User-modelled ambient feedback for self-regulated learning

A fundamental objective of human-computer interaction research is to make systems that are seamlessly integrated into daily life activities. Hence, the challenge is not only to make information available to people at any time, at any place, and in any form, but specifically to say the right thing at the right time in the right way. On the other hand, the proliferation of sensor technology is facilitating the scaffolding and customization of smart learning environments. This manuscript presents an ecology of resources comprising NFC, BLE and Arduino technology, orchestrated in the context of a learning environment to provide smoothly integrated feedback via ambient displays. This ecology is proposed as a suitable solution for self-regulated learning, providing support for setting goals, setting aside time to learn, tracking study time and monitoring the progress. Hereby, the ecology is described and intriguing research questions are introduced

Acoustic analysis of the drainage cycle in a washing machine

Washing machine manufacturers are working towards producing quieter appliances as many people consider noise emission a key factor when buying. Although the spinning cycle is the noisiest, the amount of noise the pump makes is the cause for many users’ complaints. In an attempt to reduce the noise emitted when a washing machine is pumping out, an experimental study was performed. First, the measurement of the sound pressure allowed us to identify the main sources of noise as the electric motor and the vibration of the cabinet. Next, a detailed analysis based on the measurement of the vibration of the cabinet provided information about the predominant radiating panels. It was also inferred that the electromagnetic noise is drowned out by the structure-borne noise. Finally, several proposals to diminish the sound power were analyzed, and a reduction of 3 dBA was achieved by decreasing the contact zone of the pump with the kick plate

NFC LearnTracker:Seamless support for learning with mobile and sensor technology

Lifelong learning activities are scattered along the day, in different locations and making use of multiple devices. Most of the times adults have to merge learning, work and everyday life making it difficult to have an account on how much time is devoted to learning activities and learning goals. Learning experiences are disrupted and mobile seamless learning technology provides new solutions to integrate daily life activities and learning in the same process. Hence, there is a need to provide tools that are smoothly integrated into adults’ daily life. This manuscript presents the NFC LearnTracker, a mobile tool proposing the user to immerse within his autobiography as a learner to identify successful physical learning environments, mark them with sensor tags, bind them to self-defined learning goals, keep track of the time invested on each goal with a natural interface, and monitor the learning analytics. This work implies a suitable tool for lifelong learners to bind scattered activities keeping them in a continuing learning flow. The NFC LearnTracker is released under open access licence with the aim to foster adaptation to further communities as well as to facilitate the extension to the increasing number of sensor and NFC tags existent in the market

Washing machine dynamic model to prevent tub collision during transient state

In horizontal-axis washing machines, the front gasket as well as the damping system are crucial owing to the possible collision of the tub with the housing during the transient period. However, most dynamic models for predicting tub motion focus on the steady state and consider only the suspension system without including the gasket. We conducted an experimental study to analyze the effect of the gasket on the transient motion of the tub. The results obtained indicate the necessity of implementing the gasket in the multibody model of a washing machine to accurately predict the tub behavior during this period. The gasket model is formed by a combination of Voigt elements. Stiffness parameters are determined using a load cell, and damping factors are estimated using a process that integrates Adams/View, Matlab optimization algorithms, and displacement measurements that are taken using accelerometers. A D-optimal design used to predict the effect of the gasket parameters reveals that the tub displacement is most sensitive to the changes in linear stiffness in the transversal direction. Finally, the model of the gasket provides a better approach for predicting the tub movement during resonance that can be used in the design phase to avoid tub collision

Where is my time? Identifying productive time of lifelong learners for effective feedback services

Lifelong learners are confronted with a broad range of activities they have to manage every day. In most cases they have to combine learning, working, family life and leisure activities throughout the day. Hence, learning activities from lifelong learners are disrupted. The difficulty to find a suitable time slot to learn during the day has been identified as the most frequent cause. In this scenario mobile technologies play an important role since they can keep track of the most suitable moments to accomplish specific learning activities in context. Sampling of learning preferences on mobile devices are key benchmarks for lifelong learners to become aware on which learning task suits in which context, set realistic goals and set aside time to learn on a regular basis. The contribution of this manuscript is twofold: first, a classification framework for modelling lifelong learners’ preferences is presented based on a literature review; second, a mobile application for experience sampling is piloted aiming to identify which are the preferences from lifelong learners regarding when, how and where learning activities can be integrated. Both framework and pilot provide an important scaffold for lifelong learners to identify productive times during the day with mobile technologies.NELL

New venues in electron density analysis

Spanish "Ministerio de Ciencia, innovación y Universidades (MICIU)" [FPU19/02903]; Spanish "Ministerio de Ciencia en innovación (MICINN)" [PGC2018-095953-B-I00]; Fundación para el Fomento en Asturias de la investigación científica Aplicada y tecnológica (FICyT) [IDI-2021-000054]; SECTEI; Banco Santande

Enhanced efficiency in the bilingual brain through the inter-hemispheric cortico-cerebellar pathway in early second language acquisition

Bilingualism has a profound impact on the structure and function of the brain, but it is not yet well understood how this experience influences brain functional organization. We examine a large sample (151 participants) of monolinguals and bilinguals with varied age of second language acquisition, who underwent resting-state functional magnetic brain imaging. Whole-brain network analyses reveal higher global efficiency in bilingual individuals than monolinguals, indicating enhanced functional integration in the bilingual brain. Moreover, the age at which the second language was acquired correlated with this increased efficiency, suggesting that earlier exposure to a second language has lasting positive effects on brain functional organization. Further investigation using the network-based statistics approach indicates that this effect is primarily driven by heightened functional connectivity between association networks and the cerebellum. These findings show that the timing of bilingual learning experience alters the brain functional organization at both global and local levels

Further Perspectives on the Teflate versus Fluoride Analogy: The Case of a Co(II) Pentafluoroorthotellurate Complex

The pentafluoroorthotellurate group (teflate, OTeF5 ) is considered as a bulky analogue ofbfluoride, yet its coordination behavior in transition-metal complexes is not fully understood. By reaction of [CoCl4 ]2– and neat ClOTeF5 , we have synthesized the first cobalt teflate complex, [Co(OTeF5 )4 ]2– , which exhibits moisture-resistant Co–OTeF5 bonds. Through a combined experimental and theoretical (DFT and NEVPT2) study, the properties and electronic structure of this species have been investigated. It exhibits a distorted tetrahedral structure around the cobalt center and can be described as a d7 system with a quartet (S = 3/2) ground state. A comparative bonding analysis of the (pseudo)tetrahedral [CoX4 ]2– anions (X = OTeF5 , F, Cl) revealed that the strength of the Co–X interaction is similar in the three cases, being the strongest in [Co(OTeF5 )4 ]2– . In addition, an analysis of the charge of the Co center reinforced the similar electron-withdrawing properties of the teflate and the fluoride ligands. Therefore, the [Co(OTeF5 )4 ]2– anion constitutes an analogue of the polymeric [CoF4 ]2– in terms of electronic properties, but with a monomeric structure.Funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) – Project-ID 387284271 – SFB 1349 and by the European Research Council (ERC) Project HighPotOx (grant agreement ID: 818862), as well as through the cluster of excellence “UniSysCat” funded by the DFG under Germany’s Excellence Strategy-EXC2008/1-390540038. We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the Core Facility BioSupraMol supported by the DFG. A.P.-B. thanks the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for a postdoctoral research fellowship, as well as the Department of Biology, Chemistry, Pharmacy of the Freie Universität Berlin for a Rising Star Junior Fellowship. J.M. acknowledges the Spanish MICINN (grant PID2021-122763NBI00) and the FICyT (grant IDI/2021/000054) for financial support, as well as Dr. Carlos Martín-Fernández and Prof. Ángel Martín Pendás for fruitful scientific discussions

New insights into the genetic etiology of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

Characterization of the genetic landscape of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias (ADD) provides a unique opportunity for a better understanding of the associated pathophysiological processes. We performed a two-stage genome-wide association study totaling 111,326 clinically diagnosed/'proxy' AD cases and 677,663 controls. We found 75 risk loci, of which 42 were new at the time of analysis. Pathway enrichment analyses confirmed the involvement of amyloid/tau pathways and highlighted microglia implication. Gene prioritization in the new loci identified 31 genes that were suggestive of new genetically associated processes, including the tumor necrosis factor alpha pathway through the linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex. We also built a new genetic risk score associated with the risk of future AD/dementia or progression from mild cognitive impairment to AD/dementia. The improvement in prediction led to a 1.6- to 1.9-fold increase in AD risk from the lowest to the highest decile, in addition to effects of age and the APOE ε4 allele