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The aim of the research was to analyse the relationship between grape composition of the Tempranillo variety, and available soil water along the growing cycle. The study was conducted in the Rioja DOCa (Qualified Designation of Origin (Spain). Grape composition (berry weight, acidity and phenolic composition) was analysed between veraison and maturity in non-irrigated vines and related to available soil water along the growing cycle. The available soil water (ASW) was simulated for the period 2008–2018, taking into account soil properties and the weather conditions recorded at each location. Soil water was simulated for each plot and year analysed, after calibration in one plot and the ASW was evaluated under the different conditions. The results showed that soil properties conditioned available soil water, which influenced berry weight, acidity, anthocyanins and total polyphenol index. Under the rainfed conditions in which the vines were cultivated, vines suffered from moderate to high water stress in some periods along the growing cycle. The results showed the most critical periods regarding water availability for grape composition. An increase in available soil water between one and three weeks after bloom and at the end of the ripening period increased acidity and decreased pH while an increase in available soil water content between two and seven weeks after bloom and at the ripening period increased berry weight and decreased anthocyanins and other phenolic compounds.

The objective of this research was to analyse the variability on phenology and berry composition of 'Tempranillo' among different elevations and different climatic conditions. The study was conducted on 'Tempranillo' vineyards located in Rioja DOCa at elevations between 367 and 650 m a.s.l. Phenology and the evolution of berry composition during ripening, related to pH, total acidity, malic acid, total anthocyanins, total polyphenols index, colour intensity and sugar content were analysed for the period 2008-2018 at each elevation. The weather conditions recorded during the period of study were evaluated. The results indicate that, on average, differences between the analysed elevations of up to 21 days existed in the dates in which the maturity was reached, being the differences higher in the years with extreme conditions (very wet or dry and very hot or cool). The comparative analysis among elevations and in years with differences in temperature and in precipitation allowed knowing the differences in the vine response under different climatic conditions. From this analysis some conclusions may be extracted that may be useful for police makers to define new planting areas in which less imbalanced situations may occur under warm conditions.The objective of this research was to analyse the variability on phenology and berry composition of 'Tempranillo' among different elevations and different climatic conditions. The study was conducted on 'Tempranillo' vineyards located in Rioja DOCa at elevations between 367 and 650 m a.s.l. Phenology and the evolution of berry composition during ripening, related to pH, total acidity, malic acid, total anthocyanins, total polyphenols index, colour intensity and sugar content were analysed for the period 2008-2018 at each elevation. The weather conditions recorded during the period of study were evaluated. The results indicate that, on average, differences between the analysed elevations of up to 21 days existed in the dates in whi

High-risk hematological malignancies are a privileged setting for infection by opportunistic microbes, with invasive mycosis being one of the most serious complications. Recently, genetic background has emerged as an unanticipated risk factor. For this reason, polymorphisms for genes encoding archetypal receptors involved in the opsonic and nonopsonic clearance of microbes, pentraxin-3 (PTX3) and Dectin-1, respectively, were studied and correlated with the risk of infection. Fungal, bacterial, and viral infections were registered for a group of 198 patients with high-risk hematological malignancies. Polymorphisms for the pentraxin-3 gene (PTX3) showed a significant association with the risk of fungal infection by Candida spp. and, especially, by Aspergillus spp. This link remained even for patients undergoing antifungal prophylaxis, thus demonstrating the clinical relevance of PTX3 in the defense against fungi. CLEC7A polymorphisms did not show any definite correlation with the risk of invasive mycosis, nor did they influence the expression of Dectin-1 isoforms generated by alternative splicing. The PTX3 mRNA expression level was significantly lower in samples from healthy volunteers who showed these polymorphisms, although no differences were observed in the extents of induction elicited by bacterial lipopolysaccharide and heat-killed Candida albicans, thus suggesting that the expression of PTX3 at the start of infection may influence the clinical outcome. PTX3 mRNA expression can be a good biomarker to establish proper antifungal prophylaxis in immunodepressed patients.

Aquest projecte forma part d’un treball més ampli que està duent a terme un equip interuniversitari d'innovació docent, amb seu a la UPC, que treballa en el desenvolupament de Quantum LEAP (Learning English for Academic Purposes, un entorn virtual d'aprenentatge d'anglès acadèmic a la universitat, que contè una gran quantitat i varietat de materials interactius multimèdia pel desenvolupament de la comprensió i expressió oral i escrita en anglès. Amb aquest projecte es dóna resposta a necessitats clau de la universitat actual respecte a les competències de llengua i comunicació (diferents nivells de competència en anglès i diferents estils d’aprenentatge, millorar l’aprenentatge i pràctica de l’anglès acadèmic, per exemple). El context actual està caracteritzat per una major mobilitat acadèmica i profesional, una major presencia de l’anglès com a lingua franca, i una ja plena implantació de l’EEES (Espai Europeu d’Educació Superior) amb èmfasi en els processos d’aprenentatge, l’adquisició de competències i l’aprenentatge autònom. Tenint Institut de Ciències de l’Educació – Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya 2 en compte aquest context i el grau de desenvolupament de Quantum LEAP, en aquest projecte s’ha treballat en la revisió dels materials didàctics, en la implementació de l’entorn d’aprenentatge a l’aula i com a recurs per aprenents autònoms, i s’ha dut a terme una profunda revisió tècnica i de disseny, per tal d’adaptar-lo a criteris pedagògics i d’usabilitat., Peer Reviewed

With the new European framework, as EAP lecturers in an engineering college, we are reappraising our teaching and the position of our courses. From the perspective of engineering education in the 21st century, we believe that EAP teaching can focus not only on language and communication needs, but also on developing critical thinking about science and technology in its social context. Considering these premises, we present the rationale for the development of an online learning environment (Quantum LEAP, Learning English for Academic Purposes) which integrates EAP with interdisciplinary content, in order to encourage reflection on social, historical, economic and ethical issues related to science and technology. Through a pilot study of learners’ initial reactions, we present their perceptions of this tool for critical thinking on STS contents and for promoting lifelong learning. The implications for EAP course design are then discussed in the context of 21st century engineering education. In sum, this paper questions the position that for the integration of language and content, the EAP teacher can only teach language and that content has to be taught by specialist teachers. Rather, we argue that EAP teachers can address both academic communication and interdisciplinary content in order to engage students in critical thinking., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

The utility and cost-effectiveness of instrument networks are enhanced by instrument interoperability. Today’s oceanographic instruments are characterized by very diverse non-standard software protocols and data formats. This diversity of protocols poses serious challenges to integration of large-scale sensor networks. Standard instrument protocols are now being developed to address these challenges. Some of these standards apply at the IP-network level and enable integration of existing “lower level” proprietary instrument protocols and software components. Other approaches are intended to be implemented by the instrument device itself. These native instrument protocol standards offer the possibility of more uniform and simpler system architectures. We compare these various approaches, describe how they can be combined with one another, and describe some prototypes that implement them., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

El projecte “Quantum LEAP (Learning English for Academic Purposes)” té per objectiu desenvolupar un entorn virtual per l’aprenentatge d’anglès acadèmic i crear els materials docents que donessin contingut a aquest entorn. L’entorn virtual d’aprenentatge resultant té la finalitat dual de servir de suport a les assignatures d’anglès acadèmic impartides a la UPC, la UdL i la URV, i de recurs personalitzat per l’aprenentatge autònom. Aquesta presentació pretén donar una visió general del projecte mitjançant l’anàlisi i la descripció d’un mòdul tipus del material dissenyat pel projecte. L’exposició mostra la varietat de temes escollits per tal d’afavorir, mitjançant la motivació pel tema escollit, tant l’adquisició com la pràctica d’anglès acadèmic. A partir de l’anàlisi dels materials relacionats amb un d’aquest temes, s’exemplifica la pluralitat de material autèntic utilitzat així com la varietat d’activitats proposades destinades a la pràctica i l’adquisició d’anglès acadèmic. També es fa esment de l’atenció que s’ha prestat en incloure material que indueixi l’estudiantat a reflexionar sobre l’ús del llenguatge per tal d’aconseguir la consciència lingüística necessària per incrementar tant la comprensió com la precisió d'ús., Peer Reviewed, Postprint (published version)

La Secció d’Anglès de la UPC i el Departament d’Anglès i Lingüística de la UdL han centrat els seus esforços en la millora de la qualitat i la innovació docents a les nostres universitats. En aquest sentit, estem treballant en el desenvolupament de materials docents i en la creació de noves eines pedagògiques per aconseguir que els nostres estudiants puguin comunicar-se en anglès en situacions pròpies del món acadèmic i professional de l'àmbit tècnic. El projecte presentat es va plantejar arrel de l’experiència anterior dels membres d’aquest equip de treball en l’ús de les TIC en l’aprenentatge d’anglès a través de projectes finançats en els últims cinc anys. Recentment, s’ha incorporat a l’equip un expert del Departament de Filologia Anglogermànica de la Universitat Rovira i Virgili per tractar qüestions relacionades amb la pronunciació. La finalitat del projecte era desenvolupar un entorn virtual per l’aprenentatge d’anglès acadèmic (“Quantum LEAP: Learning English for Academic Purposes”) i alhora crear tot un seguit de materials docents que donin contingut a aquest entorn, de manera que els estudiants puguin disposar d’un accés directe a una gran varietat de materials per l’aprenentatge autònom, la consulta o la pràctica. Així, s’ha creat un entorn virtual d’aprenentatge que té una finalitat dual: servir de suport a les diferents assignatures d’anglès acadèmic a les nostres universitats i, alhora, de recurs personalitzat per a cadascun dels estudiants.

presentació a càrrec d'Elisabet Arnó i Carmen Rueda, Professores d'anglès tècnic a l'EPSEVG en el departament de Projectes d'Enginyeria. Secció d'Anglès. La seva activitat se centra en el camp de l'ESP (English for Specific Purposes), tant en el disseny de materials didàctics com en la recerca. Una de les línies principals del seu treball és l'ús de la tecnologia en l'aprenentatge de llengües, l'ensenyament online, i l'autonomia en l'aprenentatge. Recentment han publicat el llibre "Information Technology in Languages for Specific Purposes: Issues and Prospects" (New York: Springer, 2006). Actualment treballen en el desenvolupament d'un entorn virtual per l'aprenentatge d'anglès acadèmic ("Quantum LEAP: Learning English for Academic Purposes").

As EAP lecturers involved in the development of teaching materials and IT (information technology) projects, we have been working on the creation of a web-based learning environment. Our aim is to develop a flexible tool for university students with different levels of English, learning styles and academic interests, which can be used both for blended learning and in a self-access mode. Our interuniversity team1, coordinated by Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya and including lecturers from Universitat de Lleida and Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Tarragona), has created a virtual learning environment called “Quantum LEAP: Learning English for Academic Purposes.” It is a hypermedia project that seeks to help university students improve their communicative skills, both in speech and writing, in situations related to academic contexts. The materials created for the project are based on authentic written and oral texts, involve authentic language use and the integration of skills. In keeping with the guidelines of the EHEA (European Higher Education Area) and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEF), this web-based learning environment allows for a wide variety of learning routes, including tools to promote autonomy and monitor progress. In this paper, we will present the rationale behind the project and examples of the materials and tools designed. We believe that the lessons learned in the creation of this project can be relevant to other EAP lecturers using IT for the design of courses and materials., Postprint (published version)