Clase invertida en asignaturas de programación usando la plataforma de e-learning Moodle

En la actualidad la neurociencia demuestra que el aprendizaje se realiza cuando hay emoción por parte de alumnado. La motivación, la gestión del tiempo, el trabajo en equipo, la responsabilidad, son algunas de las habilidades blandas consideradas importantes por las organizaciones. Estas habilidades se pueden desarrollar en el aula al mismo tiempo que se trabaja con el contenido de la materia si se hace uso de las metodologías activas. La metodología activa utilizada es la clase invertida. En este trabajo se presentan las técnicas de aula invertida utilizadas en las asignaturas de programación de dos titulaciones de grado haciendo uso de la plataforma de e-learning Moodle. Se reflexiona sobre las habilidades blandas que se consiguen con las técnicas propuestas, y las ventajas y desafíos de usar la clase invertida en este tipo de materias. Se comparan los resultados de estas técnicas con los resultados obtenidos con dinámicas tradicionales que nos permiten extraer conclusiones de mejora de las técnicas de aula invertida propuestas para las asignaturas de programación.Neuroscience says that learning takes place when there is emotion on the part of students. Motivation, time management, teamwork, responsibility, are some of the soft skills considered important by organizations. These skills can be developed in the classroom while working with the content of the subject if active methodologies are used. The active methodology used is the flipped classroom. This paper presents the techniques of inverted classroom used in the programming subjects of two degrees using the Moodle e-learning platform. A reflexion about the soft skills that are achieved with the proposed techniques, and the advantages and challenges of using the inverted class in these types of subjects is made. The results of these techniques are compared with the results obtained with traditional dynamics that allow us to draw conclusions of improvement of the techniques of inverted classroom proposed for the programming subjects.Este proyecto ha sido posible gracias a la ayuda otorgada por la UV en los proyectos SFPIEPID19-10097716; y, UV-SFPIE_PID19-1097874

Effects of attachment-based compassion therapy (ABCT) on brain-derived neurotrophic factor and low-grade inflammation among fibromyalgia patients: A randomized controlled trial

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a disabling syndrome characterized by chronic pain associated with fatigue. Its pathogenesis is unknown, but alterations in central sensitization, involving an imbalance of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and inflammatory biomarkers, appear to be implicated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of attachment-based compassion therapy (ABCT) on levels of BDNF, the inflammatory markers TNF-a, IL-6, IL-10, and the C-reactive protein (CRP), analysing whether biomarkers play a mediating/moderating role in improvements in FM functional status. Thirty-four female patients with FM participated in a RCT and were assigned to ABCT or relaxation therapy. Blood extractions were conducted at baseline and post-intervention, with self-report assessments of functional status (FIQ) at baseline, post-intervention and 3-month follow-up. A pro-inflammatory composite was obtained by summing up IL-6, TNF-a and CRP normalized values. Non-parametric tests, analysis of variance and regression models were used to evaluate treatment and mediation/moderation. Compared to relaxation therapy, ABCT showed significant improvements in FIQ and decreases in BDNF, CRP, and pro-inflammatory composite. Changes in BDNF had a mediating role in FIQ. ABCT seems to reduce BDNF and appears to have anti-inflammatory effects in FM patients. Reductions in BDNF could be a mechanism of FM functional status improvement

Mindfulness-Based Program Plus Amygdala and Insula Retraining (MAIR) for the Treatment of Women with Fibromyalgia : a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

The lack of highly effective treatments for fibromyalgia (FM) represents a great challenge for public health. The objective of this parallel, pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) was two-fold: (1) to analyze the clinical effects of mindfulness plus amygdala and insula retraining (MAIR) compared to a structurally equivalent active control group of relaxation therapy (RT) in the treatment of FM; and (2) to evaluate its impact on immune-inflammatory markers and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)in serum. A total of 41 FM patients were randomized into two study arms: MAIR (intervention group)and RT (active control group), both as add-ons of treatment as usual. MAIR demonstrated significantly greater reductions in functional impairment, anxiety, and depression, as well as higher improvements in mindfulness, and self-compassion at post-treatment and follow-up, with moderate to large effectsizes. Significant decreases in pain catastrophizing and psychological inflexibility and improvementsin clinical severity and health-related quality of life were found at follow-up, but not at post-treatment,showing large effect sizes. The number needed to treat was three based on the criteria of ≥50% Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) reduction post-treatment. Compared to RT, the MAIRshowed significant decreases in BDNF. No effect of MAIR was observed in immune-inflammatorybiomarkers (i.e., TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, and hs-CRP). In conclusion, these results suggest that MAIR, as an adjuvant of treatment-as-usual (TAU), appears to be effective for the management of FM symptomsand for reducing BDNF levels in serum

Effectiveness, cost-utility and physiological underpinnings of the FIBROWALK multicomponent therapy in online and outdoor format in individuals with fibromyalgia : Study protocol of a randomized, controlled trial (On&Out study)

Introduction: The On&Out study is aimed at assessing the effectiveness, cost-utility and physiological underpinnings of the FIBROWALK multicomponent intervention conducted in two different settings: online (FIBRO-On) or outdoors (FIBRO-Out). Both interventions have proved to be efficacious in the short-term but there is no study assessing their comparative effectiveness nor their long-term effects. For the first time, this study will also evaluate the cost-utility (6-month time-horizon) and the effects on immune-inflammatory biomarkers and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) levels of both interventions. The objectives of this 6-month, randomized, controlled trial (RCT) are 1) to examine the effectiveness and cost-utility of adding FIBRO-On or FIBRO-Out to Treatment-As-Usual (TAU) for individuals with fibromyalgia (FM); 2) to identify pre-post differences in blood biomarker levels in the three study arms and 3) to analyze the role of process variables as mediators of 6-month follow-up clinical outcomes. Methods and analysis: Participants will be 225 individuals with FM recruited at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital (Barcelona, Spain), randomly allocated to one of the three study arms: TAU vs. TAU + FIBRO-On vs. TAU + FIBRO-Out. A comprehensive assessment to collect functional impairment, pain, fatigue, depressive and anxiety symptoms, perceived stress, central sensitization, physical function, sleep quality, perceived cognitive dysfunction, kinesiophobia, pain catastrophizing, psychological inflexibility in pain and pain knowledge will be conducted pre-intervention, at 6 weeks, post-intervention (12 weeks), and at 6-month follow-up. Changes in immune-inflammatory biomarkers [i.e., IL-6, CXCL8, IL-17A, IL-4, IL-10, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP)] and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor will be evaluated in 40 participants in each treatment arm (total n = 120) at pre- and post-treatment. Quality of life and direct and indirect costs will be evaluated at baseline and at 6-month follow-up. Linear mixed-effects regression models using restricted maximum likelihood, mediational models and a full economic evaluation applying bootstrapping techniques, acceptability curves and sensitivity analyses will be computed. Ethics and dissemination: This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Vall d'Hebron Institute of Research. The results will be actively disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, conference presentations, social media and various community engagement activities. Trial registration number NCT05377567 ()

Static Analysis-based Debugging, Certification, Testing, and Optimization with CiaoPP

Facilitate the development of safe, efficient programs. Approach: •Next-generation, higher-level, multiparadigm prog. languages. •Improved program development environments. •A framework (CiaoPP) which integrates: •Debugging. •Verification and certification. •Testing. •Optimization (optimized compilation, parallelization, ...

Pembrolizumab as consolidation strategy in patients with multiple myeloma: Results of the GEM-Pembresid clinical trial

PD1 expression in CD4+ and CD8+ T cells is increased after treatment in multiple myeloma patients with persistent disease. The GEM-Pembresid trial analyzed the efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab as consolidation in patients achieving at least very good partial response but with persistent measurable disease after first- or second-line treatment. Moreover, the characteristics of the immune system were investigated to identify potential biomarkers of response to pembrolizumab. One out of the 17 evaluable patients showed a decrease in the amount of M-protein, although a potential late effect of high-dose melphalan could not be ruled out. Fourteen adverse events were considered related to pembrolizumab, two of which (G3 diarrhea and G2 pneumonitis) prompted treatment discontinuation and all resolving without sequelae. Interestingly, pembrolizumab induced a decrease in the percentage of NK cells at cycle 3, due to the reduction of the circulating and adaptive subsets (0.615 vs. 0.43, p = 0.007; 1.12 vs. 0.86, p = 0.02). In the early progressors, a significantly lower expression of PD1 in CD8+ effector memory T cells (MFI 1327 vs. 926, p = 0.03) was observed. In conclusion, pembrolizumab used as consolidation monotherapy shows an acceptable toxicity profile but did not improve responses in this MM patient population. The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov with identifier NCT02636010 and with EUDRACT number 2015-003359-23

Cost-utility of attachment-based compassion therapy (ABCT) for fibromyalgia compared to relaxation: a pilot randomized controlled trial

A recent study has supported the efficacy of Attachment-Based Compassion Therapy (ABCT) compared to relaxation (REL) for the management of fibromyalgia (FM). The main objective of this paper is to examine the cost-utility of ABCT compared to REL in terms of effects on quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) as well as healthcare costs. Forty-two Spanish patients with FM received 8 weekly group sessions of ABCT or REL. Data collection took place at pre- and 3-month follow-up. Cost-utility of the two treatment groups (ABCT vs. REL) was compared by examining treatment outcomes in terms of QALYs (obtained with the EQ-5D-3L) and healthcare costs (data about service use obtained with the Client Service Receipt Inventory). Data analyses were computed from a completers, ITT, and per protocol approach. Data analysis from the healthcare perspective revealed that those patients receiving ABCT exhibited larger improvements in quality of life than those doing relaxation, while being less costly 3 months after their 8-week treatment program had ended (completers: incremental cost M, 95% CI = €−194.1 (−450.3 to 356.1); incremental effect M, 95% CI = 0.023 QALYs (0.010 to 0.141)). Results were similar using an ITT approach (incremental cost M, 95% CI = €−256.3 (−447.4 to −65.3); incremental effect M, 95% CI = 0.021 QALYs (0.009 to 0.033)). A similar pattern of results were obtained from the per protocol approach. This RCT has contributed to the evidence base of compassion-based interventions and provided useful information about the cost-utility of ABCT for FM patients when compared to relaxation. However, the small sample size and short follow-up period limited the generalizability of the findingsThis research is financed by a grant from the ISCIII, Spanish Ministry Economy and Competitiveness (PI19/00805) and the Network for Prevention and Health Promotion in primary Care (ISCIII; RD16/0007/0005), co-financed with European Union ERDF funds

Kineticomechanistic study of the redox pH cycling processes occurring on a robust water-soluble cyanido-bridged mixed-valence {CoIII/FeII}2 square

A kineticomechanistic study of reversible electron-transfer processes undergone by the water-soluble, cyanido-bridged mixed-valence [{CoIII{(Me)2(μ-ET)cyclen}}2{(μ-NC)2FeII(CN)4}2]2- square has been carried out. The oxidation reaction consists of a two-step process with the participation of a solvent-assisted outer-sphere complex, as a result of the establishment of hydrogen bonds that involve the oxo groups of the oxidant (peroxodisulfate) and the terminal cyanido ligands of the tetrametallic square. The formally endergonic reduction reaction of the fully oxidized ([{CoIII{(Me)2(μ-ET)cyclen}}2{(μ-NC)2FeIII(CN)4}2]) core by water, producing hydrogen peroxide from water even at low pH values, is also a two-step process. Each one of these processes requires a set of two preequilibria involving the association of OH- and its subsequent deprotonation by a further OH- anion. The structure of the square compound in its fully protonated form has also been determined by X-ray diffraction and shows the existence of strong hydrogen-bonding interactions, in agreement with the rather high basicity of the terminal cyanido ligands. Likewise, density functional theory calculations on the tetrametallic complex showed zones with negative electrostatic potential around the FeII centers of the square that would account for the establishment of the hydrogen bonds found in the solid state. Spectroelectrochemistry experiments demonstrated the singular stability of the {CoIII/FeII}2 2- complex, as well as that of their partially, {Co2 III/FeIIIFeII}-, and fully, {CoIII/FeIII}2, oxidized counterparts because no hysteresis was observed in these measurements.

Machine learning to understand the immune-inflammatory pathways in fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic syndrome characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, and physical and emotional symptoms. Although its pathophysiology is largely unknown, immune-inflammatory pathways may be involved. We examined serum interleukin (IL)-6, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), CXCL-8, and IL-10 in 67 female FM patients and 35 healthy women while adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI), and comorbid disorders. We scored the Fibromyalgia Severity Score, Widespread Pain Index (WPI), Symptom Severity Scale (SSS), Hospital Anxiety (HADS-A), and Depression Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Clinical rating scales were significantly higher in FM patients than in controls. After adjusting for covariates, IL-6, IL-10, and CXCL-8 were lower in FM than in HC, whereas hs-CRP did not show any difference. Binary regression analyses showed that the diagnosis FM was associated with lowered IL-10, quality of sleep, aerobic activities, and increased HADS-A and comorbidities. Neural networks showed that WPI was best predicted by quality of sleep, PSS-10, HADS-A, and the cytokines, while SSS was best predicted by PSS-10, HADS-A, and IL-10. Lowered levels of cytokines are associated with FM independently from confounders. Lowered IL-6 and IL-10 signaling may play a role in the pathophysiology of F