-kt jets resulted in little or no gain, at this stage, from performing a jet substructure analysis. The final ATLAS VH(bb) Run 1 result is presented. The systematic uncertainties related to the W+bb process are estimated and discussed. As an irreducible background to this search, the description of W+bb events plays an important role on the final obtained sensitivity. Finally, in preparation for Run 2 and future colliders, the potential benefits from jet substructure techniques are reviewed at different centre-of-mass energies in the context of a boosted WH(bb) search. A detailed study of the signal significance as a function of the boost of the system reveals that the region of highest sensitivity is already fully exploited by the resolved reconstruction. A substructure approach is only beneficial in events with boosts greater than 600 GeV, outside the phase-space region of maximum significance

Lean healthcare: improving surgical process indicators through prioritization projects

Purpose: Implementing process management methodology through Lean Management and Design Thinking provides a new way to manage surgical blocks, maximize efficiency and adapt to the high variability of demand. This article presents our experience of implementing a set of improvement actions within the surgical process in the context of Lean Healthcare Processes. The project involved a total of 900 healthcare professionals over a 3-year period (2017-2019) and has impacted over 38,000 surgical patients each year at the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona, Spain. The purpose of this article is to present a set of improvement projects within the surgical process and show the indicators that monitor its evolution. These projects have been implemented successfully in a hospital with high surgical complexity and indicate how health care professionals and process engineers can work together as a team to improve healthcare resources. Design/methodology/approach: To evaluate the effectiveness of the actions presented, we propose a series of standardized indicators showing how our findings increase the efficiency of the surgical process. We also indicate Lean projects that can reduce patient waiting times and increase capacity. Below is a management model for the surgical process that considers industrial production criteria such as resource planning, optimizing the use of operating rooms and professionals’ time and generating the best surgery combinations. Findings: Projects that have increased efficiency in the surgical block the most have been standardized and converted into a model of action. This is designed to adapt to any level of complexity within the hospital process. The set of improvement projects has been divided into 6 stages: Programming, Material logistics process, pre-surgical stage, intra-surgical stage, post-surgical stage and transversal projects; each affecting a different area of the general hospital (not only the surgical unit). Furthermore, a visual flow chart was designed using the results of the project. Findings from the study have led to a 15% increase in surgical capacity without the need for new resources. The average hospital stay also dropped from 7.2 days to 4.1 days. The flow vision in the care process improves the experience of both patients and health care professionals, who see their participation as part of the whole health care process. Research limitations/implications: the projects were mainly developed at the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital. Although several of these projects have been carried out in other hospitals in Spain by the same team of process engineers, results may be biased when the team provides support within its own process department, compared to when it supports the local team in another hospital temporarily. Another important limitation is that it takes several months to implement and consolidate the improvement projects and demonstrate improved indicators in a sustainable way over time. This matrix of projects is more than a specific action, a cultural change with the entire surgical department. Originality/value: This study sets out a proposed practical example of applying surgery management tools in the surgical process. Our proposal can offer hospital managers and surgical coordinators an orderly, streamlined project guide for overall surgical performance indicators. The main results from developing the model include the degree of satisfaction shown by healthcare professionals and the determined commitment from the center’s management team to promote process management using Lean methodology. This commitment continued despite the challenges of shifting the organizational structure towards process management, which is a complex task requiring a period of adaptation and learning. Healthcare management has always prioritized increasing surgical patient safety and satisfaction. Patient flows are increased and resources used more efficiency by shifting the focus to the patient and the processes gone through during their hospital stay. This improvement project provides us with the best example of Lean methodology implementation if reinvested in bettering healthcare. This in turn increases the value perceived by patients, which is the ultimate purpose of the processPeer Reviewe

FACING URBAN PROBLEMS. THE TEACHING OF INTERDISCIPLINARITY THROUGH THE URBANISM DESIGN STUDIO

El artículo aborda la interdisciplinaridad en el Urbanismo, en la perspectiva de la enseñanza, cuestionando como pueden las asignaturas de proyecto poner en evidencia el encuentro de diferentes áreas del saber, simulando el enfrentar de cuestiones urbanas concretas. Para eso, recurre a tres casos de estudio de enseñanza del Urbanismo en Portugal, en la formación de arquitectos y de arquitectos de paisaje, en tres escuelas diferentes, en el primero y segundo ciclos de estudios del año lectivo de 2013-2014: (1) el proyecto del 5º año del Master Integrado en Arquitectura, con especialización en Urbanismo, de la Facultad de Arquitectura de la Universidad de Lisboa; (2) el curso de Urbanismo del 4º año del Master en Arquitectura Paisajista del Instituto Superior de Agronomía de la misma universidad, y; (3) el proyecto del 1º año del Master Integrado en Arquitectura de la Universidad de Beira Interior. Desarrollando un ejercicio práctico sobre territorios concretos, la enseñanza del Urbanismo obliga a enfrentar problemas urbanos con diferentes enfoques disciplinares, ciertamente desarrollando las potencialidades de la formación disciplinar del curso, como será el objetivo, pero también confrontando los estudiantes con la necesidad de buscar otros saberes para lidiar con las problemáticas no centrales a los contenidos disciplinares de su curso. En una realidad compleja e multifacética como es la ciudad contemporánea, en que los problemas urbanos no tienen disciplina en si mismo, el papel del profesor de proyecto es central para abrir horizontes interdisciplinarios, entre otros, coordinando el ejercicio con otros cursos del año, aportando contribuíos de invitados de otras áreas del saber, o reforzando la amplitud de las problemáticas en las clases y en la tutoría del desarrollo del ejercicio de proyecto.The article focuses on the interdisciplinarity in Urbanism, trough the perspective of teaching, addressing how the project design studios can reinforce the convergence of different areas of knowledge, by facing concrete urban problems. In this sense, it uses tree case studies of the teaching of Urbanism in Portugal, in the formation of architects and landscape architects, in three different faculties, both on the first and second cycles of studies of the 2013-2014 school year: (1) the 5th year project design studio on the Integrated Master in Architecture, with specialization in Urbanism, at the Faculty of Architecture, Lisbon University; (2) the Urbanism curricular unit of the 4th year of Landscape Architecture Master, in the Agronomy Higher Institute, at the same university, and; (3) the 1st year project design studio on the Integrated Master in Architecture, at the Beira Interior University. Developing a practical exercise on concrete territories, the teaching of Urbanism is obliged to face urban problems with different disciplinary approaches. It certainly allows for the development of the disciplinary potentialities, as it should be the objective; but it also confronts the students with the need to interact with other areas of knowledge, in order to find the necessary tools to address these urban questions, some not being central ones on the course plan. On a complex and multifaceted urban context, as it is the contemporary one, problems don’t have disciplines. In that sense, the role of the project design studio teacher becomes central to open interdisciplinary horizons, e.g.: (1) coordinating the practical exercise with other curricular units; (2) joining contributions by experts from other areas of knowledge, or; (3) reinforcing the amplitude of the problems students are addressing, both in classes and in the tutorial development of the exercise

Estrategia y planificación de las alianzas estratégicas entre empresas

La globalización de la economía y la dificultad por parte de las empresas de llegar a ser plenamente competitivas en todas las etapas de sus sistemas de negocio y en mercados distintos del propio, ha provocado que la cooperación entre empresas se haya vuelto una necesidad. Partiendo de que las decisiones acerca del gobierno de una alianza estratégica no terminan con su formación. El objetivo del presente artículo, es mostrar en qué consiste el proceso de planificación y gestión de una alianza, haciendo especial hincapié en tres aspectos: la estructura contractual, los principales criterios que debemos tener presentes a la hora de seleccionar los socios y los sistemas de control y gestión existentes en el desarrollo del acuerdo.The economy globalization and the companies’ difficulties in becoming fully competitive in all segments of their businesses and in markets other than theirs, has resulted in venture cooperation becoming a need. It being understood that decisions on the management of strategic alliances go beyond their formation. The aim of this article is to outline the planning and management process of an alliance, especially emphasizing three aspects: the contractual structure, the main criteria to be taken into account to select partners, and the control and management systems for the implementation of the corresponding agreement

A poesia no 1º ciclo: consciência fonológica e variação intralinguística

Mestrado em Ensino do 1º e do 2º Ciclo do Ensino BásicoEste relatório evidencia o processo de conceção, implementação e avaliação de um conjunto de atividades com base no texto poético, com enfoque no desenvolvimento da consciência fonológica e na sensibilização à variação intralinguística de alunos do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico. Preconiza-se que a utilização do texto poético permite desenvolver a Consciência Fonológica, que consiste no desenvolvimento da capacidade cognitiva que permite adquirir a consciência de que a linguagem é segmentável nas suas unidades constituintes, como por exemplo, palavras, sílabas e fonemas (Albuquerque, 2003). Além da consciência fonológica, a utilização do texto poético também permite a consciência da variação intralinguística e, consequentemente, “a consciencialização de um viver em comum num espaço alargado, mas que ao mesmo tempo se quer uno e coeso, onde se pretende construir um projecto que vise a vivência em democracia e paz” (Simões, 2006, p. 40). As questões norteadoras do projeto de intervenção foram as seguintes: Como desenvolver a consciência fonológica em alunos do 2.º ano do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico através de textos poéticos? e Qual o contributo da abordagem do texto poético no desenvolvimento da consciência da variação intralinguística da Língua Portuguesa em alunos do 2.º ano do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico? A planificação e a implementação do projeto de intervenção foram realizadas com uma turma do 2.º ano do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico do Concelho de Aveiro, no âmbito da unidade curricular de Seminário de Investigação Educacional B2 e da Prática Pedagógica Supervisionada B2, do Mestrado em Ensino do 1.º e do 2.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico. O projeto desenvolvido assentou numa metodologia de cariz qualitativo, de tipo Investigação-Ação, tendo sido recolhidos dados através de inquéritos, de fichas de trabalho e de um bloco de notas do professor/investigador. A análise dos mesmos dados permitiu compreender melhor o contributo do texto poético no desenvolvimento da consciência fonológica e da consciência da variação intralinguística nos alunos estudados. A análise dos dados permitiu ainda concluir que a abordagem do texto poético, como forma de desenvolvimento da consciência fonológica, contribui para o desenvolvimento da consciência silábica, fonémica e da rima. Além disso, o texto poético permitiu aumentar a consciência da variação intralinguística da Língua Portuguesa nos alunos e sensibilizá-los para a ideia de que a língua não é una nem coesa, mas antes múltipla e plural.This report highlights the process of design, implementation and evaluation of a set of activities based on the poetic text, focusing on the development of phonological awareness and on the awareness of intralinguistic variation with students of the Primary School. It is argued that the use of poetic texts promotes the development of phonological awareness, which consists in the development of cognitive ability that permits acquiring the awareness that language is divided into its constituent units, such as words, syllables and phonemes (Albuquerque, 2003). Beyond phonological awareness, the use of poetic texts also develops the consciousness of intralinguistic variation and, consequently, "a consciencialização de um viver em comum num espaço alargado, mas que ao mesmo tempo se quer uno e coeso, onde se pretende construir um projecto que vise a vivência em democracia e paz " (Simões, 2006, p. 40). The questions of the intervention project were the following: i) How to develop phonological awareness in 2nd grade students from the 1st cycle of basic education through poetic texts? and ii) What is the contribution of the approach of poetic texts in developing awareness of intralinguistic variation of Portuguese in 2nd grade students from the 1st cycle of basic education? The planning and implementation of the intervention project was undertaken with a 2nd grade class of a school from municipality of Aveiro, within the course of Educational Research Seminar B2 and Supervised Teaching Practice B2 of the Master of Education in the 1st and 2nd cycle of basic education. The project was based on a qualitative methodology approach, based on an action-research project and the data were collected through surveys, worksheets and a teacher/researcher notepad. The analysis of these data allowed a better understanding of the contribution, to the students involved, of the poetic text in the development of phonological awareness and in the consciousness of intralinguistic variation. The data analysis also concluded that the approach of the poetic text as a way of phonological awareness development contributes to the development of syllabic phonemic and rhyme awareness. Moreover, the poetic text has promoted the awareness of intralinguistic variation of the Portuguese Language in students and increases their consciousness of the idea that language is not unified or cohesive, but rather multiple and plural

Liquefacção: à procura de uma expressão do feminino na contemporaneidade

Procurando dar visibilidade a temáticas femininas e expressando uma vontade quase utópica de que o ponto de vista feminino seja realmente tido em conta na sociedade (acreditando que “a utopia pode efectivamente realizar-se” – parafraseando José Afonso) pretende esta pesquisa procurar uma expressão do feminino na actualidade. O ponto de partida foi uma criação a solo, que traduz um questionamento prático e performativo sobre o feminino, sendo que a génese do presente projecto é uma vontade de experimentar os questionamentos da criação a solo com outras mulheres. Para o efeito, a abordagem utilizada nesta pesquisa é um processo de criação teatral com um grupo de três mulheres não actrizes, porém amantes de Teatro. Esta reflexão sobre o feminino tem como pilares dramatúrgicos a vagina, influenciada pelo texto dramático Os Monólogos da Vagina de Eve Ensler, o entendimento das frutas como metáfora e questionamento sobre o feminino sustentado pela poesia de D.H. Lawrence, Herberto Hélder e Maria Teresa Horta. Uma vez que se verifica uma mudança de paradigma relativa ao feminino, pretende-se também reflectir essa alteração ao padrão tradicional, procurando ultrapassar o binarismo masculino/feminino e investigando outras possibilidades. O projecto teatral “Liquefacção – Natureza viva com frutas” procurou traduzir esta ruptura e apresentar três personagens femininas particulares.In an attempt to put the theme of the feminine under the spotlight while expressing a quasi-utopian wish that the female viewpoint actually be taken into account by society (believing that “utopia can indeed be achieved” – to paraphrase José Afonso), this research can be seen as quest for an expression of the feminine in the present day context. The actual starting point was a solo creation reflecting a practical and performative questioning of the feminine, while the genesis of this current project was the will to experiment with other women the question of performance work. To this end, a process of dramatic creation was undertaken with a group of three women, who are not actresses but apreciate Theatre. The pillars of this reflection on the feminine are the vagina, as influenced by the play The vagina monologues, by Eve Ensler, and fruit, used as metaphor for the feminine as sustained by the poetry of D. H. Lawrence, Herberto Hélder and Maria Teresa Horta. Since there is a paradigm shift regarding the feminine, this change in the traditional pattern is also intended to be depicted, in an attempt to go past the masculine/feminine binarism and looking further into other possibilities. The dramatic project “Liquefaction – bustling life with fruit” has attempted to express this rupture and to present three singular feminine characters

Aptitud clínica en la interpretación de electrocardiograma en una muestra de médicos becarios

ResumenIntroducciónLas enfermedades cardiovasculares son la principal causa de muerte en México. La educación en interpretación electrocardiográfica (ECG) aún es deficiente en pregrado y posgrado.ObjetivoEvaluar la interpretación ECG en becarios.Material y métodoEncuesta comparativa en 98 becarios, 70 internos de pregrado y 28 residentes de tres especialidades y un grupo de otras, en cuatro hospitales generales de zona. Variable dependiente: calificación obtenida en instrumento, conformado con 72 reactivos, con los siguientes indicadores: ritmo (15), medición (20), morfología (20) y diagnóstico (17), en cinco casos clínicos (fibrilación auricular, infarto agudo, hipertrofia ventricular izquierda, bloqueo rama izquierda y normalidad). Validación teórica, de contenido y constructo por tres cardiólogos, tres internistas y un médico familiar (técnica Delphi). Prueba piloto en 20 alumnos. Consistencia de 0.86 (Kuder-Richardson). Estadísticos: U de Mann-Whitney y Kruskal-Wallis (comparaciones intergrupales), Spearman y ANOVA.ResultadosLas calificaciones más altas (44) las obtuvieron los residentes, con la mitad de lo esperado (72), los internos obtuvieron una calificación menor (39). Hubo diferencias entre grupos de internos (p<0.05), pero no entre los que ingresaron seis meses antes. Los residentes de Medicina Interna obtuvieron medianas superiores (48) vs. los de pediatría (p<0.03) (mediana 31).DiscusiónLos resultados muestran pobre conocimiento en la interpretación del ECG. La no diferencia entre internos que ya han cursado un semestre, traduce una desvinculación clínica confirmada también por los valores bajos de los residentes con ocho meses cursados de su primer año.ConclusionesEs importante desarrollar el aprendizaje del ECG vinculado a la clínica durante el pregrado y posgrado.AbstractIntroductionCardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in Mexico. The education in the electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation is deficient in students and residents.ObjectiveTo assess the student’s skills on ECG interpretation.Methods and materialsComparative survey of 98 students, 70 in medical internship and 28 residents of three specialties and a group of others, in four general hospitals. Dependent variable: Calculated medians in instrument conformed to 72 items, with the next indicators: rhythm (15), measurements (20), morphology (20) and diagnostic (17), in five clinical cases (auricular fibrillation, acute infarct, left ventricular hypertrophy, left bundle branch block and normality). Theorical, content and construct validity by three cardiologist, three internist’s, and one family physician (Delphi technique) was performed. Pre-test pilot in 20 students was obtained. Reliability 0.86 (Kuder-Richardson). Statistics: U Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis (intergroup comparisons), Spearman and ANOVA tests were used.ResultsThe highest rates were obtained (44) by residents, with half of the expected (72), the interns obtained a less rate (39). There was difference between the interns groups (p<0.05), but not between the ones that started six months earlier. Internal medicine residents showed better rates median (48) vs. pediatricians (p<0.03, median 31).Discussionthe results show the low knowledge in the interpretation of ECG’S. There is no difference between groups of interns who had one semester; this translates to a clinical disengagement confirmed by the low rates of the residents who had completed 8 months of their first year. Conclusions: It’s important to link the learning of ECG with the clinic activity while internship and residence

Aberrant Splicing Events Associated to CDH23 Noncanonical Splice Site Mutations in a Proband with Atypical Usher Syndrome 1

Aims: The aim of this study was the genetic diagnosis by next generation sequencing (NGS) of a patient diagnosed with Usher syndrome type 2 and the functional evaluation of the identified genetic variants to establish a phenotype-genotype correlation. Methods: Whole exome sequencing (WES) analysis identified two heterozygous intronic variants in CDH23, a gene responsible of Usher syndrome type 1. Evaluation of the putative splicing effects was performed in vivo, in whole blood samples, and in vitro, by transfection of midigene constructs in HEK293T cells. Results: Two intronic variants were identified in intron 45 of CDH23-one novel, c.6050-15G>A, and the other, c.6050-9G>A, already reported as a noncanonical splice site (NCSS) mutation-with partial functional characterization. In vivo and in vitro analyses showed aberrant transcripts by the addition of 13 and 7 nucleotides to exon 46, respectively. Transcript degradation by nonsense mediated decay (NMD) in blood cells could only be prevented by cycloheximide treatment. Midigene constructs showed that the two variants contributed to exon skipping and generated aberrantly spliced transcripts. Conclusions: A combination of in vivo and in vitro assays provided a comprehensive view of the physiological effects of NCSS variants, which in this case led to a clinical reassignment of the proband as affected with atypical USH1 syndrome

Estrategia pedagógica basada en el juego de roles para mejorar la convivencia escolar en la institución educativa departamental electo cáliz Martínez de Aguaestrada - el banco Magdalena

Esta investigación tiene por objeto diseñar una estrategia que permita mejorar el clima escolar en la Institución Educativa Departamental Electo Cáliz Martínez. Para llevar a cabo este trabajo se realizó un diagnóstico de la situación de los conflictos que se viven al interior del aula, teniendo en cuenta el factor social, económico, y cultural. Respecto al enfoque de investigación, este trabajo es de orden cualitativo ya que permite comprender el mundo de la experiencia vivida por parte de los actores involucrados. La propuesta de investigación se lleva a cabo con un grupo de 26 estudiantes cuyas edades oscilan entre los 9 y 12 años.Con esta investigación se espera generar un cambio de manera significativa, reduciendo los niveles de agresividad al interior del aula, creando entornos protectores.The purpose of this research is to design a strategy to improve the school climate in the Electo Cáliz Martínez Departmental Educational Institution. To carry out this work, a diagnosis of the situation of the conflicts that are experienced within the classroom was carried out, taking into account the social, economic, and cultural factor. Regarding the research approach, this work is of a qualitative order since it allows us to understand the world of the experience lived by the actors involved. The research proposal is carried out with a group of 26 students whose ages range from 9 to 12 years. With this research it is expected to generate a change in a significant way, reducing the levels of aggression inside the classroom, creating protective environments