The Sustainable Management of Metals: An Analysis of Global Research

The objective of this study was to analyze research trends in the field of sustainable management of metals on a global level between 1993 and 2017. To do so, a bibliometric analysis was carried out on a total of 6967 articles. The results revealed the growing interest in this research field, particularly over the last five year-period during which 63% of all articles were published. The three journals in which most articles had been published were the Journal of Cleaner Production, ACS Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering, and Chemsuschem. The countries that published the most articles were China, the United States, India, Germany, and the United Kingdom. A sizeable network of collaboration has been established between countries for the joint publication of studies. The main lines of research have been focused on metal decontamination in water and soil, waste management oriented towards reuse and recycling, and the innovation of processes for cleaner and more efficient production. The results revealed the need for comprehensive studies that integrate different disciplines within the same analytical framework, and to promote research that contributes to the different dimensions of sustainability (environmental, economic, and social)

Video-based assistance system for training in minimally invasive surgery

In this paper, the development of an assisting system for laparoscopic surgical training is presented. With this system, we expect to facilitate the training process at the first stages of training in laparoscopic surgery and to contribute to an objective evaluation of surgical skills. To achieve this, we propose the insertion of multimedia contents and outlines of work adapted to the level of experience of trainees and the detection of the movements of the laparoscopic instrument into the monitored image. A module to track the instrument is implemented focusing on the tip of the laparoscopic tool. This tracking method does not need the presence of artificial marks or special colours to distinguish the instruments. Similarly, the system has another method based on visual tracking to localize support multimedia content in a stable position of the field of vision. Therefore, this position of the support content is adapted to the movements of the camera or the working area. Experimental results are presented to show the feasibility of the proposed system for assisting in laparoscopic surgical training

Laparoscopic image analysis for automatic tracking of surgical tools

Laparoscopy is a surgical technique nowadays embedded in the clinical routine. Recent researches have been focused on analysing video information captured by the endoscope for extracting cues useful for surgeons, such as depth information. In particular, the 3D pose estimation of the surgical tools presents three important added values: (1) to extract objective parameters for the surgical training stage, (2) to develop an image-guided surgery based on the knowledge of the surgery tools localization, (3) to design new roboticsystems for an automatic laparoscope positioning, according to the visual feedback. Tool’s shape and orientation in the image is the key to get its 3D position. This work presents an image analysis for automatic laparoscopic tool’s detection along the recorded video without extra tool markers, using an edges detection strategy. Also, this analysis includes a previous stage of barrel distortion correction for videoendoscopic image

Emotional cuing to test attentional network functioning in trait anxiety

The Attention Networks Test (ANT) has been widely used to assess the three attentional networks proposed by Posner and his collaborators. Here we present a version of the ANT that uses emotionally laden words as cues to evaluate the functioning of the attention networks and their interactions. University students participated in the task and the results replicated those found in previous studies with the original version of the test. Then, those with extreme scores on a trait anxiety scale, STAI (State Trait Anxiety Inventory) were assigned to the low or the high anxiety group. The high anxiety group showed normal patterns in the functioning of the three attentional networks, but negative cues modulated the interaction between the orienting and the executive network. These participants failed to narrow the attention focus to cover the region containing the target, affecting conflict resolution in incongruent trials.El test de las redes atencionales (Attention Networks Test, ANT) ha sido muy utilizado para evaluar las tres redes atencionales propuestas por Posner y colaboradores. Aquí presentamos una versión del ANT que utiliza palabras cargadas emocionalmente como señales de orientación de la atención para evaluar el funcionamiento de las redes atencionales y sus interacciones. Estudiantes universitarios participaron en la tarea y los resultados replicaron aquellos obtenidos en estudios previos con la versión original del test. Aquellos participantes con puntuaciones extremas en la escala de ansiedad rasgo, STAI (State Trait Anxiety Inventory) fueron asignados al grupo de baja o alta ansiedad. El grupo de alta ansiedad mostró patrones normales de funcionamiento en las tres redes atencionales, pero las señales con carga emocional negativa modularon la interacción entre la red de orientación y la red ejecutiva. Concretamente, mostraron un déficit en el ajuste del foco atencional para abarcar justo la región espacial que contenía el estímulo objetivo, afectando a la resolución del conflicto en los ensayos incongruentes.This research was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity (grant PS2011-23340/PSIC), and by the Fundació Caixa Castelló- Bancaixa (grant E-2006-24

L-Plastin S-glutathionylation promotes reduced binding to β-actin and affects neutrophil functions

© 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) of cytoskeleton proteins due to oxidative stress associated with several pathological conditions often lead to alterations in cell function. The current study evaluates the effect of nitric oxide (DETA-NO)-induced oxidative stress-related S-glutathionylation of cytoskeleton proteins in human PMNs. By using in vitro and genetic approaches, we showed that S-glutathionylation of L-plastin (LPL) and β-actin promotes reduced chemotaxis, polarization, bactericidal activity, and phagocytosis. We identified Cys-206, Cys-283, and Cys-460 as S-thiolated residues in the β-actin-binding domain of LPL, where cys-460 had the maximum score. Site-directed mutagenesis of LPL Cys-460 further confirmed the role in the redox regulation of LPL. S-Thiolation diminished binding as well as the bundling activity of LPL. The presence of S-thiolated LPL was detected in neutrophils from both diabetic patients and db/db mice with impaired PMN functions. Thus, enhanced nitroxidative stress may results in LPL S-glutathionylation leading to impaired chemotaxis, polarization, and bactericidal activity of human PMNs, providing a mechanistic basis for their impaired functions in diabetes mellitus.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO),SAF 2012–388.Award of research fellowships to M.D.,A.K.S.,D.A.,and S.N. from the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India.Peer Reviewe

Empirical evaluation of educational interactive systems

[EN ]Educational software systems are usually highly interactive systems that needs to be evaluated from two different perspectives, first as interactive software, mainly using usability and accessibility approaches, and second as an educational product that needs to be evaluated from its learning impact. The empirical evaluation methods may be quantitative, with a more deductive reasoning, or qualitative, with a more inductive reasoning, oriented, however mixed approaches have been used extensively because they combine the both main methods with a more pragmatic knowledge focusing on knowing the consequences or solving problems. The empirical evaluation of interactive educational software due to its own characteristics requires a mixed approach typically. This special issue is devoted to identify, share and valorise best practices and experiences, with a very solid modelling background, that are focused on the empirical evaluation of educational interactive systems with a special emphasis on mixed quantitative and qualitative approaches

Methods and Tools for Objective Assessment of Psychomotor Skills in Laparoscopic Surgery

Training and assessment paradigms for laparoscopic surgical skills are evolving from traditional mentor–trainee tutorship towards structured, more objective and safer programs. Accreditation of surgeons requires reaching a consensus on metrics and tasks used to assess surgeons’ psychomotor skills. Ongoing development of tracking systems and software solutions has allowed for the expansion of novel training and assessment means in laparoscopy. The current challenge is to adapt and include these systems within training programs, and to exploit their possibilities for evaluation purposes. This paper describes the state of the art in research on measuring and assessing psychomotor laparoscopic skills. It gives an overview on tracking systems as well as on metrics and advanced statistical and machine learning techniques employed for evaluation purposes. The later ones have a potential to be used as an aid in deciding on the surgical competence level, which is an important aspect when accreditation of the surgeons in particular, and patient safety in general, are considered. The prospective of these methods and tools make them complementary means for surgical assessment of motor skills, especially in the early stages of training. Successful examples such as the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery should help drive a paradigm change to structured curricula based on objective parameters. These may improve the accreditation of new surgeons, as well as optimize their already overloaded training schedules

Student Perception of the Use of a Blended-Learning Model to Improve Grammatical Competence

[EN]This is the presentation of the paper entitled “Student Perception of the Use of a Blended-Learning Model to Improve Grammatical Competence” in the TEEM 2015 International Conference held in Porto (Portugal) in October 7-9, 2015. The study focuses on learners’ perceptions for learning English grammar in the course of English Morphosyntax at graduate level at the Pontifical University of Salamanca. This course is offered via a blended instructional delivery mode. The study utilizes a quantitative method approach, using a survey conducted online. The survey is designed with Google Drive and is embedded into the virtual learning environment (VLE) as a common place for students’ participation. The learners’ high satisfaction towards the blended instructional delivery mode reveals that the model implemented provides a satisfying experience. Learners indicate that thanks to the E-activities presented in the VLE, they have improved their grammatical competence and are more aware of the rules of English Grammar.