Construyendo el diálogo entre saberes: formación y sensus communis en el entorno del científico venezolano [Building the dialog between knowledge: formation and sensus communis in the environment of the venezuelan scientist]

Resumen:Es en la esencia del concepto y de sus raíces históricas donde encontramos conexiones naturales entre formación y desarrollo de las ciencias. La intención de este artículo es abordar la compleja metamorfosis solicitada para la cultura y la educación del científico desde los tiempos de una formación espiritual “pura”, signada por el egocentrismo hasta épocas más recientes en las que la intencionalidad ideológica ha transfigurado su imagen de sujeto egocéntrico en la de sujeto social, capaz de empoderarse de elementos culturales, de diálogo y de humanización en pro de una nueva conciencia estética para la coactuación y la coexistencia. Este abordaje se contextualiza en Venezuela con el sentido de la hermenéutica en la formación, la consideración de significados socioculturales sobre el conocimiento mismo y la presentación de imágenes sugerentes de confrontación o de incomunicación entre saberes. Palabras clave: formación, diálogo de saberes, hermenéutica filosófica, habitus científico Abstract:It is in the essence of the concept and its historical roots where we find natural connections between formation and development of the sciences. The intent of this article is to address the complex metamorphosis requested for the culture and the education of the scientist, since the times of "pure" spiritual formation marked by the egocentrism until more recent times in which the ideological intent has transfigured his image egocentric subject in the social subject, capable of takeover of cultural elements, dialog and humanization for a new aesthetic awareness for the here and the coexistence. This reflection is contextualized in Venezuela with the meaning of the hermeneutical sense in the formation, the consideration of socio-cultural meanings of knowledge itself and the presentation of suggestive images of confrontation or isolation between knowledge.Keywords: education, knowledge dialogue, philosophical hermeneutics, scientific habitus

El ser nietzscheano, fragilidad del tiempo que danza entre vivencias y lenguajes | The nietzschean being, fragility of time dancing between experiences and languages

El presente ensayo ofrece una visión reflexiva documentada sobre algunos escritos de la obra de Friedrich Nietzsche. Mediante esta exposición, un tanto general, se presenta una experiencia hermenéutica centrada en el reconocimiento de razones y explicaciones para el hábito del pensar en extremo racional y sobre todo, predictivamente y con prejuicios, moralismos y temores por el sí mismo. Con ello, se ofrece una imagen del ser nietzscheano en su esencia atemporal, con signos de zozobra, asombro y nuevos alientos vistos al modo de la confrontación intelectual de Nietzsche con la modernidad. Así, con la consideración del análisis hecho sobre algunos fragmentos de su obra literaria, se reflexiona y se extraen conclusiones sobre el poder y la valía de estos signos para el mantenimiento de nuestro interés por diversos aspectos filosóficos que aluden a nuestra convivencia con los conflictos del ser y del saber, propios de todos los tiempos.Palabras clave: Friedrich Nietzsche, modernidad, perspectivismo.  ABSTRACTThis paper provides a reflective view on some writings of Friedrich Nietzsche's work. This exhibition, in a general way, presents a hermeneutical experience focused on the recognition of reasons and explanations for the habit of thinking rationally and especially predictively and with prejudices, moralisms and fears about the self. With this, an image is seen of the Nietzschean being in its timeless essence, with signs of anxiety and amazement that are observed as the Nietzsche intellectual confrontation with modernity. With the analysis of some fragments of his literary work, the author reflects and concludes about the power and value of these signs to maintain our interest in various philosophical aspects that refer to our coexistence with conflicts of the being and of the knowing along the time.Key words: Friedrich Nietzsche, modernity, perspectivism.

Biosynthesis of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Sea Urchins: Molecular and Functional Characterisation of Three Fatty Acyl Desaturases from Paracentrotus lividus (Lamark 1816)

Sea urchins are broadly recognised as a delicacy and their quality as food for humans is highly influenced by their diet. Lipids in general and the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) in particular, are essential nutrients that determine not only the nutritional value of sea urchins but also guarantee normal growth and reproduction in captivity. The contribution of endogenous production (biosynthesis) of LC-PUFA in sea urchins remained unknown. Using Paracentrotus lividus as our model species, we aimed to characterise both molecularly and functionally the repertoire of fatty acyl desaturases (Fads), key enzymes in the biosynthesis of LC-PUFA, in sea urchins. Three Fads, namely FadsA, FadsC1 and FadsC2, were characterised. The phylogenetic analyses suggested that the repertoire of Fads within the Echinodermata phylum varies among classes. On one hand, orthologues of the P. lividus FadsA were found in other echinoderm classes including starfishes, brittle stars and sea cucumbers, thus suggesting that this desaturase is virtually present in all echi- noderms. Contrarily, the FadsC appears to be sea urchin-specific desaturase. Finally, a fur- ther desaturase termed as FadsB exists in starfishes, brittle stars and sea cucumbers, but appears to be missing in sea urchins. The functional characterisation of the P. lividus Fads confirmed that the FadsA was a Δ5 desaturase with activity towards saturated and polyun- saturated fatty acids (FA). Moreover, our experiments confirmed that FadsA plays a role in the biosynthesis of non-methylene interrupted FA, a group of compounds typically found in marine invertebrates. On the other hand, both FadsC desaturases from P. lividus showed Δ8 activity. The present results demonstrate that P. lividus possesses desaturases that account for all the desaturation reactions required to biosynthesis the physiological essential eicosapentaenoic and arachidonic acids through the so-called “Δ8 pathway”

La develación del ser docente universitario: identidad entre la teoría, la ética y el conflicto social | The revelation of the university educational being: identity among theory, ethics and social conflicto

La indagación genealógica de las complejas identidades que adopta el sujeto docente universitario asume la pertinencia de la reflexión sobre el significado de educación pública y educación cotidiana, y esta reflexión forma parte de la interpelación al pensamiento disgregador impuesto por el episteme moderno. El presente ensayo aborda esta perspectiva, poniendo atención a las escenas de actuación insuficiente del docente en su rol intelectualista dentro y fuera de las instituciones educacionales, así como a la inminente apropiación de nuestra naturaleza intercultural como acto de emancipación que solicita la fusión entre el sujeto individual y el sujeto colectivo, y reconstruye el discurso sobre la relevancia social de los saberes universitarios. En este contexto, visualizamos la factibilidad de nuevas formas discursivas en el lenguaje comunicacional, como propuesta para revitalizar la cotidianidad dentro del proceso de formación en las instituciones universitarias. Palabras clave: Sujeto docente universitario, educación pública, interculturalidad, pedagogía emancipadora. ABSTRACT The genealogical investigation of the complex identities that adopts the university educational subject assumes the pertinence of the reflection on the meaning of public education and daily education, and this reflection takes part of the interpellation to the disgregated thought imposed by the modern episteme. The present essay approaches this perspective, putting attention to the scenes of insufficient performance of the educational subject in his intellectualistic roll either inside or outside the educational institutions, as well as to the imminent appropriation of our interculturality like emancipation act that asks for the fusion between the individual subject and the collective subject and reconstructs the discourse on the social relevance of university knowledge. Against this background we visualize the feasibility of new discursive forms in the communicational language, like a proposal to revitalize the every-day view within the process of formation in the university institutions. Key words: University educational subject, public education, interculturality, emancipatory pedagogy

Infectividad del perro (Canis familiaris) para Lutzomyia youngi en Trujillo, Venezuela

Introduction. In Trujillo, Venezuela the prevalence for American tegumentary leishmaniasis (ATL) is 38 per 100.000 inhabitants.Objective. In a periurban, rural settlement of the capital city Trujillo, we studied the potential capability of the domestic dog (Canis familiaris) as a source of infection for Lutzomyia youngi, a phlebotomine sand fly species abundant in the study area and whose domestic vectorial activity has been proven.Materials and methods. Dogs with dermal lesions suggestive of ATL and parasitological confirmation of infection, were selected for xenodiagnosis by allowing sylvatic phlebotomines from a ATL free area, to feed ad libitum over each animal´s entire body surface. The insects´ intestinal tracts were dissected 5 days after the blood meal in order to look for flagellate forms. When these were found, parasitological identification was performed by the multiplex-PCR technique.Results. Four hundred and fifty five sand flies engorged over two dogs in three different assays; promastigotes were found in 4 (0.88%) of the specimens on only one occasion. PCR identified DNA of the Leishmania Viannia subgenus.Conclusion. The household dog has the potential of being a domestic risk factor in the ATL transmission cycle.Introducción. En Trujillo, Venezuela, la prevalencia de leishmaniasis tegumentaria americana (LTA) es de 38 por 100.000 habitantes.Objetivo. En una localidad periurbana, rural, de la ciudad capital, estudiamos a los perros caseros (Canis familiaris) para investigar mediante la técnica de xenodiagnóstico la eventual capacidad para infectar a Lutzomyia youngi, especie flebotomina con actividad vectorial intradomiciliaria comprobada y abundante en el área de estudio.Materiales y métodos. Los perros con lesiones sugestivas de LTA, parasitológicamente diagnosticados, fueron seleccionados para el xenodiagnóstico permitiendo a flebótomos silvestres de una zona libre de LTA alimentarse ad libitum sobre toda la superficie corporal de cada animal, y evidenciar, en disecciones efectuadas a los 5 días post-ingesta, la posible presencia de flagelados en sus tractos digestivos, en cuyo caso, fueron evaluados por la técnica PCR-Multiplex para determinar la identidad del parásito.Resultados. Un total de 455 flebótomos se ingurgitaron sobre dos perros en tres evaluaciones distintas; en una única ocasión, se observaron promastigotes en 4 (0,88%) insectos, cuya identificación molecular reveló pertenecían al subgénero Viannia.Conclusión. El perro casero constituye un potencial factor de riesgo intradomiciliario en el ciclo de la LTA

Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in an Indigenous Kariña Community in Eastern Venezuela

We investigated the seroprevalence of Trypanosoma cruzi infection in an indigenous Kariña population in eastern Venezuela. A total of 175 serum samples were collected in the community of Piñantal during February 2009. Interviews targeting socioeconomic and environmental factors associated with the T. cruzi transmission were also conducted. Samples were evaluated using trypomastigote excreted/secreted antigens (TESAs) in an ELISA format. TESA-ELISA positive samples were confirmed by indirect haemagglutination (HAI) (Wiener). A nonsystematic collection of vectors was also undertaken. T. cruzi seroprevalence was 7.43% according to both assays, and the mean age of infected patients was 48.61±10.40 years (range 34 to 73 years). The vector infection rate was 20.00% (2/10). T. cruzi seropositivity was associated with a history of triatomine bites, the ability to recognize the vector and poor knowledge about Chagas disease, but no associations were found with gender, house type, knowledge of how the disease is transmitted, or the presence of vectors or animals inside dwellings. To our knowledge, this is the first study of the seroprevalence of T. cruzi in an indigenous population in eastern Venezuela. All of the epidemiological variables required for the establishment of active vectorial transmission of T. cruzi were present in this community

Infección por Trypanosoma cruzi en mujeres puérperas y sus neonatos en Barcelona, estado Anzoátegui, Venezuela

Introduction. Trypanosoma cruzi is mainly transmitted by vectors. Other pathways such as oral and congenital transmission have become increasingly relevant.Objective. To evaluate T. cruzi infections in post-partum women and their newborns who attended the Hospital Universitario Dr. Luis Razetti (Barcelona, Anzoátegui state, Venezuela).Materials and methods. A prospective cross-sectional study was undertaken from May, 2015, to August, 2016. ELISA, MABA and IFI assays were used to determine the infection in 1,200 post-partum women. The newborns of seropositive women were then examined for T. cruzi by PCR amplification and serological tests at nine months old. The prevalence of the parasitic infection in post-partum women and their newborns was then estimated. To establish the relationship between risk factors and infection, the chi-square test (c2) and the probability ratio (OR) was applied.Results. A total of 78 women were identified as seropositive (6.50 %) (CI 95%: 5.10-7.89%), and parasitic DNA was detected in six of their newborns (9.09%). Nine months after birth eleven infants were examined, and all were found to be serologically negative. Risk factors detected were pregnancy duration (OR: 0,36; CI95%: 0,15-0,84), where the patients lived at present (OR: 0,34; CI95%: 0,24-0,62) or previously (OR: 2,50; CI95%: 1,38-4,52) and having relatives with Chagas disease (OR: 1,75; CI95%: 1,02-3,01).Conclusions. Seroprevalence for T. cruzi infection in young post-partum women in rural areas was high. The detection of parasite DNA at birth was not indicative of congenital Chagas disease.Introducción. Trypanosoma cruzi se transmite principalmente por vía vectorial, sin embargo, las rutas oral y congénita han tomado relevancia.Objetivo. Evaluar la infección por T. cruzi en mujeres puérperas y sus neonatos en el Hospital Universitario Dr. Luis Razetti de Barcelona, estado Anzoátegui, Venezuela.Materiales y métodos. Se hizo un estudio prospectivo de corte transversal, de mayo de 2015 a agosto de 2016, en el que se evaluaron 1.200 mujeres para determinar la infección mediante las pruebas ELISA, MABA e IFI. Los neonatos de las madres seropositivas se evaluaron con la prueba de PCR y por serología a los nueve meses de edad. Se estimó la prevalencia de la infección por T. cruzi en mujeres puérperas y sus neonatos. Para establecer los factores de riesgo asociados a la infección, se usó la prueba de ji al cuadrado (c2) y la razón de probabilidad (OR).Resultados. En total, 78 (6,50 %) mujeres resultaron positivas (IC95% 5,10-7,89 %). En seis (9,09 %) recién nacidos de madres seropositivas, se detectó ADN parasitario. Tras nueve meses de nacidos, once lactantes evaluados resultaron serológicamente negativos. La infección estuvo asociada con la duración del embarazo (OR=0,36; IC95% 0,15-0,84), origen del domicilio actual (OR=0,34; IC95% 0,24-0,62) o previo (OR=2,50; IC95% 1,38-4,52) y el tener familiares con la enfermedad de Chagas (OR=1,75; IC95% 1,02-3,01). Conclusiones. La seroprevalencia para la infección por T. cruzi en mujeres puérperas del medio rural, fue elevada. La detección de ADN parasitario al momento del nacimiento no es indicativa de enfermedad de Chagas congénita

Sewershed surveillance as a tool for smart management of a pandemic in threshold countries. Case study: Tracking SARS-CoV-2 during COVID-19 pandemic in a major urban metropolis in northwestern Argentina

Wastewater-based epidemiology is an economical and effective tool for monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study we proposed sampling campaigns that addressed spatial-temporal trends within a metropolitan area. This is a local study of detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater during the onset, rise, and decline of COVID-19 cases in Salta city (Argentina) over the course of a twenty-one-week period (13 Aug to 30 Dec) in 2020. Wastewater samples were gathered from 13 sewer manholes specific to each sewershed catchment, prior to convergence or mixing with other sewer lines, resulting in samples specific to individual catchments with defined areas. The 13 sewershed catchments selected comprise 118,832 connections to the network throughout the city, representing 84.7 % (534,747 individuals) of the total population. The number of COVID19-related exposure and symptoms cases in each area were registered using an application developed for smartphones by the provincial government. Geographical coordinates provided by the devices were recorded, and consequently, it was possible to geolocalise all app-cases and track them down to which of the 13 sampling catchments belonged. RNA fragments of SARS-CoV-2 were detected in every site since the beginning of the monitoring, anticipating viral circulation in the population. Over the course of the 21-week study, the concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 ranged between 1.77 × 104 and 4.35 × 107 genome copies/L. There was a correspondence with the highest viral load in wastewater and the peak number of cases reported by the app for each catchment. The associations were evaluated with correlation analysis. The viral loads of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater were a feasible means to describe the trends of COVID-19 infections. Surveillance at sewershed scale, provided reliable and strategic information that could be used by local health stakeholders to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.Fil: Cruz, Mercedes Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química; ArgentinaFil: Sanguino Jorquera, Diego Gastón. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química; ArgentinaFil: Aparicio González, Mónica Alicia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química; ArgentinaFil: Irazusta, Verónica Patricia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Poma, Hugo Ramiro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química; ArgentinaFil: Cristobal, Hector Antonio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Rajal, Verónica Beatriz. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ingeniería. Instituto de Investigaciones para la Industria Química; Argentina. Nanyang Technological University; Singapu

Evaluación de la implantación transversal de 2º del grado en Ingeniería Multimedia

En el curso docente 2010-2011 se inició la implantación del grado en Ingeniería Multimedia, título próximo a la Ingeniería Informática, pero enfocada a formar a profesionales capaces de gestionar proyectos Multimedia tanto en el ámbito del ocio como en el de la gestión de contenidos en redes de información. Esta implantación ha sido progresiva, de manera que cada año se iniciaba un curso nuevo de esta titulación, motivo por el cual este año, 2014-2015, es el primer año en el que el título está completamente implantado desde el inicio del curso. Esto nos ha llevado a plantearnos realizar un estudio sobre como están interconectadas las asignaturas en los distintos cursos. Este estudio ha tenido como objetivo averiguar los problemas o carencias de conocimientos que, por un lado tienen los alumnos en 2º curso, y por otro los que se pueden encontrar en 3º, así como establecer las posibles vías de solución a estos problemas, con la finalidad de mejorar el rendimiento en el aprendizaje de los alumnos. También se ha realizado un seguimiento sobre la evaluación de los alumnos realizada en las asignaturas de 2º para contrastar su adecuación al sistema de evaluación continua promovido por el Plan Bolonia

Global update on the susceptibility of human influenza viruses to neuraminidase inhibitors, 2015-2016.

Four World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Centres for Reference and Research on Influenza and one WHO Collaborating Centre for the Surveillance, Epidemiology and Control of Influenza (WHO CCs) assessed antiviral susceptibility of 14,330 influenza A and B viruses collected by WHO-recognized National Influenza Centres (NICs) between May 2015 and May 2016. Neuraminidase (NA) inhibition assay was used to determine 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) data for NA inhibitors (NAIs) oseltamivir, zanamivir, peramivir and laninamivir. Furthermore, NA sequences from 13,484 influenza viruses were retrieved from public sequence databases and screened for amino acid substitutions (AAS) associated with reduced inhibition (RI) or highly reduced inhibition (HRI) by NAIs. Of the viruses tested by WHO CCs 93% were from three WHO regions: Western Pacific, the Americas and Europe. Approximately 0.8% (n = 113) exhibited either RI or HRI by at least one of four NAIs. As in previous seasons, the most common NA AAS was H275Y in A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses, which confers HRI by oseltamivir and peramivir. Two A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses carried a rare NA AAS, S247R, shown in this study to confer RI/HRI by the four NAIs. The overall frequency of A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses containing NA AAS associated with RI/HRI was approximately 1.8% (125/6915), which is slightly higher than in the previous 2014-15 season (0.5%). Three B/Victoria-lineage viruses contained a new AAS, NA H134N, which conferred HRI by zanamivir and laninamivir, and borderline HRI by peramivir. A single B/Victoria-lineage virus harboured NA G104E, which was associated with HRI by all four NAIs. The overall frequency of RI/HRI phenotype among type B viruses was approximately 0.6% (43/7677), which is lower than that in the previous season. Overall, the vast majority (>99%) of the viruses tested by WHO CCs were susceptible to all four NAIs, showing normal inhibition (NI). Hence, NAIs remain the recommended antivirals for treatment of influenza virus infections. Nevertheless, our data indicate that it is prudent to continue drug susceptibility monitoring using both NAI assay and sequence analysis