Optical Fiber Sensor boosts aircraft engine monitoring

A reflective, intensity-modulated optical fiber sensor enables monitoring of tip clearance and tip timing in aircraft engines at low cost and high resolution.This work has been sponsored by the institutions Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad under project TEC2012-37983-C03; Gobierno Vasco/Eusko Jaurlaritza under projects IT664-13, S-PE13CA004, SPE13UN151, and S-PE12CA001; and by the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) through program UFI11/16.Publicatio

Experiencia española en el proyecto Go-Lab

El proyecto Go-Lab está financiado dentro del Programa FP7 de la Unión Europea y su principal objetivo es fomentar el área STEM en alumnos jóvenes preuniversitarios. Cuenta con una veintena de socios de más de 15 países y se articula en tres grandes ejes: pedagogía, tecnología y despliegue en centros educativos. Pedagógicamente se basa en el aprendizaje por indagación (Inquiry Based Learning [IBL]), aspecto que desarrolla utilizando laboratorios en línea, ya sean virtuales o remotos, para obtener el mayor efecto en profesores y alumnos de secundaria y bachiller. La aportación española ha sido la más relevante en lo que se refiere al despliegue del ecosistema Go-Lab en colegios, puesto que supone cerca de un 25% del total de profesores que lo desarrollan y lo implementan en sus centros de enseñanza. Go-Lab se ha extendido a un total de 281 escuelas españolas. Se ha observado que las aplicaciones de dicho ecosistema facilitan la experiencia necesaria a los alumnos, de manera que estos puedan ser protagonistas de su aprendizaje desde un rol creador e investigador, lo que promueve el acercamiento juvenil a las disciplinas STEM.El projecte Go-Lab està finançat dins del Programa FP7 de la Unió Europea i el principal objectiu que persegueix és el de fomentar l'àrea STEM en alumnes joves preuniversitaris.En formen part una vintena de socis de més de 15 països i s'articula en tres grans eixos: pedagogia, tecnologia i desplegament en centres educatius. Pedagògicament es basa en l'aprenentatge per investigació (Inquiry Based Learning [IBL]), aspecte que es desenvolupa utilitzant laboratoris en línia, ja siguin virtuals o remots, per obtenir l'efecte més gran possible en professors i alumnes de secundària i de batxillerat. L'article descriu aquests tres aspectes, fent un èmfasi especial en el procés de desplegament a Espanya i en els resultats que s'hi han obtingut. La contribució espanyola ha estat la més rellevant en referència al desenvolupament de l'ecosistema Go-Lab a les escoles, ja que representa prop del 25% del total de professors que el desenvolupen i que l'implementen als seus centres docents.Go-Lab s'ha estès a un total de 281 escoles espanyoles. S'ha observat que les aplicacions d'aquest ecosistema proporcionen l'experiència necessària als estudiants, perquè puguin ser protagonistes del seu aprenentatge des d'un paper creatiu i investigador, la qual cosa promou l'aproximació juvenil a les disciplines STEM.Go-Lab is a project funded by the European Union FP7 programme to promote STEM education in pre-university students. The project includes about 20 members from more than 15 different countries and is constructed around three central ideas: pedagogy, technology and deployment in schools. Pedagogically, the project is rooted in inquiry-based learning (IBL), which is developed using virtual or remote online laboratories to maximize the effect on secondary education teachers and students. This paper describes these three facets, putting special emphasis on the deployment process and the results achieved in Spain. The Spanish contribution has been the most relevant to the development of the Go-Lab ecosystem in schools, since it accounts for nearly 25% of the total number of teachers who develop and implement Go-Lab in their schools and involves a total of 281schools in the country. It has been observed that the Go-Lab ecosystem apps provide students the necessary experience to be protagonists of their learning through a creative and research role that promotes the youth approach to STEM disciplines

Visualizando un proceso de capacitación docente para el uso de laboratorios remotos de física en la educación secundaria costarricense

En este artículo se presenta un estudio exploratorio realizado con el fin de indagar el interés de docentes de física de asistir a capacitaciones enfocadas en el uso educativo de Laboratorios Remotos para realizar actividades experimentales en la escuela secundaria costarricense. Para cumplir con este objetivo, se aplicó un instrumento autoadministrado. El mismo fue completado por 97 docentes, quienes, en un porcentaje significativo, manifestaron desconocer esta herramienta, aunque señalaron que asistirían a un proceso de capacitación de llevarse a cabo y que eventualmente utilizarían el recurso en el desarrollo de sus clases

One photon and two photon spectroscopy in polymer optical fibres doped with conjugated polymer

The proceeding at: 22nd International Conference on Plastic Optical Fibers (POF 2013), took place in 2013 September,11-13, in Armação dos Buzios, Rio de Janeiro, (Brasil). The event Web site at: http://www.pof2013.org.br/ .In this work, we have compared the characteristics of the spectral emission of plastic optical fibers (POFs) doped with the conjugated polymer poly(9,9 dioctylfluorene)-alt-benzothiadiazole (F8BT), under oneand two-photon excitation. Measurements include evolutions of the fluorescence spectra with excitation wavelength and propagation distance, together with an analysis of the emission photostability.This work has been sponsored by the institutions Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad under projects TEC2009-147-C03-01, TEC2012-37983-C03-01, Gobierno Vasco/Eusko Jaurlaritza under projects AIRHEM-II, S-PE12CA001, IT664-13, and by the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) through program UFI11/16.Publicad

Cytotoxic Activity of Microalgal-derived Oxylipins against Human Cancer Cell lines and their Impact on ATP Levels

Oxylipins are metabolites derived from lipid peroxidation. The plant oxylipin methyl jasmonate (MJ) shows cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines of various origins, with ATP-depletion being one of the mechanisms responsible for this effect. The cytotoxic activity of oxylipins (OXLs) isolated from the microalgae Chlamydomonas debaryana (13-HOTE) and Nannochloropsis gaditana (15-HEPE) was higher against UACC-62 (melanoma) than towards HT-29 (colon adenocarcinoma) cells. OXLs lowered the ATP levels of HT-29 and UACC-62 cells, but the effect was higher on the second cell line, which had higher basal ATP. This result proves a link between the cytotoxicity and the capability of these compounds to deplete ATP. In addition, the combination of 13-HOTE with the anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) induced a synergistic toxicity against HT-29 cells. These results highlight the therapeutic potential of oxylipins derived from microalgae.España MINECO and FEDER (research project IPT-2011-1370- 060000

Preventive effect of the microalga Chlamydomonas debaryana on the acute phase of experimental colitis in rats

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are characterised by chronic uncontrolled inflammation of intestinal mucosa. Diet and nutritional factors have emerged as possible interventions for IBD. Microalgae are rich sources of n-3 PUFA and derived oxylipins. Oxylipins are lipid mediators involved in the resolution of many inflammatory disorders. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of the oxylipin-containing biomass of the microalga Chlamydomonas debaryana and its major oxylipin constituent, (9Z,11E,13S,15Z)-13-hydroxyoctadeca-9,11,15-trienoic acid ((13S)-HOTE), on acute 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis in rats. Lyophilised microalgal biomass and (13S)-HOTE were administered by oral route 48, 24 and 1 h before the induction of colitis and 24 h later, and the rats were killed after 48 h. The treatment with the lyophilised microalga and (13S)-HOTE improved body-weight loss and colon shortening, as well as attenuated the extent of colonic damage and increased mucus production. Cellular neutrophil infiltration, with the subsequent increase in myeloperoxidase levels induced by TNBS, were also reduced after the administration of the lyophilised microalga or (13S)-HOTE. The anti-inflammatory effects of these treatments were confirmed by the inhibition of colonic TNF-α production. Moreover, lyophilised microalga or (13S)-HOTE down-regulated cyclo-oxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression. The present study was the first to show the prophylactic effects of a lyophilised biomass sample of the microalga C. debaryana and the oxylipin (13S)-HOTE on TNBS-induced acute colitis in rats. Our findings suggest that the microalga C. debaryana or derived oxylipins could be used as nutraceuticals in the treatment of the active phase of IBD.España Ministerio de Ciencia Innovación, Gobierno de España (grant no. IPT-2011-1370-060000

A teacher training workshop to promote the use of the VISIR Remote Laboratory for electrical circuits teaching

The learning of Physics involves building up and using lab experiments. In turn, teachers must be trained in experimenting and using several resources that enable them to design valuable teaching strategies and learning activities. Thanks to Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), virtual and remote labs can provide a framework where physical experiments can be developed. Altough remote labs have been in use for over a decade now in several countries and levels of education, its use at secondary schools in Latin America has not been reported yet. The Virtual Instruments System in Reality (VISIR) is one of these remote labs, suitable to practice in the area of electrical circuits. This paper aims at describing how this remote lab was used in a training workshop for secondary school level teachers of Physics in Costa Rica.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Science Education at High School: a VISIR Remote Lab Implementation

Experimentation is crucial in science teaching at any education level. Students’ motivation and collaborative work are also essential in order to achieve positive learning outcomes. This article portrays the implementation of remote experimentation using VISIR in a Physics subject at high-school level. Qualitative and quantitative data were analyzed for this particular case study in order to shed light on the influence of VISIR on students’ motivation. Results showed that VISIR remote lab is a powerful tool to arouse interest in electronic circuit topics.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The VISIR Open Lab Platform 5.0 - an architecture of a federation of remote laboratories

This paper outlines a new laboratory learning infrastructure based on the VISIR (Virtual Instrument Systems in Reality) Open Lab Platform, which is an architecture for opening hands-on instructional laboratories for remote access 24/7 with preserved context. The aim is to embrace such laboratories in which telemanipulators can be used to remotely set up and/or start experiments and where the outcome can be observed remotely using instruments, video and/or audio transmission. As hands-on laboratories, VISIR ones can be used for exploring nature and for training laboratory workmanship. The current release (4.1) of the VISIR Open Lab platform can be used for opening electronics laboratories and laboratories for mechanical vibration experiments for remote access. Other subject fields will follow. So far, seven VISIR laboratories are online globally. The coming VISIR Open Lab Platform 5.0 will offer new functionality and will support a federation of VISIR laboratories.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

El aprendizaje por indagación del tema circuitos eléctricos en la escuela secundaria utilizando el Laboratorio Remoto VISIR

En este trabajo se presenta una propuesta didáctica para facilitar el proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje del tema circuitos eléctricos en la escuela media bajo la metodología por indagación. Esta metodología será implementada por el Ministerio de Educación Pública de Costa Rica a partir del año 2018. La propuesta se ha diseñado tomado en cuenta los cuatro procesos expuestos en el programa de estudios de física (focalización, exploración, reflexión-contrastación y aplicación). En la aplicación se fomenta el trabajo experimental por medio del laboratorio remoto VISIR.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio