La eficacia comunicativa de los sistemas multimedia educativos

La eficacia comunicativa de los sistemas multimedia educativo

The role of psychosocial stress on a family-based treatment for adolescents with problematic behaviors

The stressful life events experienced by adolescents with problematic behaviors, should be considered for implementing effective interventions. This study aimed to examine the adjustment of adolescents with problematic behaviors, and to assess the effectiveness of a family-based treatment, namely Scene-Based Psychodramatic Family Therapy (SB-PFT), according to different stress profiles. Ten SB-PFT sessions, over 17 trials were implemented. Stressful life events and adolescent adjustment were evaluated at pretest and posttest, for the SB-PFT participants (n = 104 adolescents) and a control group (n = 106). The adolescents were categorized into three profiles depending on the nature of the stressors: family stress profile, individual and family stress profile, and low stress profile. The individual and family stress group showed worse adjustment. Effectiveness analyses revealed improvements in SB-PFT participants’ emotional intelligence, but not in anger and hostility. Furthermore, adolescents with low and family-related stress profiles showed enhancements in parent attachment. In conclusion, interventions involving adolescents with problematic behaviors must be tailored to the stressful life events experienced. Specific treatments should be used alongside SB-PFT, when adolescents are met with individual-related stress. Nevertheless, SB-PFT seemed to promote emotional intelligence and parent attachment, particularly in adolescents with problematic behaviors that experienced only family stressors.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad EDU2013-41441-PMinisterio de Educación, Cultura y Deportes FPU Program-311

Una perspectiva neurobiológica y comunicacional de la imagen y de la realidad aumentada

From the perspective of neurobiology and communication, the research analyzes prehistoric rock paintings and augmented reality. Both systems combine reality and virtuality, 360-degree images, immersion, physical and social interactions, and a break with the Renaissance representational framework. Augmented reality adds interactivity by approaching the natural cognition of the brain, and its communicative effectiveness is greater than that of other image systems. The main objective of this research is to prove that proposition. The methodology, which is basically exploratory, is based on the contributions of neuroscience and psychobiology, on cultural studies, and on the communicative possibilities offered by ICTs in mobility. The results suggest that greater communicative effectiveness is linked to socialization, 360-degree multi-sensory immersion and interactive images. It seems fruitful to develop and enhance systems of augmented reality in mobility that interweave interactivity and moving pictures in 360-degree immersive contexts.La investigación analiza desde la neurobiología y comunicación las imágenes rupestres y la realidad aumentada. En ambas se combinan realidad y virtualidad, imágenes en 360º, inmersión, interacciones físicas y sociales, y ruptura del marco de representación renacentista. La realidad aumentada añade interactividad acercándose al comportamiento cognitivo del cerebro y su eficacia comunicativa es superior a la de otros sistemas de imágenes. Demostrarlo, es el principal objetivo de esta investigación. La metodología, básicamente exploratoria, se basa en las aportaciones de la neurociencia y la psicobiología evolutiva, en los estudios culturales y en las posibilidades comunicativas que proporcionan las TIC en movilidad. Los resultados apuntan a que la mayor eficacia comunicativa está ligada a la socialización, a la inmersión multisensorial 360º y a las imágenes interactivas. Parece fructífero la potenciación de sistemas de realidad aumentada en movilidad que imbriquen interactividad con interacción e imágenes en movimiento en contextos inmersivos de 360º.&nbsp

PTL: A Model Transformation Language based on Logic Programming

In this paper we present a model transformation language based on logic programming. The language, called PTL (Prolog based Transformation Language), can be considered as a hybrid language in which ATL (Atlas Transformation Language)-style rules are combined with logic rules for defining transformations. ATL-style rules are used to define mappings from source models to target models while logic rules are used as helpers. The implementation of PTL is based on the encoding of the ATL-style rules by Prolog rules. Thus, PTL makes use of Prolog as a transformation engine. We have provided a declarative semantics to PTL and proved the semantics equivalent to the encoded program. We have studied an encoding of OCL (Object Constraint Language) with Prolog goals in order to map ATL to PTL. Thus a subset of PTL can be considered equivalent to a subset of ATL. The proposed language can be also used for model validation, that is, for checking constraints on models and transformations. We have equipped our language with debugging and tracing capabilities which help developers to detect programming errors in PTL rules. Additionally, we have developed an Eclipse plugin for editing PTL programs, as well as for debugging, tracing and validation. Finally, we have evaluated the language with several transformation examples as well as tested the performance with large models

Differential Effects of Increasing Salinity on Germination and Seedling Growth of Native and Exotic Invasive Cordgrasses

Soil salinity is a key environmental factor influencing germination and seedling establishment in salt marshes. Global warming and sea level rise are changing estuarine salinity, and may modify the colonization ability of halophytes. We evaluated the effects of increasing salinity on germination and seedling growth of native Spartina maritima and invasive S. densiflora from wetlands of the Odiel-Tinto Estuary. Responses were assessed following salinity exposure from fresh water to hypersaline conditions and germination recovery of non-germinated seeds when transferred to fresh water. The germination of both species was inhibited and delayed at high salinities, while pre-exposure to salinity accelerated the speed of germination in recovery assays compared to non-pre-exposed seeds. S. densiflora was more tolerant of salinity at germination than S. maritima. S. densiflora was able to germinate at hypersalinity and its germination percentage decreased at higher salinities compared to S. maritima. In contrast, S. maritima showed higher salinity tolerance in relation to seedling growth. Contrasting results were observed with differences in the tidal elevation of populations. Our results suggest S. maritima is a specialist species with respect to salinity, while S. densiflora is a generalist capable of germination of growth under suboptimal conditions. Invasive S. densiflora has greater capacity than native S. maritima to establish from seed with continued climate change and sea level rise.Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte (FPU14/06556

Extraction of the antioxidant phytocomplex from wine-making by-products and sustainable loading in phospholipid vesicles specifically tailored for skin protection

The authors thank for technical and human support provided by TEM measurements carried out in the SGIker Polymer Characterization (UPV/EHU/ERDF, EU) . The authors also thank: MIUR and PON R&I for financing the PhD grant; BESTMEDGRAPE - ENI CBC Med project for providing analytical equipment and materials; Cantina Santadi for providing Carignano grape pomace. The authors acknowledge the CeSAR (Centro Servizi d'Ateneo per la Ricerca) of the University of Cagliari, Italy for the granulometry experiments performed with Mal-vern Mastersizer 3000.The present study is aimed at valorizing grape pomace, one of the most abundant winery-making by-products of the Mediterranean area, through the extraction of the main bioactive compounds from the skin of grape pomace and using them to manufacture innovative nanoformulations capable of both avoiding skin damages and promoting skincare. The phytochemicals were recovered through maceration in hydroethanolic solution. Catechin, quercetin, fisetin and gallic acid, which are known for their antioxidant power, were detected as the main compounds of the extract. Liposomes and phospholipid vesicles modified with glycerol or Montanov 82 (R) or a combination of both, were used as carriers for the extract. The vesicles were small (-183 nm), slightly polydispersed (PI >= 0.28), and highly negatively charged (--50 mV). The extract was loaded in high amounts in all vesicles (-100%) irrespective of their composition. The antioxidant activity of the extract, measured by using the DPPH (2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) test, was 84 +/- 1%, and slightly increased when loaded into the vesicles (-89%, P < 0.05). The grape pomace extract loaded vesicles were highly biocompatible and able to protect fibroblasts (3T3) from the oxidative stress induced by hydrogen peroxide.Ministry of Education, Universities and Research (MIUR)PON R

La ocupación romana en la sierra norte de Sevilla: Castiblanco de los Arroyos

Nuestro artículo muestra cómo el poblamiento romano en una zona “marginal” ayuda a comprender el carácter de las rutas secundarias de comercio y distribución de bienes durante el Alto y Bajo Imperio en la Sierra Norte de Sevilla, en la orilla derecha del Baetis, dentro de los límites de influencia del gran río como vía de comunicación. Se documentaron restos romanos, entre ellos cerámicas importadas, durante la campaña de prospección arqueológica superficial de 2002 en el término municipal de Castilblanco de los Arroyos, útiles a la hora de relacionar las rutas principales del comercio en la Provincia Baetica, sostenido a través del río, con sus líneas secundarias, trazadas en perpendicular al Valle, apuntando hacia la interacción de unas y otras y también entre las vías fluviales (el río y sus afluentes navegables) y las viae terrestres mayores y menores

El valor informativo de la imagen como fuente documental

En los dos últimos siglos se ha producido una explosión sin precedentes en la difusión de todo tipo de imágenes. Esta omnipresencia de las representaciones visuales las convierte en importante fuente de información para todos los seres humanos como receptores de las mismas y también pueden ser, y son, utilizadas como documentos históricos de gran relevancia. Se hace necesaria una reflexión sobre la imagen como soporte informativo, especialmente sobre su grado de subjetividad y finalidad en la representación de la realidad