Mining an Online Judge System to Support Introductory Computer Programming Teaching

ABSTRACT Computer programming is an activity which requires a set of cognitive processes that naturally develop through practice, writing algorithmic solutions. Students learn a lot from their mistakes, but for this they need feedback on their workouts. Marking students' work outs is very time consuming, which often limits a teacher's capacity to offer close guidance individually. The PROBOCA project aims to build a tool, based on the BOCA online judge, suited for the purpose of learning computer programming by practice. In addition to a problem database organized by theme and difficulty, the system provides functionalities to support the teacher in the classroom. One of the main endeavors is to develop a procedure for estimating the degree of difficulty of a certain problem. This "nominal" parameter may then be compared to the difficulty level as perceived by each student. The result is a valuable indicator of those students that are experiencing challenges. This paper presents the preliminary specification of PROBOCA´s architecture and functional requirements along with its current state of development

Exploring core cognitive skills of Computational Thinking

Although still innovative and not largely disseminated, Computational Thinking is being considered as a critical skill for students in the 21st century. It involves many skills, but programming abilities seem to be a core aspect since they foster the development of a new way of thinking that is key to the solution of problems that require a combination of human mental power and computing power capacity. This paper presents an exploratory study developed to select psychological assessment tests that can be used to identify and measure Computational Thinking cognitive processes, associated to the programming component, so that strategies can be developed to promote it. After the literature review, we identified four central cognitive processes implied in programming, therefore important to Computational Thinking, and accordingly selected a set of four tests that were administered to a sample of 12 introductory programming students. Our results suggest that spatial reasoning and general intelligence are crucial dimensions for introductory programming, being also correlated to the students’ academic success in this area. However, arithmetic reasoning and attention to detail tests did not correlate. Based on these results, directions for future research have been defined in order to effectively identify and develop the core cognitive processes of programming, ergo, to help develop Computational Thinking.University of Susse

Influencia de la evolución de las herramientas informáticas en la determinación y presentación del impuesto al valor agregado en la provincia de Mendoza desde el año 2000 al 2019

La tecnología se ha vuelto una parte muy importante en nuestras vidas y, en un mundo tan globalizado como el actual, es indispensable no perder de vista todas las herramientas informáticas con las que contamos para facilitar nuestra vida en varios aspectos, especialmente, en el ámbito laboral.El objetivo de este trabajo es recolectar toda la información disponible sobre la evolución de las herramientas informáticas que ayudan al contador público nacional a ser más eficiente en las tareas de liquidación y presentación del Impuesto al Valor Agregado e investigar cómo dicha evolución ha impactado en tal profesión. Con este fin, la pregunta de investigación se resume en lo siguiente: ¿De qué forma la evolución de las herramientas informáticas ha impactado al contador público nacional en la liquidación y presentación del Impuesto al Valor Agregado desde el año 2000 al año 2019? Con esta investigación se logra unificar información de casi dos décadas de evolución tecnológica en un mismo material que brinda toda la nformación necesaria para los aspectos mencionados anteriormente. La pregunta de investigación se responde a través de entrevistas a contadores profesionales de tres generaciones distintas para indagar sobre los diversos impactos que ha tenido la evolución tecnológica según la edad, la experiencia y muchos otros factores. Además, se recopiló información de la Administración Federal de Ingresos Públicos, la cual brinda instructivos que resultan de utilidad para el análisis del impuesto que se aborda. Este trabajo de investigación, como ya se mencionó, abarca desde el año 2000 al año 2019; sin embargo, como vivimos en una era cambiante, dinámica y globalizada, es necesario que este tipo de investigaciones se realicen constantemente. De esta forma, el profesional podría acceder a material actualizado sobre la tecnología que necesita para llevar a cabo todas sus tareas y ser lo más eficiente posible.Fil: Alaniz, María Victoria. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas.Fil: Ambrosio, Mariano Iván. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas.Fil: Curello, Camila Agustina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas.Fil: Fredes, Ana Paula. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Económicas

Estudo longitudinal da densidade mineral óssea de cães Golden Retriever hígidos, portadores e afetados pela distrofia muscular

The Golden Retriever Muscular Dystrophy (GRMD) is considered the most appropriate model of the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) in humans. Decrease in Bone Mineral Density (DMO) has been recognized in ambulatory and non-ambulatory boys with DMD. The Radiographic Optical Densitometry is a method to measure the bone mineral content. It was performed radiographing the proximal right tibia next to an aluminum stepwedge. Fifteen Golden Retriever dogs had been used, divided in three groups: Five healthy, five carriers and five affected by GRMD, monthly radiographed, from 3 to 9 months-old. These radiographies were analyzed by image processing software (ImageLab, Softium®). The proximal epiphysis had higher bone mineral density, followed for the metaphysic and diaphysis, respectively. All regions followed has influence the body weight. There was an increase of the bone mineral density in all regions of the three groups. The proximal metaphysis was thought to be the better region to evaluate the bone mineral density because had less correlation and influence of the body weight, and, also, had different significant values to differentiate the groups earlier than the other regions. The potential diagnostic of this densitometric method in GRMD was considered low, however it demonstrated to have great potential in the clinical recheck of this patients due to the high sensitivity for detection of changes in the bone mineral density.A Distrofia Muscular do Golden Retriever (GRMD) é considerada o modelo mais apropriado da Distrofia Muscular de Duchenne (DMD) que acomete humanos. Diminuição na Densidade Mineral Óssea (DMO) já foi descrita em meninos com DMD, ambulantes e não-ambulantes. A Densitometria Óptica Radiográfica (DOR) é um método de análise para quantificação da matéria mineral óssea. Este foi realizado por meio de radiografias simples da região proximal da tíbia direita ao lado de escala de alumínio. Quinze cães da raça Golden Retriever, sendo cinco normais, cinco portadores e cinco afetados pela distrofia, foram radiografados mensalmente, dos três aos nove meses de idade. Estas radiografias foram analisadas por meio do software de análise de imagens (ImageLab, Softium®). O estudo revelou que a região epifisária possui maior densidade mineral óssea (DMO), seguida pela região metafisária e diafisária. Houve uma tendência de aumento da DMO nas três regiões avaliadas dos três grupos durante o experimento. A região metafisária proximal da tíbia demonstrou ser o sitio de eleição para a leitura da DMO, por ser o local com menor correlação e influencia do peso corpóreo e por promover estimativas médias consideradas significativas entre grupos avaliados mais cedo que nas demais regiões. O potencial de diagnóstico deste exame densitométrico, em relação a GRMD, foi considerado baixo, porém, demonstrou ter grande potencial no acompanhamento do progresso desta doença por apresentar alta sensibilidade para detecção de variações na densidade mineral óssea

Post-intervention Status in Patients With Refractory Myasthenia Gravis Treated With Eculizumab During REGAIN and Its Open-Label Extension

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether eculizumab helps patients with anti-acetylcholine receptor-positive (AChR+) refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) achieve the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America (MGFA) post-intervention status of minimal manifestations (MM), we assessed patients' status throughout REGAIN (Safety and Efficacy of Eculizumab in AChR+ Refractory Generalized Myasthenia Gravis) and its open-label extension. METHODS: Patients who completed the REGAIN randomized controlled trial and continued into the open-label extension were included in this tertiary endpoint analysis. Patients were assessed for the MGFA post-intervention status of improved, unchanged, worse, MM, and pharmacologic remission at defined time points during REGAIN and through week 130 of the open-label study. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients completed REGAIN and continued into the open-label study (eculizumab/eculizumab: 56; placebo/eculizumab: 61). At week 26 of REGAIN, more eculizumab-treated patients than placebo-treated patients achieved a status of improved (60.7% vs 41.7%) or MM (25.0% vs 13.3%; common OR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1-4.5). After 130 weeks of eculizumab treatment, 88.0% of patients achieved improved status and 57.3% of patients achieved MM status. The safety profile of eculizumab was consistent with its known profile and no new safety signals were detected. CONCLUSION: Eculizumab led to rapid and sustained achievement of MM in patients with AChR+ refractory gMG. These findings support the use of eculizumab in this previously difficult-to-treat patient population. CLINICALTRIALSGOV IDENTIFIER: REGAIN, NCT01997229; REGAIN open-label extension, NCT02301624. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class II evidence that, after 26 weeks of eculizumab treatment, 25.0% of adults with AChR+ refractory gMG achieved MM, compared with 13.3% who received placebo

Minimal Symptom Expression' in Patients With Acetylcholine Receptor Antibody-Positive Refractory Generalized Myasthenia Gravis Treated With Eculizumab

The efficacy and tolerability of eculizumab were assessed in REGAIN, a 26-week, phase 3, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody-positive (AChR+) refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG), and its open-label extension

Inflammatory epidermolysis bullosa acquisita - Case report

We report a case of an inflammatory variant of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita in a 53-year-old male, with itching blistering eruption on the trunk, armpits and limbs for six months. The skin biopsy specimen showed subepidermal blister with neutrophils. Direct immunofluorescence revealed linear depositions of IgG, IgA, IgM and C3 at the basement membrane; indirect immunofluorescence and salt split skin were negative. Antinuclear antibodies were also negative. Improvement of the blisters followed treatment with systemic corticotherapy and some lesions healed with milia. This is a rare presentation of epidermolysis bullosa acquisita, with inflammatory lesions at first