Incorporación de los foros en una propuesta de enseñanza virtual de un tema de álgebra

En el siguiente trabajo se presentan algunos resultados de la implementación de un modelo basado en un esquema de red implementado para la enseñanza del tema Rectas en el Espacio de la asignatura Algebra y Geometría Analítica de primer año de ingeniería. Se muestran los resultados obtenidos en los foros implementados para alumnos de estilo de aprendizaje activo, según la clasificación de Felder y fue desarrollado como parte del proyecto “Sistema Adaptativo Aplicado a la Enseñanza del Álgebra” (PID UTN1733). El objetivo de dicho proyecto fue crear un sistema basado en tecnología de e-learning, que permitiera establecer una secuencia adaptable a determinadas características de los estudiantes y posteriormente, realizar un estudio experimental para evaluar los aportes de este tipo de sistemas.Eje: Educación en Tecnología.Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Huellas hídricas verde y azul del cultivo de maíz (Zea mayz) en provincias del centro y noreste argentino

The water footprint (WF) of a crop shows the volume of evapotranspired water required to produce a given yield. The WF splits up into the green WF, which is the volume of rainwater consumed, and the blue WF, which refers to the volume of surface and ground water applied through irrigation. The project consists in calculating the green and blue WF value for corn in central and northeastern provinces of Argentina under rainfed, irrigated, and optimum irrigation and soil fertility conditions, and in analyzing the impacts of these practices. Internationally accepted methodology and the AquaCrop model were used to simulate ETc and crop yield. It was observed that by applying irrigation and increasing fertility the WF is reduced, this is due to the increase in yield. The green WF represents 92% of the combined sum (green plus blue). The calculated mean WF (green plus blue) is 803 L.kg-1 for rainfed farming, 602 L.kg-1 for irrigated agriculture; and 488 L.kg-1 for production under optimum irrigation and soil fertility conditions. This information helps producers to adequately assess irrigation practices and the efficient use of fertilizers, and raises awareness among water administrators of the need for suitable policies for sustainable water use.La huella hídrica (HH) de un cultivo indica la cantidad de agua evapotranspirada para obtener una determinada producción, distinguiendo entre el agua procedente de las precipitaciones (verde) y el agua extraída de ríos, lagos y acuíferos, aplicada mediante riego (azul). Son objetivos del trabajo estimar las HH verde y azul del maíz en provincias del centro y del noreste argentino bajo tres condiciones (secano, riego y riego y fertilidad edáfica óptimos) y analizar el impacto de estas prácticas. Se siguió la metodología internacionalmente aceptada utilizando el modelo AquaCrop. Los resultados mostraron: que el riego y la fertilización reducen la HH debido al aumento del rendimiento; que la huella hídrica verde representa el 92% de la sumatoria (verde más azul) y que la huella hídrica calculada en secano alcanza un valor medio de 803 L.kg-1 (bajo riego este valor es de 602 L.kg-1 y con riego y fertilidad edáfica óptimos, de 488 L.kg-1). Esta información permite al productor valorar convenientemente las prácticas de riego y el uso eficiente de fertilizantes y concientiza a los administradores del recurso hídrico sobre la necesidad de diseñar políticas adecuadas para el uso sostenible del agua

Innovations in Educational Research and Teaching of Experimental Calculus

For several decades, there have been a varying number of books on Calculus following the classic line of mathematical thought, where Mathematics is taught for everybody by means of rigorous definitions, theorems, and carefully detailed and extensive demonstrations. For mathematical education into the XXI Century the students need to achieve ability in handling of present mathematical tools and concepts from the beginning of their courses. These needs can be achieved today by means of a paradigmatic change in the focus of mathematics teaching: to learn to develop ideas and to experiment and test those ideas in such way that students can verify their own inferences. In this paper we report an educational research in teaching and learning functions models according to a new paradigm in hands-on experimental mathematics, with applications in the real world, i.e. sciences and engineering by using Computer Algebra Systems. The study of functions is presented, focused into the framing of Exploratory Learning Systems, where students learn by means of the action and their participation in it. It is designed for teachers working together with students in a computer laboratory like hands-on workshops-type activities on other sciences. In this way students have a more “alive”, “realistic” and “accessible” touch in Calculus

Didáctica de la matemática y ambientes virtuales de enseñanza

En el artículo se realiza una propuesta acerca de la utilización de los Entornos Virtuales de Enseñanza y Aprendizaje (EVEAs), para la enseñanza de la matemática siguiendo los lineamientos de la Teoría de Situaciones Didácticas de Brousseau (TSD). En el trabajo se hace una síntesis de las principales características y funciones disponibles en los EVEAs. A continuación se describe la estructura, características y elementos más importantes de la TSD y su relación con las herramientas habitualmente presentes en los entornos virtuales antes citados. Luego, se introducen los principales aspectos del esquema propuesto para aplicar la TSD, tomando como eje principal las situaciones de acción, formulación, validación y los diferentes medios en los que ellas se desarrollan. Finalmente, se comentan algunas conclusiones del trabajo realizado

Kinetics and growth modes of quasi-2d silver branched electrodeposits produced in the presence of a supporting electrolyte

Quasi-2d silver electrodeposits were grown electrochemically at constant potential from aqueous Ag+ ion-containing solutions in the presence of a supporting electrolyte, at room temperature, using a three-electrode quasi-2d circular electrochemical cell. Open branching and dense radial branching patterns were distinguished on the centimetre scale, and growth mode transitions could be observed during the process. Branching patterns exhibited a mass fractal behaviour with a mass fractal dimension increasing from that expected for a DLA-like pattern to that of a dense branching pattern as either the cathodic overpotential (ηc) or the Ag+ ion concentration in the solution (c) was increased. The electrodeposition current increased with time exhibiting different regimes depending on whether an open branching or a dense radial branching growth mode prevailed. When the electrodeposition time exceeded a certain critical value, the radial growth rate of electrodeposits (vr) approached a vr α ηcc relationship. The experimental morphologies and growth kinetics were reproduced by Monte Carlo simulations of a growth model in which depositing particles follow a biased random walk.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicada

Anodisation of copper in thiourea-containing acid solution : Part II. In situ transversal imaging observations. Kinetics of anodic film growth

The formation of anodic films during the anodisation of copper, at different applied potentials E, in aqueous 0.5 M sulphuric acid containing different amounts of dissolved thiourea was investigated following the corroding electrode profile by on line in situ imaging. For E0.07 V, the main reactions are the electro-decomposition of formamidine disulphide and Cu(I)–thiourea complexes yielding a copper sulphide-containing film (film II) and the electrodissolution of copper as aqueous Cu(II) ions through film II. The relative contribution of these processes depends on thiourea concentration in the solution, the applied electric potential and anodisation time. The growth kinetics of films I and II were determined from the evolution of the average film height〈h〉obtained from in situ imaging. The kinetics of film I fit a parabolic rate law, whereas those of film II approach a linear〈h〉versus anodisation time relationship. The rupture of film II assists the localised corrosion of copper. Likely physical mechanisms for the formation of these anodic films are discussed.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicada

Comparative voltammetric and FTIRRAS study on the electro-oxidation of thiourea and methyl-thioureas on platinum in aqueous acid solutions

A comparative voltammetric and spectroscopic study on thiourea, methylthiourea, 1,3 dimethylthiourea and tetramethylthiourea electro-oxidation is presented. The investigation was performed at platinum electrodes in aqueous acid solutions in the potential range between 0.05 and 1.6 V (versus SHE). The electro-oxidation of thioureas starts at ca. 0.55 V and it involves at least two reaction stages irrespective of their nature. The first electro-oxidation stage occurs in the range 0.55–0.9 V and involves the formation of a soluble disulphide derivative influenced by the blockage of the electrode surface. The second electro-oxidation stage occurs in the range 0.9–1.6 V and it involves a complex electrochemical process yielding products such as carbon dioxide, sulphate ions, CN- and CO-containing species. The second electro-oxidation stage is likely mediated by the oxygen-containing layer that is produced electrochemically on platinum in that range of potential. The gradual depletion of thioureas and the progressive formation of soluble products in the thin solution layer in contact with the electrode are followed through changes in the band intensities of IR spectra. From the correlation between voltammetric and spectroscopic data a description of global reactions involving the electro-oxidation of thioureas to soluble products in both potential ranges is presented. The proposed reaction pathways are consistent with the participation of different adsorbates as was reported earlier for thioureas on platinum.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicada

Dietary patterns, foods, and food groups : relation to late-life cognitive disorders

The limited efficacy of disease-modifying therapeutic strategies for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer\u2019s dementia (AD) underscores the need for preventive measures to reduce the burden of late-life cognitive impairment. The aim of the present review article was to investigate the relationship among dietary patterns, foods, and food groups and late-life cognitive disorders considering the results of observational studies published in the last three years (2014-2016). In the last decade, the association between diet and cognitive function or dementia has been largely investigated. However, more recently, the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer\u2019s Association guidelines for AD and cognitive decline due to AD pathology introduced some evidence suggesting a direct relation between diet and changes in the brain structure and activity. Several studies focused on the role of the dietary patterns on late-life cognition, with accumulating evidence that combinations of foods and nutrients into certain patterns may act synergistically to provide stronger health effects than those conferred by their individual dietary components. In particular, higher adherence to a Mediterranean-type diet was associated with decreased cognitive decline, although the Mediterranean diet (MeDi) combines several foods, micronutrients, and macronutrients already separately proposed as potential protective factors against dementia and MCI. Moreover, also other emerging healthy dietary patterns such as the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) and the Mediterranean-DASH diet Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay (MIND) diets were associated with slower rates of cognitive decline and significant reduction in AD rate. Furthermore, some foods or food groups traditionally considered harmful such as eggs and red meat have been partially rehabilitated, while there is still a negative correlation of cognitive functions with added sugars and trans fatty acids, nutrients also increasing the cardiovascular risk. This would suggest a genesis for the same damage for aging brain

Anodisation of copper in thiourea- and formamidine disulphide-containing acid solution : Part I. Identification of products and reaction pathway

The anodic behaviour of copper in aqueous 0.5 M sulphuric acid containing different amounts of dissolved thiourea or formamidine disulphide was investigated at 298 K, combining data from electrochemical polarisation, chemical analysis, UV–vis spectroscopy, XPS and EDAX analysis, and structural information on copper–thiourea complexes. The main reactions depend on the applied potential and initial thiourea concentration. In the potential range −0.30≤E≤0.075 V (versus SCE), the electro-oxidation of thiourea to formamidine disulphide, the formation of Cu(I)–thiourea soluble complexes, and Cu(I)–thiourea complex polymer-like films, are the most relevant processes. The formation of this film depends on certain critical thiourea/copper ion molar concentration ratios at the reaction interface. At low positive potentials, the former reaction is under intermediate kinetic control, with the diffusion of thiourea from the solution playing a key role. For E≥0.075 V, soluble Cu(II) ions in the solution are formed and the anodic film is gradually changed to another one consisting of copper sulphide and residual copper. The new film assists the localised electrodissolution of copper. A complex reaction pathway for copper anodisation in these media for the low and high potential range is advanced.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicada

Dietary intervention and prevention of cognitive-related outcomes in healthy older adults without cognitive dysfunction

In the last decade, the association between diet and cognitive function/dementia has been largely investigated in observational studies, while there was a lack of evidence from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on the prevention of late-life cognitive disorders though dietary intervention in cognitively healthy older adults. In the present article, we reviewed RCTs published in the last three years (2014-2016) exploring nutritional intervention efficacy in preventing the onset of late-life cognitive disorders and dementia in cognitively healthy subjects aged over 60 years using different levels of investigation (i.e., dietary pattern changes/ medical food/nutraceutical supplementation/multidomain approach and dietary macro-and micronutrient approaches). From the included RCTs, there was moderate evidence that intervention through dietary pattern changes, medical food/nutraceutical supplementation, and multidomain approach improved specific cognitive domains or cognitive-related blood biomarkers. Moreover, there was high evidence that protein supplementation improved specific cognitive domains. For fatty acid supplementation, mainly long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, there was emerging evidence suggesting an impact of this approach in improving specific cognitive domains, MRI findings, and/or cognitive-related biomarkers also in selected subgroups of older subjects although some results were conflicting. Moreover, there was convincing evidence of an impact of non-flavonoid polyphenol and flavonoid supplementations in improving specific cognitive domains and/or MRI findings. Finally, there was only low evidence suggesting efficacy of intervention with homocysteine-related vitamins in improving cognitive functions, dementia incidence, or cognitive-related biomarkers in cognitively healthy older subjects