Implementation of Peer Tutoring as a Strategy to Promote the Development of Basic Mathematical Skills in University Students

One of the biggest problems in higher education institutions in Mexico is the high failure rate in the first math courses in areas focused on technology. Tutoring, as a fundamental tool in the integral development of engineering students plays an important role in dealing with this type of phenomena, the role it plays is decisive in controlling or diminishing one of the most worrying indicators: desertion. As a measure that aims to correct these rates, corrective courses of Precalculus have been developed and implemented using the strategy of peer tutoring, which in our case was divided into three different levels: basic, intermediate and advanced. The effectiveness of this strategy was evaluated with two instruments: the first was a placement level test, according to which the student was assigned a course adapted to their specific needs detected in the evaluation; At the end of these courses, a second test was conducted to determine the progress of each student. As a result, it is expected that a high percentage of participants will acquire the necessary mathematical skills to pass to the next level and guarantee their permanence in the following courses with follow-up in academic advising. Keywords: Peer tutoring; academic advising; desertion; Precalculus courses.

Cultivos de Coca: Economía y Violencia en Municipios de Colombia 2012 – 2019.

Coca cultivation in Colombia is related to multiple problems that primarily affect the rural areas of the country. This article aims to expose the determining factors that explain the presence of coca plantations in the municipalities of Colombia for the period 2012 - 2019. To do so, a panel data model is developed to obtain results that, although not homogeneous across the territory, indicate that overall, increases in the municipal violence index are positively associated with the growth of coca cultivation hectares in Colombia's municipalities in the short term. The findings suggest that only a quarter of coca cultivation is reduced for every hectare sprayed and increases by 0.22 for every hectare eradicated manually, highlighting the ineffectiveness of anti-drug policy. It is necessary to look for alternatives to try to reduce the supply of the crop, differentiating the needs of each region of the country. In terms of the economy, the only sector that influences the reduction of cultivation is the secondary sector and the fiscal performance index.Los cultivos de coca en Colombia se relacionan con múltiples problemas que afectan primeramente al área rural del país. Este artículo tiene como objetivo exponer factores determinantes que explican la presencia de los cultivos de coca en los municipios de Colombia para el periodo 2012 – 2019. Para ello, se desarrolla un modelo de panel de datos que permite obtener unos resultados que, aunque no son homogéneos en todo el territorio, indican que globalmente los incrementos en el índice de violencia municipal están asociados de manera positiva con el crecimiento de las hectáreas de cultivos de coca en los municipios de Colombia en el corto plazo. Los hallazgos sugieren que se reduce únicamente una cuarta parte del cultivo por cada hectárea asperjada y se incrementa en 0,22 por cada hectárea erradicada manualmente, poniendo en evidencia la ineficacia de la política antidrogas. Es necesario buscar alternativas para tratar de reducir la oferta del cultivo, diferenciando las necesidades por cada región del país. En cuanto a la economía, el único sector que influye en la reducción del cultivo es el sector secundario y el índice de desempeño fiscal

Growth of juvenile Piaractus brachypomus fed diets containing different profiles of essential amino acids

O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar o efeito de dietas com diferentes perfis de aminoácidos essenciais (AAE) sobre a eficiência de utilização de nutrientes e o crescimento de juvenis de pirapitinga (Piaractus brachypomus). Utilizaram-se caseína e gelatina como fontes de proteína, tendo-se formulado nove dietas com concentração de caseína entre 0 e 35%, com incrementos de 4,4% e concomitante diminuição da proporção de gelatina. Determinou-se o perfil de aminoácidos da caseína, da gelatina e de amostras de tecidos do corpo inteiro de juvenis de pirapitinga. Os níveis dietéticos de caseína apresentaram efeito quadrático positivo sobre as variáveis zootécnicas. O escore químico entre o perfil de aminoácidos essenciais das proteínas corpóreas e o perfil das dietas experimentais mostrou que, nas rações com 31,6 e 35% de caseína, o conteúdo de arginina torna-se limitante. O perfil de aminoácidos corporais da pirapitinga foi similar ao padrão de aminoácidos descrito para teleósteos. O perfil de aminoácidos obtido com a mistura de caseína e gelatina à proporção de 8:1 se aproxima do requerido para o crescimento de juvenis de Piaractus brachypomus.The objective of this work was to determine the effect of diets with different profiles of essential amino acids (EAA) on nutrient use efficiency and growth of juvenile pirapitinga (Piaractus brachypomus). Casein and gelatin were used as protein sources, and nine diets were formulated with casein concentration between 0 and 35%, with 4.4% increments and concomitant reduction of gelatin proportion. The amino acid profile of casein, gelatin, and tissue samples from the whole body of juvenile pirapitinga was determined. Dietary levels of casein showed a positive quadratic effect on zootechnical variables. The chemical score between the amino acid profile of body protein and the profile of experimental diets showed that in diets with 31.6 and 35% casein, arginine content becomes limiting. The profile of body amino acids of pirapitinga was similar to the pattern described for teleosts. The amino acid profile obtained with the mixture of casein and gelatin at the ratio of 8:1 is close to the one required for growth of juvenile Piaractus brachypomus

A review of current management of vitreomacular traction and macular hole

The paper presents a review of the sequence of events of posterior vitreous detachment (PVD), vitreomacular adhesion (VMA), vitreomacular traction (VMT), and macular hole (MH) from their pathophysiological aspects, clinical features, diagnostic implications, and current management strategies. A treatment algorithm to be used in clinical practice in patients with VMA, VMT, and MH based on the presence of symptoms, visual acuity, associated epiretinal membrane, and width of the vitreous attachment is presented. Observation, pharmacologic vitreolysis with ocriplasmin, and surgical treatment are positioned as treatment options in the different steps of the therapeutic algorithm, with clear indications of the paths to be followed according to the initial presenting manifestations and the patient's clinical course

Early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration: update and clinical review

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of irreversible central vision loss in developed countries. With the aging of population, AMD will become globally an increasingly important and prevalent disease worldwide. It is a complex disease whose etiology is associated with both genetic and environmental risk factors. An extensive decline in the quality of life and progressive need of daily living assistance resulting from AMD among those most severely affected highlights the essential role of preventive strategies, particularly advising patients to quit smoking. In addition, maintaining a healthy diet, controlling other risk factors (such as hypertension, obesity, and atherosclerosis), and the use of nutritional supplements (antioxidants) are recommendable. Genetic testing may be especially important in patients with a family history of AMD. Recently, unifying criteria for the clinical classification of AMD, defining no apparent aging changes; normal aging changes; and early, intermediate, and late AMD stages, are of value in predicting AMD risk of progression and in establishing recommendations for the diagnosis, therapeutic approach, and follow-up of patients. The present review is focused on early and intermediate AMD and presents a description of the clinical characteristics and ophthalmological findings for these stages, together with algorithms for the diagnosis and management of patients, which are easily applicable in daily clinical practice

Management of wet age-related macular degeneration in Spain: challenges for treat and extend implementation in routine clinical practice

Purpose: to ascertain wet AMD (wAMD) management patterns in Spain. Methods: a two-round Delphi study conducted through a questionnaire-based survey designed from literature review and validated by an independent Steering Committee. Results: forty-nine retina specialists experienced in wAMD participated by answering the two-round study questionnaire. Retina specialists are the main responsible for wAMD diagnosis and monitoring, including visits and associated procedures, with a median time per visit of 15 minutes. Standard treatment strategies are based on anti-VEGF administration, including standard loading dose administration followed by maintenance with aflibercept or ranibizumab (81% of patients). Although treat and extend (T&E) dosing strategy is considered as optimal for wAMD management (78% of the panelists), the main routine healthcare limitations (i.e., visits overload, reduced staff, short visit time, coordination issues, lack of facilities) conduct to self-defined "flexible" strategies, based on T&E and pro-re-nata (PRN) protocols. Conclusion: proactive treatment patterns (T&E) are the preferred ones by the retina specialists in Spain. However, their proper implementation is difficult due to healthcare resource limitations, as well as organisation and logistic issues. The use of anti-VEGF agents with longer duration of action could facilitate the use of strict T&E approaches according to routine clinical practices