National Autonomous University Research Articles

Professor Carla Bottoli, an enthusiastic scientific researcher, kindly spoke to BrJAC

Carla Beatriz Grespan Bottoli holds a degree in Industrial Chemistry from the Federal University of Santa Maria (1996), as well as a Ph.D. in Chemistry (2002), and a postdoctoral degree in Chemistry (2002-2004), both from the State University of Campinas (Unicamp). In 2005, she undertook an internship at the Institute of Nuclear Sciences of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) to study radiolysis in vitamins using gamma radiation from a source of Cobalt 60. In 2017, she presented her habilitation thesis (associate professor's thesis) at Unicamp. Currently, she is Associate Professor and Postgraduate Advisor at the Institute of Chemistry at Unicamp (IQ-Unicamp), where she works in the area of analytical chemistry, with emphasis on separation methods, mainly liquid chromatography. Prof. Bottoli coordinates the NovaCrom – Liquid Chromatography Laboratory (https://novacromlab.wixsite.com/novacrom), which is a research group that has been working on the development of new monolithic stationary phases for capillary liquid chromatography. Research is also focused on the development of analytical methods that employ liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry to study the translocation of pesticides in plants such as coconut, palm, and soybean. Between 2019 and 2021, Prof. Bottoli was an associate coordinator of the Research Commission of the IQ-Unicamp and is currently a member of the Research Integrity Commission at Unicamp. She is a member of the Brazilian Chemical Society and a researcher at the National Institute of Science and Technology in Bioanalytics (INCTBio). Carla Bottoli is the mother of Murilo, 13 and Mateus, 10.

Excelencia en Neurocirugía: María Cristina García-Sancho, the First Latina Neurosurgeon in the World

Neurosurgery is a specialty that has been dominated by males. Although there has been an increase in the number of women in the field, it is not yet close to being equal. Some noteworthy women who have carved the path for other women to follow in their footsteps include Drs. Sofía Ionescu and Diana Beck, the first and second female neurosurgeons worldwide, respectively. However, there are limited publications on Dr. María Cristina García-Sancho, the first Latina neurosurgeon. The purpose of this review was to illuminate the neurosurgical community on the life of Dr. García-Sancho. A thorough literature was performed on medical and non-medical publications that were either authored by Dr. García-Sancho or mentioned her directly. Dr. García-Sancho earned her medical degree at the School of Medicine of the National Autonomous University of Mexico under the guidance of Dr. Clemente Robles, who founded Mexico's first neurosurgical department. Her training took her worldwide. Her expertise allowed her to pioneer a revolutionary advancement known as the one-step bilateral cordotomy. Her perseverance led her to becoming the head of the Department of Neurosurgery at the National Cancer Institute of Mexico and co-found the Mexican Society of Neurological Surgery, where she served on the board of directors. This review aims to advocate for an equitable environment in the field of neurosurgery with Dr. García-Sancho's story.

Organizational changes and research performance: A multidimensional assessment

Abstract This paper analyzes the research performance evolution of a scientific institute, from its genesis through various stages of development. The main aim is to obtain, and visually represent, bibliometric evidence of the correlation of organizational changes on the development of its scientific performance; particularly, structural and leadership changes. The study involves six bibliometric indicators to multidimensionally assess the evolution of the institution’s performance profile. For a case study, we selected the Renewable Energy Institute at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, created 35 years ago as a small laboratory, then it evolved to a research center and finally to a formal institute, which over the last 8 years changed from the traditional departmental structure to a network-based structure. The evolution of the multidimensional performance profiles is analyzed, and graphically represented, using a novel artificial intelligence-based approach. We analyzed the performance profiles evolution yearly, using Principal Components Analysis, and a self-organizing neural network mapping technique. This approach, combining bibliometric and machine learning techniques, proved to be effective for the assessment of the institution’s evolution process. The results were represented with a series of graphs and maps that clearly reveal the magnitude and nature of the performance profile evolution, as well as its correlation with each of the structural and leadership transitions. These exploratory results have provided us data and insights into the probable effects of these transitions on academic performance, that have been useful to create a dynamical model.

Analysis of the teaching practice of the Department of Architecture of the National Autonomous University of Honduras Teachers

Analysis of the teaching practice of the Department of Architecture of the National Autonomous University of Honduras Teachers

Predicting students’ academic progress and related attributes in first-year medical students: an analysis with artificial neural networks and Naïve Bayes

BackgroundDropout and poor academic performance are persistent problems in medical schools in emerging economies. Identifying at-risk students early and knowing the factors that contribute to their success would be useful for designing educational interventions. Educational Data Mining (EDM) methods can identify students at risk of poor academic progress and dropping out. The main goal of this study was to use machine learning models, Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Naïve Bayes (NB), to identify first year medical students that succeed academically, using sociodemographic data and academic history.MethodsData from seven cohorts (2011 to 2017) of admitted medical students to the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) Faculty of Medicine in Mexico City were analysed. Data from 7,976 students (2011 to 2017 cohorts) of the program were included. Information from admission diagnostic exam results, academic history, sociodemographic characteristics and family environment was used. The main dataset included 48 variables. The study followed the general knowledge discovery process: pre-processing, data analysis, and validation. Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Naïve Bayes (NB) models were used for data mining analysis.ResultsANNs models had slightly better performance in accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. Both models had better sensitivity when classifying regular students and better specificity when classifying irregular students. Of the 25 variables with highest predictive value in the Naïve Bayes model, percentage of correct answers in the diagnostic exam was the best variable.ConclusionsBoth ANN and Naïve Bayes methods can be useful for predicting medical students’ academic achievement in an undergraduate program, based on information of their prior knowledge and socio-demographic factors. Although ANN offered slightly superior results, Naïve Bayes made it possible to obtain an in-depth analysis of how the different variables influenced the model. The use of educational data mining techniques and machine learning classification techniques have potential in medical education.

TEACHERS' PERCEPTIONS ABOUT THE USE OF LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CONSIDERING DATA SCIENCE

Technological advances such as Learning Management System (LMS) are changing the teaching-learning conditions, organization of school activities and functions of educators. In particular, the use of LMS in the educational field is necessary due to the appearance of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This quantitative research analyzes the teachers' perception about the use of LMS during the COVID-19 pandemic considering data science. The sample is 115 teachers from the National Autonomous University of Mexico. These teachers took the “Classroom of the Future 2020” Diploma in order to create new educational spaces. The results of the machine learning technique indicate that the performance of the school activities in LMS positively influences the learning process, motivation and participation of the students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, the decision tree technique identifies three predictive models about the use of this technological tool in the educational field considering the academic level and sex of the teachers. In conclusion, educators can improve the learning conditions, organize creative activities inside and outside the classroom, achieve the innovation in the educational context and build virtual spaces through LMS.

Social media addiction relationship with academic engagement in university students: The mediator role of self-esteem, depression, and anxiety

This research analyzed how addiction to social media relates to academic engagement in university students, considering the mediating role of self-esteem, symptoms of depression, and anxiety. A quantitative methodology was used with a non-experimental-relational design. A set of questionnaires was applied to a non-probabilistic sample of 412 students enrolled at the National Autonomous University of Honduras. On average, participants use 4.83 different social media platforms at least once a week. Instagram and TikTok users report significantly higher levels of social media addiction, symptoms of depression, and anxiety compared to non-users. Directly, social media addiction does not significantly influence academic engagement scores. However, there are significant indirect inverse effects on academic engagement. Symptoms of depression and self-esteem mediate these effects. Social media addiction increases symptoms of depression, which in turn decreases academic engagement scores. Social media addiction decreases self-esteem, which serves as a variable that significantly increases academic engagement. Overall, findings suggest that social media addiction has a total inverse effect on academic engagement; symptoms of depression and self-esteem mediate this relationship. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Design methodology on educational web applications for the field of mathematics

This study proposes the creation and use of the Design methodology on Educational Web Applications for the Field of Mathematics (DAECM) to build the web application on depreciation. The objective of this mixed research is to analyze the perceptions of the students about the use of this technological tool. The participants are 25 students who took the Information and Communication Technologies course at the National Autonomous University of Mexico during the 2023-2 school year. The DAECM methodology facilitated the construction of the educational web application on depreciation through the stages Analysis of the mathematical educational context, Analysis of web programming languages, Content design, Aesthetics and Evaluation. The results of this mixed research indicate that the educational web application is useful, facilitates the personalization of learning through simulators, favors the creation of a pleasant virtual environment, allows the education during the COVID-19 post-pandemic and encourages the learning of the math. This study recommends the incorporation of technological tools such as web applications because teachers can create new virtual spaces that help the students during the learning process. In conclusion, educators can use the DAECM methodology to update educational practices and innovate the course activities through the planning and construction of web applications.

P118: The Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship Program in Mexico

This program was established by Dr. Oscar Ugalde in the year 2000 at the National Institute of Psychiatry of Mexico and was supported by the National Autonomous University of Mexico.Now starting its 23rd year, the 12-month program allows 1 to 4 national or foreign psychiatrist each academic year to develop clinical geriatric psychiatry practice knowledge, as well as academic and research skills to attend to the mental health of the aging population. It provides supervised clinical training in different settings: outpatient geriatric psychiatry clinic, cognition clinic, nursing home setting, geriatrics clinic and neurology clinic. The fellowship also provides the opportunity to learn about thanatology, research methodology, philosophy, spirituality, social work, neuropsychology, dementia, geriatrics, as well as legal, financial and legal issues related to the care of older adults.The over 60 fellowship graduates from Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Mexico have established themselves as national and international leaders in the field of old age mental health.The Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship in Mexico is accredited by de National Autonomous University of Mexico and The National Institute of Psychiatry of Mexico Ramón de la Fuente Muniz at Mexico City is the primary training facility.In this presentation, the assistant professor of the program, Dr. Luis Moncayo, will lay out an overview of the content, structure, and goal of The Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship Program in Mexico.

USE OF KAHOOT! AND JAMBOARD FOR THE REALIZATION AND ORGANIZATION OF CREATIVE SCHOOL ACTIVITIES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

This mixed study analyzes the students’ perception about the use of Kahoot! and Jamboard in the teaching–learning process about the English language during the COVID-19 pandemic through data science. Kahoot! is a web tool that facilitates and promotes the participation between the educator and students through the realization of digital games and Jamboard is a virtual wall that allows the active role through the dissemination of information and exchange of ideas. The participants are 30 students of Design and Visual Communication who took the English Language course in the distance modality at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico, during the 2020 school year. The results of the machine learning technique indicate that the realization of digital games in Kahoot! and the dissemination and exchange of information in Jamboard positively influence the motivation, assimilation of knowledge and participation of the students during the Verbs Unit. Data science identified 6 predictive models on the use of these technological tools in the educational process about the English language through the decision tree technique. Finally, educators have the opportunity to create new virtual spaces and promote the active role of the students by incorporating Kahoot! and Jamboard in the school activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Open Educational Courses Aprendo+ by National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM): Achievements and Challenges

The National Autonomous University of Mexico has developed Aprendo+ open courses with the objective of offering the university community members and the general public the opportunity for the continuously updating knowledge or skills. In order to show the preliminary results of Aprendo+, we analize the metrics and platform reports for the 2018-2022 period. The results show that Aprendo+ has consolidated as a quality option for the continuously updating of the national and international university and non-university community. Being this a relatively new project, we found challenges related to information systematization, spreading and efficiency. To overcome these challenges will improve the content, reach and positive impact of Aprendo+ within the global community and its future.

Diagnóstico de perfil de ingreso de la Licenciatura de Médico Cirujano. Una experiencia de evaluación para la formación médica inicial.

The educational training of general practitioners is a permanent challenge for everyuniversity-level school system. The early detection of strengths and learning needs favors timely and relevant action to support the academic trajectory of students and the achievement of a comprehensive training that benefits society. The Diagnosis of the Entry Profile of the Surgeon Degree of the Faculty of Medicine of the National Autonomous University of Mexico is a reflection of the conjunction of medical, educational and technological knowledge to achieve this goal. Keywords: Evaluation; diagnosis; admission profile; knowledge; English; vocational profile.

From open education to open learning: The experience at the National Autonomous University of Mexico

Open education has existed for more than 6 decades. In its beginnings, it consisted of removing various controls that made it difficult for students to enter and remain in the educational system. Today, it involves characteristics such as accessibility, flexibility, and adaptability, in environments beyond academics. The student-centered teaching approach has now shifted its focus, prioritizing student learning and giving rise to the concept of open learning. In 1972, the National Autonomous University of Mexico announced the beginning of its Open University System (in Spanish, Sistema Universidad Abierta) with the purpose of offering opportunities to incorporate large segments of the population into higher education through the decentralization of university services and the renewal of teaching methods. In this article, we review some of the university’s initiatives and solutions within the framework of open learning. Specifically, we analyze the changes necessary to renew and update the Open University System after 50 years.

Analysis of Ionospheric Disturbances during X-Class Solar Flares (2021–2022) Using GNSS Data and Wavelet Analysis

The influence of solar activity on the ionosphere, a critical area of investigation due to its relevance to the Sun–Earth relationship, has been extensively examined through various methodologies. The ability of solar events to induce disturbances in both the ionosphere and the geomagnetic field is widely acknowledged. This specific study focused on sporadic incidents resulting from X-class solar flares that occurred between 2021 and 2022. Utilizing a methodology that involved analyzing data at 5Hz intervals using wavelet algorithms, the data from the GNSS stations of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) were investigated. The primary emphasis was on deducing the Total Electron Content (TEC) within the ionosphere. Subsequently, this parameter for each satellite during instances of solar flares was analyzed. The approach uncovered disruptions in the ionosphere triggered by solar flares, even in cases where events transpired at the periphery of the solar disk and were of magnitudes smaller than X2.

Adjusting the Intellectual Property Strategy of a Public University Mexican R&D Institute for Harder Times Coming

The Intellectual Protection Unit of the Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology (ICAT) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) has been in existence for two decades. During its first fifteen years of life, the political and economic situation of the country, as well as the influence of innovation theories, guided university work, to promote the development and transfer of technology generated in higher education institutions, towards companies through the establishment of the triple helix formed by the efforts of the government, universities, and companies, all this to boost the economy and the well-being of society. As of 2018, with the advent of the Fourth transformation (4T) proposed, installed, and promoted by the new government, new austerity measures were implemented and many of the schemes used to license technological research and development were modified.Currently, a new federal government Law on Science, Technology, Humanities, and Innovation has been approved. It proposes intensifying austerity and controlling budgetary allocation to priority government projects with an intense tinge of social benefit.Taking advantage of the lessons learned during its previous years of performance, this paper proposes that the work of the ICAT R&D project management and linkage office should not fall into a situation of paralysis but rather adjust its management strategies to take advantage of the situation to fully fulfill its mission pursuing the increase the social impact of its results.

Violence and Clinical Learning Environments in Medical Residencies.

The objective of this study was to describe and analyze residents' perceptions of characteristics on the expansive/restrictive continuum of their clinical learning environment. We conducted a quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional study. A self-administered questionnaire was designed, programmed and applied to residents at the Faculty of Medicine of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The instrument was structured in eight sections, and for this article, Section 3, which referred to clinical environments and violence was considered. The questionnaire had an 85% response rate, with 12,612 residents from 113 medical units and 78 specialties participating. The reliability and internal consistency measured with alpha omega obtained a value of ω 0.835 (CI; 0.828-0.843). Unpleasant, competitive, tense and conflictive contexts were related to restrictive environments. Sexual orientation influenced the perception of intolerance in the clinical setting with respect to discriminatory comments, such that for gender minorities, the environment was experienced as exclusionary. First-year residents perceived environments as more aggressive, a perception that tended to decrease in later years of residency. Abuses in power relations, rigid hierarchical positions and offensive clinical interactions may foster restrictive environments. In such settings, the reproduction of socio-culturally learned violence is feasible; however, asymmetrical relationships may be deconstructed and transformed.

Perception of abortion in first-year students of the Faculty of Medicine after the Human Embryology course.

Multiple studies have been recorded regarding the perception of abortion among students in the health area. To know if medical-scientific training is sufficient to generate a change in the perception of first-year students of the National Autonomous University of Mexico Faculty of Medicine. A cross-sectional survey was applied in two times, with the level of relationship between the items of each dimension being analyzed using Cramer's V test. The results were compared to analyze if there was a change in the perception of abortion after the human embryology course. With an initial population of 2,150 students, 393 pre-course and 394 post-course surveys were conducted. The results indicated that despite the existence of changes in the perception of Faculty of Medicine students with regard to abortion, they are not significant. The medical-scientific training provided by the human embryology course is not enough to provide foundations to the perception of students on issues such as abortion or conscientious objection.

As emoções dos professores da Faculdade de Biblioteconomia e Ciências Arquivísticas da UNAM em tempos de COVID-19

The article shows part of the results of a survey applied to 115 teachers at the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022 assigned to the College of Library Science and Archives of the Faculty of Philosophy and Letters of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. The objective was to know the emotions involved in the online teaching process during and at the end of lockdown based on four thematic axes: physical space; technological equipment and Internet connection; interaction with students and post-pandemic. The results reflect a higher frequency of positive emotions rather than negative related to the physical space, with the technological equipment and Internet connection in teachers, which allows inferring a favorable emotional state. Likewise, the teachers expressed empathy and solidarity towards the problems that affect the interaction with their students. However, despite the fact that there is a positive emotion for the return to face-to-face classes, even in a hybrid modality, the teachers reaffirmed the importance of having specialized support in managing emotions.

Book review: Arturo Oropeza García and Evi Fitriani [Coordinators]. The Role of The Southeast Asian Nations and the New Global Order. Mexico: Institute for Legal Research, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 2022

Book review: Arturo Oropeza García and Evi Fitriani [Coordinators]. The Role of The Southeast Asian Nations and the New Global Order. Mexico: Institute for Legal Research, National Autonomous University of Mexico, 2022

Chemical Composition of Wet Atmospheric Deposition in a Natural Urban Reserve, Conservation of Green Urban Areas: a Mexico City Case Study

Green areas are essential for life in cities and for the conservation of ecosystem services in the case of megacities such as Mexico City. Green areas mitigate air pollution, reduce the temperature, and promote infiltration to feed the aquifers that, in the case of Mexico City, supply 68% of the water. Additionally, food production and recreational usage are important for the population. In the years 2017 and 2018, the chemical composition of wet deposition in the southern part of Mexico City was analyzed, daily and weekly. The study area is located in the greenest part of Mexico City, an important site for water recharge and carbon sequestration. Mexico City, like other megacities of high- and low-income countries, faces serious problems of air pollution. The purpose of this study was to measure the amount of total nitrogen and sulfur that is available in a natural reserve located inside the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and conductivity, pH, rain volume, and anions and cations were analyzed as well. Eighteen months of data were analyzed in order to understand the atmospheric deposition in and anthropogenic influence on an urban green natural area from the southern part of the city. Although both stations are less than 2 km apart, there are significant differences in their chemical composition; however, no differences were found for precipitation and pH, indicating that each station provides a local contribution, depending on local events and sources. Samples included rain events match for both sampling sites, with 67% of the samples in the same rain event match. Nonetheless, when only volume is compared for each year, both tests showed no significant difference (pv = 0.520). Throughout the year, various rainfall rates occur at the CU-CCA and REPSA stations, and the rainy season presents during the May–October period; the median value registered for both monitoring stations was 780 mL, and maximal rainfall was 4780 mL presenting at the CU-CCA station.