Formación investigativa de docentes universitarios para el aprendizaje sincrónico durante la covid-19 / Investigative training of university professors for the synchronous learning during covid-19 i:en

Introducción: Las capacitaciones permanentes durante la pandemia posibilitaron el aprendizaje en la educación superior. Objetivo: Describir la formación investigativa y la función pedagógica en docentes universitarios desde la complejidad psicosocial del aprendizaje sincrónico durante la covid-19. Métodos: Se efectuó un estudio desde julio del 2020 hasta febrero del 2022 en la Universidad Nacional San Luis Gonzaga de Ica, en Perú. La formación investigativa consistió en 2 modalidades: talleres de formación y cursos de posgrado, y se registró la participación de las áreas académicas de ciencias de la salud, ingenierías y letras y humanidades. Se describió mediante un dendrograma la función pedagógica entre dos grupos de profesores (con asistencia permanente o no). Resultados: En los talleres de formación, 52,0 % de los asistentes correspondió al área académica de ciencias de la salud, 35,0 % a letras y humanidades y 13,0 % a ingenierías; mientras la participación activa fue de 22,2 % en ingeniería, 8,9 % en ciencias de la salud y 4,1 % en letras y humanidades. En cambio, el porcentaje para los cursos de posgrado fue de 41,0 en ciencias de la salud, 30,0 en letras y humanidades y 29,0 en ingenierías, con participación activa de 6, 4 y 3 docentes, respectivamente. No hubo diferencias significativas en la evaluación interna entre los cursos de posgrado (p<0,00915). Conclusiones: La asistencia fue menor en los cursos de posgrado al ser más riguroso el proceso de aprendizaje; sin embargo, fue mayor la participación activa. Existió mayor similitud en la función pedagógica cuando la asistencia fue permanente.

Introduction: Ongoing trainings during the covid-19 pandemic enabled learning in higher education. Objective: To describe the investigative training and pedagogical function in university professors from the psychological complexity of synchronous learning during covid-19. Methods: A study was carried out from July, 2020 to February, 2022, at San Luis Gonzaga National University in Ica, Peru. The investigative training consisted of two modalities: training workshops and postgraduates courses. Participation was recorded in the academic areas of health sciences, engineering and arts and humanities. A dendrogram was used to describe the pedagogical function between two groups of university professors (those who had permanent attendance and those who did not). Results: In the training workshops, 52.0% of the participants corresponded to the academic area of health sciences, 35.0% to arts and humanities and 13.0% to engineering; while active participation was 22.2% in engineering, 8.9% in health sciences and 4.1% in arts and humanities. On the other hand, the percentage for graduate courses was 41.0 in health sciences, 30.0 in arts and humanities, and 29.0 in engineering, with active participation of 6, 4 and 3 professors, respectively. There were no significant differences in the internal evaluation between the postgraduate courses (p<0.00915). The dendrogram indicated greater similarity in university professors with permanent attendance. Conclusions: There was lower attendance in postgraduates courses as the learning process was more rigorous and demanding; however, active participation was higher. There was greater similarity in the pedagogical function when attendance was permanent.

La comunicación entre padres y adolescentes consumidores de sustancias psicoactivas en un colegio de Guayaquil / The communication between parents and adolescent who use psiychoactive substances in a school in Guayaquil

Introducción. El consumo de sustancias psicoactivas en la adolescencia se considera un serio problema de salud pública. Las dificultades en la comunicación y la dinámica familiar son factores de riesgo para problemas psicosociales diversos y entre ellos el consumo de sustancias en los contextos escolares y familiares. Se caracterizaron las relaciones de comunicación entre padres y adolescentes con problemas de consumo de sustancias psicoactivas de la Unidad Educativa Tránsito Amaguaña de la ciudad de Guayaquil. Se aplicó la "Escala de comunicación entre el adolescente y sus padres" (PACS) para examinar el contenido de la comunicación. Se realizó una entrevista semiestructurada a padres y adolescentes para valorar la percepción de las relaciones comunicacionales. Se estudiaron 15 adolescentes y sus familiares representantes. De los adolescentes, 12 pertenecían al sexo masculino y de los familiares, 13 resultaron ser las madres. Ambos grupos consideran que poseen una omunicación irregular, deficiente y carente de sinceridad, percibiéndose en los adolescentes un porcentaje mayor en cuanto a la franqueza con sus padres. Las madres argumentan no poder prestar la suficiente atención a sus hijos con problemas de consumo por el hecho de ser madre sola y a cargo de cinco hijos promedio. Los familiares argumentan no contar con habilidades para entender el problema del consumo de sus hijos. Los adolescentes perciben tener demasiada responsabilidad, labores del colegio, cuidado de sus hermanos, entre otros. Se necesita atender el reclamo familiar de capacitación y ayuda en estrategias de comunicación para abordar mejor las relaciones de comunicación con los adolescentes consumidores.

The consumption of psychoactive substances in adolescence is considered a serious public health problem. Difficulties in communication and family dynamics are risk factors for various psychosocial problems, including the use of substances in school and family contexts. The communication relationships between parents and adolescents with problems of psychoactive substance consumption of the Educational Unit Transito Amaguaña of the city of Guayaquil were characterized. The "Scale of communication between the adolescent and his parents" (PACS) was applied to examine the content of the communication. A semi-structured interview was conducted with parents and adolescents to assess the perception of communicational relationships. We studied 15 adolescents and their family representative. Of the adolescents 12 belonged to the masculine sex and of the relatives 13 turned out to be the mothers. Both groups consider that they have an irregular communication, deficient and lacking sincerity, perceiving in adolescents a greater percentage in terms of openness with their parents. Mothers argue that they can not pay enough attention to their children with problems of consumption due to the fact of being a single mother and in charge of five average children. Family members argue that they do not have the skills to understand the problem of their children's consumption. Adolescents perceive having too much responsibility, school work, caring for their siblings, among others. It is necessary to address the family claim for training and help in communication strategies to better address communication relationships with adolescent consumers

Uncovering interactions in Plackett-Burman screening designs applied to analytical systems. A Monte Carlo ant colony optimization approach.

Screening of relevant factors using Plackett-Burman designs is usual in analytical chemistry. It relies on the assumption that factor interactions are negligible; however, failure of recognizing such interactions may lead to incorrect results. Factor associations can be revealed by feature selection techniques such as ant colony optimization. This method has been combined with a Monte Carlo approach, developing a new algorithm for assessing both main and interaction terms when analyzing the influence of experimental factors through a Plackett-Burman design of experiments. The results for both simulated and analytically relevant experimental systems show excellent agreement with previous approaches, highlighting the importance of considering potential interactions when conducting a screening search.

Artificial neural networks to evaluate the boron concentration decreasing profile in blood-BPA samples of BNCT patients.

For the prediction of decay concentration profiles of the p-boronophenylalanine (BPA) in blood during BNCT treatment, a method is suggested based on Kohonen neural networks. The results of a model trained with the concentration profiles from the literature are described. The prediction of the model was validated by the leave-one-out method. Its robustness shows that it is mostly independent on small variations. The ability to fit retrospective experimental data shows an uncertainty lower than the two compartment model used previously.

Chemometric study on the TiO2-photocatalytic degradation of nitrilotriacetic acid.

A chemometric study on the TiO2-photocatalytic degradation of nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) in aqueous media under UV radiation has been carried out taking into account the multiple variables that take part in the system. To save redundant number of experiments, the system has been managed under chemometric techniques for several variables as NTA and TiO2 concentrations, pH and irradiation time. Multiple-way analysis of the variance (MANOVA) has been applied to find the statistically significant variables. An artificial neural network (ANN) has been used to build an empirical model of the system. All measurements have been driven under experimental designs: a full-factorial design (FFD) was used to analyze significant factors through MANOVA, and a Doehlert design, which was modified by spatial rotation, was applied in order to have a satisfactory number of levels for the factor time to be able to train the ANN. The study allows the knowledge and prediction of the behavior of the system as well as to work out kinetic parameters and to optimize their variables. The results of kinetic parameters obtained with the neural network agreed with independent experimental results, confirming a Langmuir-Hinshelwood kinetic regime. The difference between NTA and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), which has been previously studied, is also established.

Column temperature as an active variable in the isocratic, normal-phase high-performance liquid chromatography separation of lipophilic metabolites of nonylphenol ethoxylates.

Normal-phase separation of technical grade nonylphenol (t-NP, about 90% 4-nonylphenol), 4-nonylphenol mono-ethoxylate (4-NP1EO) and 4-nonylphenol di-ethoxylate (4-NP2EO) was assessed, with the inclusion of column temperature as an active variable. The compound 2,4,6-trimethylphenol was evaluated for use as internal standard. Isocratic elution with 2-propanol/hexanes mixtures from an amino-silica column and spectrometric UV detection at 277 nm were employed. Technical nonylphenol presented a significant contribution from unknown substances that eluted with retention times similar to that of 4-NP1EO. GC-MS analysis of the unknowns allowed to identify them as isomers of 2-NP. The response of the system to joint variations in flow rate, eluent composition and column temperature was investigated by means of Doehlert statistical experimental design. A model for retention of the analytes as a function of the experimental variables was proposed, and separation selectivity was studied. Selection of the optimal working zone was made through desirability function (D) calculations. Potential co-elution of 2-NP isomers with 4-NP1EO was considered when optimizing the separation. The occurrence of a restricted region of the experimental space where baseline resolution of analytes, associated impurities and internal standard results feasible (D not equal to 0) is apparent.

An analysis of secondary pollutants in Buenos Aires City.

Air pollutant concentrations from a monitoring campaign in Buenos Aires City, Argentina, are used to investigate the relationships between ambient levels of ozone (O3), nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) as a function of NO(x) (= NO + NO2). This campaign undertaken by the electricity sector was aimed at elucidating the apportionment of thermal power plants to air quality deterioration. Concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) were also registered. Photo stationary state (PSS) of the NO, NO2, O3 and peroxy radicals species has been analysed. The 'oxidant' level concept has been introduced, OX (= O3 + NO2), which varies with the level of NO(x). It is shown that this level is made up of NO(x)-independent and NO(x)-dependent contributions. The former is a regional contribution that equates the background O3 level, whereas the latter is a local contribution that correlates with the level of primary pollution. Furthermore, the anticorrelation between NO2 and O3 levels, which is a characteristic of the atmospheric photo stationary cycle has been verified. The analysis of the concentration of the primary pollutants CO and NO strongly suggests that the vehicle traffic is the principal source of them. Levels of continuous measurements of SO2 for Buenos Aires City are reported in this work as a complement of previously published results.

Contaminantes secundarios en la Ciudad de Buenos Aires

Se estudia el comportamiento de los oxidantes atmosféricos (NO2 y O3) en función de diversas variables meteorológicas y la dependencia de sus concentraciones promedios con la hora del día para apreciar el ciclo foto-estacionario característico de las atmósferas urbanas. Se hace, además, un cálculo estimativo de la concentración de peroxiradicales sobre la base de la cinética del estado foto-estacionario. En el predio del Club de Amigos situado en el cruce de las avenidas Figueroa Alcorta y Sarmiento, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina, se midió en forma continua, en intervalos de tres minutos, durante aproximandamente dos meses, la concentración de los contaminantes gaseosos monóxido de carbono (CO); óxidos de nitrógeno (NOx), discriminados en monóxido de nitrógeno (NO) y dióxido de nitrógeno (NO2); ozono (O3) y dióxido de azufre (SO2). También se registraron valores horarios de material particulado en suspensión con diámetros aerodinámicos menores a 10 um (PM10)

2D mapping by Kohonen networks of the air quality data from a large city.

The 15-variable environmental data (7 concentrations: CO, SO2, O3, NOx, NO, NO2, particulate matter smaller than 10 micron (PM10), and 8 weather data: cloudiness, rainfall, insolation factor (Isfi), temperature, pressure at two locations, and wind intensity with direction) in a period of 45 days with 1-h intervals were extracted from a larger database of concentrations recorded in minute intervals for the same time period. The monitoring site was located in the City of Buenos Aires in a relatively heavy traffic crossroad of two avenues. The data required special pretreatment where the hourly content of rain, wind intensity, wind velocity, and cloudiness were concerned. The new variable named insolation factor (relative UV radiation) calculated on the basis of the general meteorological data, the geographic position of the monitoring site, cloudiness, date, and the time of the recording was composed. The relative intensity of UV radiation was modeled by a Gaussian function, multiplied by a cloudiness factor. Based on the 14-variable input and the 1-variable output (ozone) data, first, the clustering of all 980 data records was made. The top map clustering showing the ozone concentration was related to the maps of all 14 variables. The link between O3 clusters, NO2, and Isfi weight levels is shown and discussed. As a preliminary result of this study some of the most interesting correlations between the maps and remaining variables are given.

The mean angular distance among objects and its relationships with Kohonen artificial neural networks.

This job refers to classification of multidimensional objects and Kohonen artificial neural networks. A new concept is introduced, called the mean angular distance among objects (MADO). Its value can be calculated as the cosine of the mean centered vectors between objects. It can be expressed in matrix form for any number of objects. The MADO allows us to interpret the final organization of the objects in a Kohonen map. Simulated examples demonstrate the relationship between MADO and Kohonen maps and show a way to take advantage of the information present in both of them. Finally, a real analytical chemistry case is analyzed as an application on a big data set of an air quality monitoring campaign. It is possible to discover in it a subgroup of objects with different characteristics than those of the general trend. This subgroup is linked to the existence of an unidentified SO(2) source that, a priori, has not been taken into account.

Source extraction information from air quality data monitored in an Argentinean steel mill.

A statistical analysis of a series of ambient air concentrations of suspended particulate matter (SPM) and NO2 is presented. Measurements were taken at four sites that belong to an Argentinean steel mill and in another site located in its vicinity. The air pollutants were measured during a three-week exploratory sampling. The monitoring sites were selected on the basis of relevant characteristics of the emission sources and the corresponding climatological statistics of the last decade. Suspended particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter of less than 10 microm (PM10) and NO2 were continuously measured at only one site, while 1-hr samples of NO2 and 24-hr samples of total SPM and SO2 were collected at the other sites. The registered concentrations show that SPM was the pollutant of major concern. A first estimate about the nature of the contribution of the different sources of particles and NO2 present in the area was obtained through the statistical analysis of measured concentration data coupled with prevalent meteorological variables.