Using Mobile Devices for Improving Learning Outcomes and Teachers’ Professionalization

Teaching in higher education is changing due to the influence of technology. More and more technological tools are replacing old teaching methods and strategies. Thus, mobile devices are being positioned as a key tool for new ways of understanding educational practices. The present paper responds to a systematic review about the benefits that mobile devices have for university students’ learning. Using inclusion and exclusion criteria in theWeb of Science and Scopus databases, 16 articles were selected to argue why Mobile learning (Mlearning) has become a modern innovative approach. The results point to an improvement in students’ learning through Mlearning, factors that encourage the use of mobile devices in universities have been identified, and e ective mobile applications in improving teaching and learning processes have been presented. The inclusion of this methodology requires a new role for teachers, whose characterization is also specified

Dual encoding of muscle tension and eye position by abducens motoneurons

Extraocular muscle tension associated with spontaneous eye movements has a pulse-slide-step profile similar to that of motoneuron firing rate. Existing models only relate motoneuron firing to eye position, velocity and acceleration. We measured and quantitatively compared lateral rectus muscle force and eye position with the firing of abducens motoneurons in the cat to determine fundamental encoding correlations. During fixations (step), muscle force increased exponentially with eccentric eye position, consistent with a model of estimate ensemble motor innervation based on neuronal sensitivities and recruitment order. Moreover, firing rate in all motoneurons tested was better related to eye position than to muscle tension during fixations. In contrast, during the postsaccadic slide phase, the time constant of firing rate decay was closely related to that of muscle force decay, suggesting that all motoneurons encode muscle tension as well. Discharge characteristics of abducens motoneurons formed overlapping clusters of phasic and tonic motoneurons, thus, tonic units recruited earlier and had a larger slide signal. We conclude that the slide signal is a discharge characteristic of the motoneuron that controls muscle tension during the postsaccadic phase and that motoneurons are specialized for both tension and position-related properties. The organization of signal content in the pool of abducens motoneurons from the very phasic to the very tonic units is possibly a result of the differential trophic background received from distinct types of muscle fibers

Press-State relations in the Nordic model

Aunque cada país ha seguido una evolución histórica distinta en su sistema de prensa, existen características comunes entre Suecia, Noruega, Finlandia y Dinamarca, y en menor medida Islandia, que permiten hablar de un modelo nórdico, que algunos han calificado como corporativista democrático. Por ejemplo, el peso de la prensa de partido, entendidos éstos como defensores de intereses más que como expresión de ideologías, aleja dicho modelo del euromediterráneo, mucho más ideologizado, y del anglosajón, mucho más desregulado. La política educativa en medios de comunicación constituye otro rasgo diferencial importante, así como sus sistemas de ayuda.Mesmo que cada país tenha seguido uma evolução histórica distinta em seu sistema de imprensa, existem características comuns entre Suécia, Noruega, Finlândia e Dinamarca, e em menor medida na Islândia, que permitem falar de um modelo nórdico, que alguns têm qualificado como corporativista-democrático. Por exemplo, o peso da imprensa de partido, entendida como defensora de interesses mais que como expressão de ideologias, distancia do modelo dito o euromediterrâneo, muito mais ideologizado, e o anglo-saxão, muito mais desregulado. A política educativa em meios de comunicação constitui outro traço diferencial importante, assim como seus sistemas de ajuda.Although each country has followed a different historical development in its press system, there are common characteristics between Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark and in a less way Iceland. These similarities allow to speak of a Nordic model, which some scholars have described as democratic corporatist. For instance, the weight of the partisan press, understood as defenders of interests rather than as an expression of ideology, opposite the model to the Euro-Mediterranean model, much more ideological,or to the Anglo-Saxon model, much more deregulated. Education policy in the media and their support systems are other important distinguishing feature.Publicad

Hydrothermal Carbonization and Pyrolysis of Sewage Sludge: Effects on Lolium perenne Germination and Growth

The pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of sewage sludge (SS) resulted in products free of pathogens, with the potential for being used as soil amendment. With this work, we evaluated the impact of dry pyrolysis-treated (600 °C, 1 h) and HTC-treated (200 °C, 260 °C; 0.5 h, 3 h) SS on the germination, survival, and growth of Lolium perenne during an 80 day greenhouse experiment. Therefore, the hydrochars and pyrochars were amended to a Calcic Cambisol at doses of 5 and 25 t ha−1. The addition of sludge pyrochars to the Cambisol did not affect Lolium germination, survival rates or plant yields. However, the use 25 t ha−1 of wood biochar reduced germination and survival rates, which may be related to the low N availability of this sample. In comparison to the control, higher or equal plant biomass was produced in the hydrochar-amended pots, even though some hydrochars decreased plant germination and survival rates. Among all the evaluated char properties, only the organic and inorganic N contents of the chars, along with their organic C values, positively correlated with total and shoot biomass production. Our work demonstrates the N fertilization potential of the hydrochar produced at low temperature, whereas the hydrochar produced at 260 °C and the pyrochars were less efficient with respect to plant yields

El papel del Estado en la prensa: análisis comparativo entre la prensa euromediterránea y la anglosajona

Proceeding of: II Congreso Internacional AE-IC Málaga 2010: Comunicación y desarrollo en la era digital. Estructura y políticas de la comunicación. Málaga 3-5 de febrero de 2010.A lo largo de los siglos el Estado ha ido interviniendo por conductos variados en la evolución y desarrollo de la prensa europea, configurando con el paso del tiempo dos modelos bien diferenciados. Por un lado, el británico (con una importante extensión a los Estados Unidos), y por el otro, el euromediterráneo, éste alrededor de cuatro países: Francia, España, Italia y Portugal. El modelo anglosajón se ha caracterizado por una continuidad sin interrupciones importantes (salvo las dos guerras mundiales) a partir del siglo XVII, mientras que el euromediterráneo ha experimentado un corte muy radical en su proceso evolutivo, como consecuencia de la implantación de sendos regímenes totalitarios entre 1926 y 1976. Se puede afirmar que la prensa anglosajona se inspira en la Primera Enmienda a la Constitución de los EEUU, que impide al Estado legislar en materia de prensa, y la euromediterránea se basa más en la Declaración de los Derechos del hombre y del Ciudadano de 1789, que faculta al Estado para legislar tanto en orden a proteger la libertad de expresión, como para amparar el ejercicio de las otras libertades conexas. Como sustrato de estas posiciones divergentes aparece el debate sobre la manera de entender la prensa, como una actividad empresarial más, o como un servicio público en el que el estado debe intervenir como regulador. La comunicación se centra en tres aspectos que permiten analizar ambos modelos con una sistemática similar: la censura; los factores característicos de ambos modelos; y el control estatal, los impuestos y las ayudas. Conviene resaltar, que las salidas de los cuatro países euromediterráneos a sus respectivos sistemas totalitarios fueron distintas. A partir de 1946-47 Francia e Italia se dotaron de regímenes democráticos vinculados al Estado de Bienestar. España y Portugal acometieron sus propias transiciones en 1974 y 1976 con planteamientos diferentes.Publicad

Press-State Relations: A Comparative Analysis of Euro-Mediterranean and British Models

The objective of this article is to compare the State’s role in the progress and development of the press system in relation to the Euro-Mediterranean model and that of English-speaking countries. Within this framework, we will discuss historic moments that may be considered decisive in the configuration of both systems today, and that have influenced how they came about. Additionally, we will examine legislative measures that have been most noteworthy in the progress of the press market in recent years. The State’s influence on the transformation of the newspaper business is studied from the following perspectives: censorship, control systems, regulation of the figure of the journalist, aid to the press, pluralism of information and limits on concentration. These aspects were selected because they have been observed to be key points to understanding Press-State relations. In the four Euro- Mediterranean countries studied, a radical break took place in the information systems as a consequence of the implementation of their respective totalitarian regimes between 1926 and 1976; a situation which did not occur in Great Britain, a major figure of democratic and business continuity. Whereas the disappearance of aid to the press in the British model was understood to be a means of guaranteeing the independence of the journalism profession from those in political power, in the Euro-Mediterranean model the aim of aid for press distribution is to consolidate the cooperative distribution system, preserve the pluralism of newspapers reporting political and general news, and guarantee the development necessary for the effective exercise of liberty proclaimed in the Declaration of the Rights of Man and the Citizen 1789.Publicad

Therapeutic Effect of Human Adipose Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Experimental Corneal Failure Due to Limbal Stem Cell Niche Damage

Producción CientíficaLimbal stem cells are responsible for the continuous renewal of the corneal epithelium. The destruction or dysfunction of these stem cells or their niche induces limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) leading to visual loss, chronic pain, and inflammation of the ocular surface. To restore the ocular surface in cases of bilateral LSCD, an extraocular source of stem cells is needed to avoid dependence on allogeneic limbal stem cells that are difficult to obtain, isolate, and culture. The aim of this work was to test the tolerance and the efficacy of human adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAT-MSCs) to regenerate the ocular surface in two experimental models of LSCD that closely resemble the different severity grades of the human pathology. hAT-MSCs transplanted to the ocular surface of the partial and total LSCD models developed in rabbits were well tolerated, migrated to inflamed tissues, reduced inflammation, and restrained the evolution of corneal neovascularization and corneal opacity. The expression profile of the corneal epithelial cell markers CK3 and E-cadherin, and the limbal epithelial cell markers CK15 and p63 was lost in the LSCD models, but was partially recovered after hAT-MSC transplantation. For the first time, we demonstrated that hAT-MSCs improves corneal and limbal epithelial phenotypes in animal LSCD models. These results support the potential use of hAT-MSCs as a novel treatment of ocular surface failure due to LSCD. hAT-MSCs represent an available, non-immunogenic source of stem cells that may provide therapeutic benefits in addition to reduce health care expenses.This work was supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III, CIBER‐BBN, Spain (CB06/01/003 MINECO/FEDER, EU); Regional Center for Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy, Castilla y León, Spain; Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain (SAF2010–14900); Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and European Regional Development Fund, Spain (SAF2015–63594‐R MINECO/FEDER, EU

Comparative models of Press-State relations: Colombia, Italy, France, Spain and Portugal

El objetivo de este artículo es comparar el papel del Estado en la evolución y el desarrollo del sistema de prensa colombiano en relación con los modelos de prensa euromediterránea. En este marco se abordan los momentos históricos que se pueden considerar decisivos en la configuración actual del modelo colombiano de prensa y que han influido en su devenir, y se examinan las medidas legislativas más destacadas en el desarrollo del mercado de la prensa en los últimos años. La influencia del Estado en el desarrollo de las empresas periodísticas se aborda aquí desde las siguientes perspectivas: censura de prensa, sistemas de control de prensa, regulación de la figura del periodista, ayudas a la prensa, pluralismo informativo y límites a la concentración. Se han seleccionado estos aspectos por cuanto son claves para entender las relaciones prensa-Estado.The purpose of this article is to compare the role of the State in the evolution and development of the Colombian press in relation to European-Mediterranean press models. Within this framework, it considers the historical moments that can be regarded as decisive to the current makeup of the Colombian press and significant in its evolution. The more prominent legislative measures in the development of the press market in recent years are examined as well. The influence of the state in the development of journalistic enterprises is addressed from several perspectives; namely, press censorship, systems to control the press, regulations concerning the role of journalists, assistance to the press, media pluralism and limits to concentration.Publicad

Perspectivas de futuro en las relaciones Prensa-Estado.

Las relaciones entre la prensa y el Estado están siguiendo tres modelos de actuación que responden a condicionantes históricos y económico-informativos. El propósito de este artículo es analizar el entorno económico, político, legislativo, educativo y cultural con el fin de contextualizar las perspectivas de futuro en las políticas de comunicación estatales relacionadas con la prensa. Se realiza asimismo una aproximación histórica , con el fin de explicar cuáles han sido las situaciones, decisiones y medidasque a lo largo de los años han dado lugar a la realidad presente.The relationship between the press and the state ase following three performance models that respond to economic, historical and information conditions. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the economic , political, legislative , educational and cultural context to future prospects in the state communication policies related to the press. It also makes an historical approach in order to explain what were the situations, decisions and actions over the years have led to the present reality.Publicad

State Policies in the Anglo-Saxon model of Press

Además de la lengua, los países de cultura anglosajona comparten en gran medida unos orígenes parecidos para sus respectivos sistemas de prensa y un marco democrático y empresarial sin interrupciones señaladas. Pero por otro lado, cada país ha seguido una evolución distinta marcada fundamentalmente por las relaciones entre el Estado y la Prensa. Desde este ángulo EEUU ha sido el país menos intervencionista, seguido por Gran Bretaña. Irlanda y Australia, por el contrario, han aplicado leyes y normas destinadas a combatir aspectos tan distintos como la difamación, la blasfemia, la publicación de secretos oficiales o la concentración de empresas. Sin duda, los nuevos retos planteados por los medios audiovisuales y digitales y la crisis económica mundial están obligando a una revisión de los cuatro modelos nacionales.Publicad