Multivariate diagnosis of the variability of NIR spectrometers under industrial applications

The transfer of NIR spectroscopy to industry relies on the possibility of real time identification of abnormal spectra as well as uncontrolled sources of variation. This study proposes an unsupervised procedure for the identification under an industrial application of daily events (general changes) and abnormal observations. It consists in defining a spectral database at the beginning of a season, performing a principal component (PC) analysis, and calculating the PC scores over time. Process control statistics (Hotelling T2, Q) are used for multivariate supervision of the industrial application. Within this procedure 10,400 average spectra of onion bulbs were evaluated identifying events in 12 out of 66 work dates, as well as spectral trends throughout the season of 2002

Integra BioFis 5.0. A collaborative, participatory and interdisciplinary experience for undergraduates in nursing

The pandemic has forced us to reinvent ourselves and to consider new strategies in education. Motivation, fundamental to student performance, has been seriously compromised. In this sense, the type of motivation we are interested in "fostering" is intrinsic motivation, closely linked to the concept of learning-centered goals and objectives. The action implemented is committed to the approach to challenge-based learning-gamification in the Degree in Nursing (UAH), in order to develop an integrative training with an interdisciplinary focus. Biochemistry and Physiology came together in Integra BioFis 5.0 and through participatory and collaborative techniques we pursued meaningful learning. All the students of the Biochemistry and Physiology subjects (n = 120) took part in the learning experience, organized in 12 teams. The action was carried out online through the virtual platform: - An initial session, in which the objectives, methodology, timetable and evaluation criteria were clarified. Topics that aroused the students? interest were randomly assigned (https://bit.ly/3tfJaCi). The assigned tutors guided the students in overcoming the challenges of each stage. - The development of the action consisted of a series of phases: i) documentation and literature search; ii) integration of objectives and choice of presentation format; iii) elaboration of the graphical document; iv) peer review of presentations and voting for the best contribution. The students' papers, as well as the rubrics with comments and suggestions from each of the instructors, were returned to the teams immediately. - A final session, in which they reflected on the activity they had carried out, highlighting the positive aspects of the training for the development of competences and skills: i) search for information from quality sources; ii) synthesis of contents; iii) work as a team; iv) elaboration of an original and own work. Voting was then shown for the papers presented, revealing the names of the three teams with the most votes, finalists and winners. Learning assessment was conducted by taking into account the influence of learning on motivation and the student's self-esteem and competences, with indicators such as progress, content, sources, graphical document production, teamwork and responsibility, among others. As an important element that makes gamification work, a reward for participation (awarding of a participation diploma) and for the best Integra BioFis 5.0 graphic document presented (awarding of diplomas and prizes-gifts to the members of the winning team) was considered as an important element that makes gamification work. From this educational strategy, it can be concluded that gamification is a constructive experience, taking advantage of all the benefits of implementing the overcoming of challenges in the educational environment. This has had an impact on teaching practice, to the extent that what has been "reflected" and "worked" in Integra BioFis 5.0 has contributed to improving the quality of virtual teaching, "fostering" intrinsic motivation in students.Universidad de Alcal

Designing a biochemical escape room for undergraduate students

Gamification is increasingly used in Higher Education to foster intrinsic motivation of undergraduate students. In this sense, we designed the Biochemical Escape Room. The students, organized in teams and through the overcoming of challenges, tackled the contents reviewed in the face-to-face classes. In addition, the tests helped in the training of different soft skills such as creative thinking, deductive thinking, collaborative work, teamwork, manual dexterity, communication and time management. The activity was designed in several phases: i) setting the learning objectives; ii) adapting the physical spaces to the teams involved in the "game"; iii) acquiring the material; iv) preparing, placing the tests and the clues and general rehearsal before D-day; and v) D-day. The results obtained after the design of the Biochemical Escape Room and its implementation show that one of the objectives of the activity had been achieved: it provided an "injection" of motivation for teachers and students. And although there are certain aspects that need to be improved, designing the escape room for the biochemistry laboratories has meant a significant change both for the instructors, in the way we teach, and for the students, in the manner they learn.Universidad de Alcalá. Vicerrectorado de Innovación Docente y Transformación Digita

Nursing Escape Room UAH: motivation to learn in the biochemistry laboratory

In recent years, Escape Room-type games have gained popularity as a way to motivate students to become more actively involved in their learning. The overall objective of the proposed activity is to promote students' intrinsic motivation and, in turn, meaningful learning. For this purpose, we implemented the game in our laboratories. The first year students of the degree in Nursing participated in the Nursing Escape Room UAH. We chose a situation reviewed in the theoretical-practical contents of the Biochemistry subject they were studying. Our aim was to achieve significant learning through overcoming challenges and collaborative work. After the implementation of the activity, we assessed it. The participating students felt that the activity: i) had helped them to learn and understand the subject; ii) had been a fun and different experience when it came to understanding the content; iii) had been a motivating experience; and iv) they liked the fact that it was carried out in a team. In addition, these students obtained a higher average score and pass rate on the learning assessment test than those who had not participated in the game. The instructors involved also highlighted that the activity was a motivating and different way of learning and recommended its continuation. Altogether, we can conclude that the Nursing Escape Room UAH game has been a motivating experience in the Biochemistry laboratory for both students and instructors. We anticipate that the activity may improve the quality of the teaching-learning process.Universidad de Alcalá. Vicerrectorado de Innovación Docente y Transformación Digita

Basic completion strategies as another application of the Maude strategy language

The two levels of data and actions on those data provided by the separation between equations and rules in rewriting logic are completed by a third level of strategies to control the application of those actions. This level is implemented on top of Maude as a strategy language, which has been successfully used in a wide range of applications. First we summarize the Maude strategy language design and review some of its applications; then, we describe a new case study, namely the description of completion procedures as transition rules + control, as proposed by Lescanne.Comment: In Proceedings WRS 2011, arXiv:1204.531

Adiposity Is Related to Inflammatory Disease Activity in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

Objective: To identify factors associated with the higher proportion of fatty tissue and overweight/obesity observed in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Patients and methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of 80 JIA patients aged 4–15 years with 80 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Body composition was assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. The 27-joint Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity score (JADAS27) was calculated. Two multivariate models were constructed to identify factors associated with overweight/obesity and fat mass index (FMI). Results: No differences were found between cases and controls in body mass index (BMI) or body composition. However, compared with controls, patients with a high inflammatory activity (JADAS27 > 4.2 for oligoarticular JIA or >8.5 for polyarticular disease) had higher values for BMI (p = 0.006); total fat mass (p = 0.003); FMI (p = 0.001); and fat in the legs (p = 0.001), trunk (p = 0.001), and arms (p = 0.002). The factors associated with overweight/obesity in patients were the duration of therapy with biological drugs, measured in months (OR [95% CI] = 1.12 [1.02–1.04]; p = 0.037), and physical activity (OR [95% CI] = 0.214 [0.07–0.68]; p = 0.010), while the factors associated with FMI were age (β [95% CI] = 0.30 [0.17–1.41]; p = 0.014), JADAS27 (β [95% CI] = 0.45 [0.16–1.08]; p = 0.009), and physical activity (β [95% CI] = −0.22 [−5.76 to 0.29]; p = 0.031). Conclusion: Our study revealed no differences between JIA patients with well-controlled disease and low disability and the healthy population in BMI or body composition. Furthermore, the association observed between inflammatory activity and adiposity could be responsible for poorer clinical course.This research was funded by a grant for medical researchers of the “Sociedad Española de Reumatología Pediatrica”Ye

Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition)

In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field