InContext: A mobile application for the improvement of learning strategies at University // InContext: Una aplicación móvil para mejorar las estrategias de aprendizaje en la Universidad

InContext is a custom-designed mobile application for writing assignments intended for university students in journalism and research methodology courses. In these disciplines, it has been observed that there is a need for an educational and technological tool to guide the writing of text using preloaded templates in which students can input text and multimedia material to create articles or write research reports. Besides its ease of use, the app was intended to improve metacognitive thinking. This led to the establishment of six working hypotheses in an exploratory study. For the study, a random sample of students enrolled in the aforementioned courses was selected during the August-December 2019 semester at a private university in Mexico. They took a pre-test using the “Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire” (MSLQ) that had been translated into Spanish and already validated in Mexico. Subsequently, the students used the application and then answered the same questionnaire as a post-test. The study aimed to compare the results of the tests to see whether there was an improvement in cognitive skills. The results showed an increase in four skills: critical thinking, data search, cognitive self-regulation, and regulation of effort. The research results did indicate metacognitive development that would benefit the academic and professional work of future graduates

InContext: A mobile application for the improvement of learning strategies at University // InContext: Una aplicación móvil para mejorar las estrategias de aprendizaje en la Universidad

InContext is a custom-designed mobile application for writing assignments intended for university students in journalism and research methodology courses. In these disciplines, it has been observed that there is a need for an educational and technological tool to guide the writing of text using preloaded templates in which students can input text and multimedia material to create articles or write research reports. Besides its ease of use, the app was intended to improve metacognitive thinking. This led to the establishment of six working hypotheses in an exploratory study. For the study, a random sample of students enrolled in the aforementioned courses was selected during the August-December 2019 semester at a private university in Mexico. They took a pre-test using the “Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire” (MSLQ) that had been translated into Spanish and already validated in Mexico. Subsequently, the students used the application and then answered the same questionnaire as a post-test. The study aimed to compare the results of the tests to see whether there was an improvement in cognitive skills. The results showed an increase in four skills: critical thinking, data search, cognitive self-regulation, and regulation of effort. The research results did indicate metacognitive development that would benefit the academic and professional work of future graduates

InContext: A mobile application for the improvement of learning strategies at University

InContext es una aplicación móvil, diseñada a medida, para elaborar trabajos de redacción para estudiantes universitarios de los cursos de periodismo y de metodología de la investigación. En estas disciplinas se observó que había una necesidad de contar con una herramienta educativa y tecnológica que guiara la redacción utilizando plantillas precargadas en las cuales los estudiantes pudieran agregar texto y material multimedia para con ello construir artículos periodísticos o reportes de investigación. Además de la facilidad de uso, se esperaba que la app mejorara el pensamiento metacognitivo, por lo cual se establecieron seis hipótesis de trabajo en un estudio exploratorio. Para la investigación se seleccionó una muestra aleatoria de estudiantes inscritos en los cursos durante el semestre agosto-diciembre 2019 en una universidad privada de México. Los alumnos realizaron un pretest utilizando el cuestionario Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) traducido al español y ya validado en México; posteriormente utilizaron la aplicación y contestaron el mismo cuestionario a manera de postest, con el objetivo de comparar si había una mejora en las habilidades cognitivas. Los resultados indican que existe un aumento en cuatro habilidades: pensamiento crítico, búsqueda de datos, autorregulación cognitiva y regulación del esfuerzo, pero no lo hubo en organización ni en búsqueda de ayuda. Estos resultados indican un desarrollo metacognitivo que beneficia el trabajo académico y profesional de los futuros egresadosInContext is a custom-designed mobile application for writing assignments intended for university students in journalism and research methodology courses. In these disciplines, it has been observed that there is a need for an educational and technological tool to guide the writing of text using preloaded templates in which students can input text and multimedia material to create articles or write research reports. Besides its ease of use, the app was intended to improve metacognitive thinking. This led to the establishment of six working hypotheses in an exploratory study. For the study, a random sample of students enrolled in the aforementioned courses was selected during the August-December 2019 semester at a private university in Mexico. They took a pre-test using the “Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire” (MSLQ) that had been translated into Spanish and already validated in Mexico. Subsequently, the students used the application and then answered the same questionnaire as a post-test. The study aimed to compare the results of the tests to see whether there was an improvement in cognitive skills. The results showed an increase in four skills: critical thinking, data search, cognitive self-regulation, and regulation of effort. The research results did indicate metacognitive development that would benefit the academic and professional work of future graduate

Caracterización arqueomética de azulejos sevillanos

El estudio e investigación que se presenta se corresponde a una caracteriza ción realizada sobre piezas cerámicas vidriadas que, procedentes de distintos edi ficios de Sevilla, se encuentran almacenadas en la actualidad, en los Reales Al cázares de Sevilla. La metodología seguida ha consistido en el estudio de propiedades físicas determinantes del estado de conservación, análisis químico y mineralógico de las pastas y estudio por microscopía electrónica de las caracte rísticas de los vidriados e interfases. El estudio ha permitido establecer diferen cias de acuerdo con la época de fabricación, así como con relación a la conser vación de las piezas

Phase matching effects in high harmonic generation at the nanometer scale

Plasmon resonances are known to amplify the electromagnetic fields near metallic nanostructures, providing a promising scheme to generate extreme-ultraviolet harmonics using low power drivings. During high-order harmonic generation (HHG), the driving and harmonic fields accumulate a phase di erence as they propagate through the target. In a typical set-up –a laser focused into a gas jet– the propagation distances amount to several wavelengths, and the cumulative phase-mismatch a ects strongly the e ciency and properties of the harmonic emission. In contrast, HHG in metallic nanostructures is considered to overcome these limitations, as the common sources of phase mismatch –optical density and focusing geometry– are negligible for subwavelength propagation distances. We demonstrate that phase matching still plays a relevant role in HHG from nanostructures due to the non-perturbative character of HHG, that links the harmonic phase to the intensity distribution of the driving field. Our computations show that widely used applications of phase matching control, such as quantum path selection and the increase of contrast in attosecond pulse generation, are also feasible at the nanoscale.Junta de Castilla y León (SA046U16) and MINECO (FIS2013-44174-P, FIS2016-75652-P, FIS2015-71933-REDT, SEV-2015-0522, FIS2013-46768-P, FIS2016-79508-P). M. Blanco is funded by FPU grant program of MECD. C. H.-G. is funded by Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship within the EU Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (2007-2013), grant Agreement No. 328334. A. Chacón and M. Lewenstein also acknowledge support from Adv. ERC grant OSYRIS, Generalitat de Catalunya (SGR 874, CERCA Program), and Fundació Privada CellexS

Characterization and Analysis of the Carbonation Process of a Lime Mortar Obtained from Phosphogypsum Waste

This work addresses the reuse of waste products as a raw material for lime putties, which are one of the components of mortar. 1:3 Lime/sand mortars very similar to conventional construction mortars were prepared using a lime putty obtained from the treatment of phosphogypsum with sodium hydroxide. The physical, rheological and mechanical properties of this phosphogypsum-derived mortar have been studied, as well as the mineralogical composition, microstructure by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and curing process by monitoring carbonation and ultrasonic propagation velocity. Considering the negative influence of sulphates on the hardened material, the behaviour of the material after sulphates precipitation by adding barium sulphate was additionally tested. Carbonation progressed from the outside to the inside of the specimen through the porous system by Liesegang rings patterns for mortars with soluble sulphates, while the carbonation with precipitated sulphates was controlled by diffusion-precipitation. Overall, the negative influence of low-sulphate contents on the mechanical properties of mortars was verified. It must be highlighted the importance of their precipitation to obtain adequate performance.This research was funded by Programa Estatal I+D+i Retos de la Sociedad of the Ministry of Science and Innovation (Spain), which supported this research (MAT2017-84228-R research project)

Decidua-derived mesenchymal stem cells as carriers of mesoporous silica nanoparticles. In vitro and in vivo evaluation on mammary tumors

The potential use of human Decidua-derived mesenchymal stem cells (DMSCs) as a platform to carry mesoporous silica nanoparticles in cancer therapy has been investigated. Two types of nanoparticles were evaluated. The nanoparticles showed negligible toxicity to the cells, a fast uptake and a long retention inside them. Nanoparticle location in the cell was studied by colocalization with the lysosomes. Moreover, the in vitro and in vivo migration of DMSCs towards tumors was not modified by the evaluated nanoparticles. Finally, DMSCs transporting doxorubicin-loaded nanoparticles were capable of inducing cancer cell death in vitro

Toughening of Nb2O5 doped zirconia biomaterial fabricated by microwave sintering technology

Pòster presentat a Euromat 2017, Thessaloniki (Greece), 17-22 september 2017The aim of this research is to investigate the characteristics and mechanical properties of Nb2O5 doped zirconia. Samples of partially stabilized-zirconia (3Y-TZP) with Nb2O5 in amounts of 0.15-1.5 mol.% were prepared by sol–gel technique and sintered by non-conventional microwave process

Estado actual de la gonartrosis en la población de Jaén

La gonartrosis es la causa más frecuente de dolor e incapacidad en la rodilla en pacientes mayores de 50 años. El objetivo de este trabajo es valorar el grado de dolor, incapacidad funcional y cumplimiento terapéutico de los pacientes con gonartrosis en la población general. Se seleccionaron de forma aleatoria 120 pacientes diagnosticados de gonartrosis en un centro de salud de Jaén capital. Se midió el dolor mediante escala analógico-visual, cuestionario WOMAC, variables demográficas, frecuentación de servicios sanitarios y tratamientos administrados. La edad media fue de 69.3 años, 76.7% de mujeres, obesas en un 32% de los casos y con sobrepeso en el 58%. El dolor medio de los pacientes fue de 5.5, intenso en el 16.7% y medio en el 55.8%. Un 35% de los pacientes no tomaba adecuadamente la medicación prescrita. El 93,3% de los pacientes ingería fármacos de manera habitual, sobre todo AINES (en un 42,5% de los casos) seguidos del paracetamol (en un 33,3%). El 58% de los pacientes han consultado alguna vez a un especialista. El cirujano ortopédico es el especialista más consultado (74.4%), seguido del reumatólogo (21.8%) y el rehabilitador (3.8%). El tratamiento del dolor en este tipo de pacientes es insuficiente. Se debe incrementar el cumplimiento terapéutico y racionalizar la medicación analgésica empleada. También se debe insistir en el uso de las medidas no farmacológicas (disminución del peso, fisioterapia) en atención primaria

Electrosprayed hydroxypropyl methylcellulose microcapsules containing Rhus microphylla fruit extracts and their application in strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) preservation

The data that has been used is confidential.Encapsulation technology is used to incorporate a wide range of compounds, which is beneficial for protecting and improving the bioactivity of plant extracts. In this study, the objectives were to develop hydroxypropyl methylcellulose microcapsules containing two different extracts from Rhus microphylla fruit namely RmA (obtained by conventional agitation) and RmO (obtained by ohmic heating) using electrohydrodynamic processing. The microcapsules were then characterized through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), ATR-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Additionally, the study aimed to evaluate their influence on strawberry quality. Spherical microcapsules with a particle size of 2.052.41m were successfully obtained, and FTIR analysis confirmed the proper incorporation of the extracts. The microcapsules containing RmA extract (MC-RmA) exhibited superior antioxidant and antifungal activities in vitro. Consequently, their efficacy in preserving the quality of strawberry fruits during storage at 4±1°C and 85% relative humidity (RH) was evaluated at concentrations of 0.25% and 0.50% (w/v). After 14 days, the MC-RmA-treated fruits showed reduced weight loss, improved firmness, and unchanged color. Additionally, the gradual release of antifungal activity from MC-RmA suggests its potential as a novel solution to mitigate postharvest losses in strawberry fruits.This study was supported by Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro (UAAAN). Jorge L. Guía-García thanks Consejo Nacional de Humanidades, Ciencias y Tecnologías (CONAHCYT, Mexico) for PhD fellowship support (CONAHCYT grant number 731604/604900).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio