Guidelines for oral assessment

En este documento se presentan los lineamientos y teoría para la implementación de un sistema de evaluación oral en el Centro de Idiomas de la Universidad Eafit. El texto desarrolla tres temas principales: 1) el enfoque comunicativo para la enseñanza y la evaluación ; 2) la planeación de la evaluación; y 3) el uso de las herramientas de evaluación.This document aims at offering teachers a framework for assessing oral language and some guidelines that will foster the implementation and practice of a homogeneous oral assessment system (OAS) at the EAFIT University Language Center. The document deals with three main topics, namely (1) Communicative Approach to Teaching and Assessment; (2) Planning for Assessment; and (3) Using the Oral Assessment Rubric

Synthesis and deposition of silver nanoparticles on porous titanium substrates for biomedical applications

Ti implants are highly biocompatible and allow orderly bone growth but, unfortunately, in the first five years after implantation, 5–10% of them fail due to poor osseointegration and to the presence of bacterial infections in prosthesis. Silver nanoparticles have been described to damage bacterial cell via prolonged release of Ag+ ions as a mode of action when immobilized on a surface. In this work, two routes to synthetize silver nanoparticles have been proposed including, on the one hand, a NaBH4-reduction and, on the other hand, a citrate-reduction combined with a stabilized biodegradable polymer. The deposition of these nanomaterials on porous Ti substrates previously fabricated using the space-holder technique (40 vol% and two size distributions, 100–200 and 355–500 μm) was investigated to aim for the best match. Before the deposition of nanoparticles accomplished by immersion, a silanization treatment of the substrate surface was carried out. After silver nanoparticles were deposited on the porous Ti substrates, microstructural characteristics and antibacterial behavior were evaluated against the proliferation of Staphylococcus aureus on the AgNPs functionalized substrates. Finally, the preliminary qualitative analysis showed the presence of inhibitory halos, being more relevant in the substrates with larger pores.Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain PID2019-109371GB-I00Junta de Andalucía–FEDER (Spain) US-1259771Junta de Andalucía-Proyecto de Excelencia (Spain) P18-FR-203

Initial validation of the Spanish Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-short form: Factor structure, reliability and association with parenting

The present study examines the internal consistency and factor structure of the Spanish version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF) and the association between the CTQ-SF subscales and parenting style. Cronbach's α and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed in a female clinical sample (n = 185). Kendall's ι correlations were calculated between the maltreatment and parenting scales in a subsample of 109 patients. The Spanish CTQ-SF showed adequate psychometric properties and a good fit of the 5-factor structure. The neglect and abuse scales were negatively associated with parental care and positively associated with overprotection scales. The results of this study provide initial support for the reliability and validity of the Spanish CTQ-SF

Reserva cognitiva e rendimento cognitivo em adultos maiores saudáveis com história de prática musical reglada

Objective: cognitive reserve (CR) is defined as the brain’s ability to tolerate and support neuropathologies before reaching the threshold that gives rise to clinical manifestations. Due to the increase in life expectancy, this concept arises with the purpose of identifying factors that maintain the functionality and independence of the elderly, thus favoring the quality of life in this population group. The objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between the time of exposure to directed musical practice and the cognitive performance of healthy older adults. Methodology: Observational, descriptive study including 11 healthy, older adults with a history of guided musical practice. The Cognitive Reserve questionnaire was applied and neurocognitive performance was evaluated using the K-BIT intellectual capacity test and the NEURONORMA COLOMBIA battery. Results: in people with musical training, cognitive reserve was associated to better performance in tasks of denomination, visuospatial and verbal working memory, focused and alternating attention, phonological verbal fluency and semantic performance. On the other hand, the time of exposure to directed musical practice was associated to better performance in semantic language and favored working memory and in the long term. Conclusions: time of exposure to directed musical practice, age, and educational level favor cognitive reserve in the linguistic and mnemonic domains.Objetivo: la reserva cognitiva (RC) se define como la capacidad cerebral de tolerar y soportar las neuropatologías antes de alcanzar el umbral que da inicio a las manifestaciones clínicas. Debido al aumento de la esperanza de vida, este concepto surge con el propósito de identificar factores que mantengan la funcionalidad e independencia de los adultos mayores, favoreciendo así la calidad de vida en este grupo poblacional. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la relación entre el tiempo de exposición a práctica musical dirigida y el rendimiento cognitivo de adultos mayores sanos. Metodología: estudio observacional descriptivo de 11 adultos mayores sanos con historia de práctica musical dirigida. Se aplicó el cuestionario de Reserva Cognitiva, y se evaluó el rendimiento neurocognitivo con el test de capacidad intelectual K-BIT y la batería NEURONORMA COLOMBIA. Resultados: en personas con entrenamiento musical, la reserva cognitiva está relacionada con mejor desempeño en tareas de denominación, memoria de trabajo visoespacial y verbal, atención focalizada y alternante, fluidez verbal fonológica y rendimiento semántico. Por otra parte, el tiempo de exposición a práctica musical dirigida se asoció a mejor desempeño en lenguaje semántico y favorece la memoria de trabajo y a largo plazo. Conclusiones: el tiempo de exposición a la práctica musical dirigida, la edad y el nivel educativo, favorecen la reserva cognitiva en los dominios lingüísticos y mnémicos.Objetivo: a reserva cognitiva (RC) se define como a capacidade cerebral de tolerar e suportar as neuropatologias antes de alcançar o umbral que dá início às manifestações clínicas. Devido ao aumento da esperança de vida, este conceito surge com o propósito de identificar fatores que mantenham a funcionalidade e independência dos adultos maiores, favorecendo assim a qualidade de vida neste grupo populacional. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar a relação entre o tempo de exposição a prática musical dirigida e o rendimento cognitivo de adultos maiores saudáveis. Metodologia: estudo observacional descritivo de 11 adultos maiores saudáveis com história de prática musical dirigida. Se aplicou o questionário de Reserva Cognitiva, e se avaliou o rendimento neurocognitivo com o teste de capacidade intelectual K-BIT e a bateria NEURONORMA COLÔMBIA. Resultados: em pessoas com treinamento musical, a reserva cognitiva está relacionada com melhor desempenho em tarefas de denominação, memória de trabalho visoespacial e verbal, atenção focalizada e alternante, fluidez verbal fonológica e rendimento semântico. Por outra parte, o tempo de exposição a prática musical dirigida se associou a melhor desempenho em linguagem semântico e favorece a memória de trabalho e a longo prazo. Conclusões: o tempo de exposição à prática musical dirigida, a idade e o nível educativo, favorecem a reserva cognitiva nos domínios linguísticos e mnêmicos

Relación entre apego y funciones frontales y ejecutivas en niños de 6 a 10 años de una institución educativa pública

Este artículo tiene como objetivo establecer la relación entre los patrones de apego y funciones frontales en niños escolarizados de 6 a 10 años de una Institución educativa Pública de Bello (Antioquia).  Método: diseño observacional, analítico, transversal, prospectivo, Muestra: Participaron 29 escolares seleccionados a conveniencia de una institución educativa pública. Se utilizó el test breve de inteligencia de Kaufman (K-BIT), la batería de funciones ejecutivas y lóbulos frontales (BANFE-2) y para evaluar apego el MacArthur Story Stem Battery (MSSB). Resultados: El apego seguro podría ser predictor para un funcionamiento ejecutivo optimo; específicamente en la capacidad para desarrollar secuencias consecutivas e inversas, mantener en la memoria de trabajo resultados parciales, inhibir la interferencia, planear una serie de acciones que conllevan a una meta específica, operar en una condición incierta y aprender relaciones que necesitan del análisis riesgo-beneficio para obtener las mayores ganancias posibles

Association between convalescent plasma treatment and mortality in COVID-19: a collaborative systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Funder: laura and john arnold foundationBACKGROUND: Convalescent plasma has been widely used to treat COVID-19 and is under investigation in numerous randomized clinical trials, but results are publicly available only for a small number of trials. The objective of this study was to assess the benefits of convalescent plasma treatment compared to placebo or no treatment and all-cause mortality in patients with COVID-19, using data from all available randomized clinical trials, including unpublished and ongoing trials (Open Science Framework, https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/GEHFX ). METHODS: In this collaborative systematic review and meta-analysis, clinical trial registries (ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform), the Cochrane COVID-19 register, the LOVE database, and PubMed were searched until April 8, 2021. Investigators of trials registered by March 1, 2021, without published results were contacted via email. Eligible were ongoing, discontinued and completed randomized clinical trials that compared convalescent plasma with placebo or no treatment in COVID-19 patients, regardless of setting or treatment schedule. Aggregated mortality data were extracted from publications or provided by investigators of unpublished trials and combined using the Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman random effects model. We investigated the contribution of unpublished trials to the overall evidence. RESULTS: A total of 16,477 patients were included in 33 trials (20 unpublished with 3190 patients, 13 published with 13,287 patients). 32 trials enrolled only hospitalized patients (including 3 with only intensive care unit patients). Risk of bias was low for 29/33 trials. Of 8495 patients who received convalescent plasma, 1997 died (23%), and of 7982 control patients, 1952 died (24%). The combined risk ratio for all-cause mortality was 0.97 (95% confidence interval: 0.92; 1.02) with between-study heterogeneity not beyond chance (I2 = 0%). The RECOVERY trial had 69.8% and the unpublished evidence 25.3% of the weight in the meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Convalescent plasma treatment of patients with COVID-19 did not reduce all-cause mortality. These results provide strong evidence that convalescent plasma treatment for patients with COVID-19 should not be used outside of randomized trials. Evidence synthesis from collaborations among trial investigators can inform both evidence generation and evidence application in patient care

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Diferencias en el rendimiento en la memoria de trabajo entre hombres y mujeres mayores de 49 años en Medellín, Antioquia

INTRODUCCIÓN: El objetivo de la investigación fue la evaluación del rendimiento en la memoria de trabajo de una población de adultos, mayores de 49 años, de la ciudad de Medellín, analizando las diferencias de este desempeño entre hombres y mujeres. MATERIALES Y METODOS: Estudio observacional analítico, con un diseño transversal, en el que se evaluó el rendimiento en este proceso de 144 adultos mayores de 49 años con la tarea de Retención de Dígitos y la tarea de Cubos de Corsi. Participaron 60 hombres (41,7 %) y 84 mujeres (58,3 %), con una edad media de 66,5 ± 9,9 y 69,3 ± 12,1 años, respectivamente. RESULTADOS: La puntuación de los hombres supera ligeramente a la de las mujeres en todas las pruebas realizadas, con una diferencia estadísticamente significativa en la tarea de Cubos de Corsi Inversa (Span Visual © Inverso). Asimismo, se evidencia un mejor desempeño por parte de las mujeres en tareas de amplitud simple y de tipo verbal, mientras que los hombres se desempeñan mejor en tareas amplitud compleja y de tipo visoespacial. CONCLUSIONES: estos hallazgos sugieren una ventaja de los hombres en el control de la atención e indican una mayor capacidad para retener e integrar la información visual y cinestésica, así como un mejor desarrollo en algunas habilidades cognitivas superiores como la comprensión del lenguaje y la orientación visoespacial

Relación entre la sintomatología depresiva y el desempeño cognitivo en adultos mayores

Objective: To analyze the relationship of depressive symptoms with differentiated components of cognitive function in older adults using the Neuronorma.Co protocol. Methodology: We analyzed the cognitive performance of 144 adults, 58.3% women, with an average age of 68.1 ± 11.2 years. A factor analysis of main components was performed to identify independent factors of cognitive function. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to estimate the type and strength of association between depressive symptoms and neurocognitive performance components. Results: Seven differentiated components of cognitive performance were identified. In the multivariate analysis, interference control and language were affected by the total score on the Yesavage Geriatric Depression Scale. Conclusions: The presence and intensity of depressive symptoms is associated with a lower performance in tasks dependent on executive controlObjetivo: Analizar la relación de los síntomas depresivos con componentes diferenciados de la función cognitiva de adultos mayores usando el protocolo Neuronorma.Co. Metodología: Se analizó el rendimiento cognitivo de 144 adultos, 58, 3% mujeres, con una edad media de 68, 1 ± 11, 2 años. Se realizó un análisis factorial de componentes principales, para identificar factores independientes de la función cognitiva. Se usó el análisis de regresión lineal múltiple para estimar el tipo y la fuerza de asociación entre síntomas depresivos y los componentes del desempeño neurocognitivo. Resultados: Se identificaron siete componentes diferenciados del rendimiento cognitivo. En el análisis multivariado el control de la interferencia y el lenguaje resultaron afectados por la puntuación total en la Escala de Depresión Geriátrica de Yesavag