Prácticas evaluadoras en las universidades catalanas: hacia un modelo centrado en competencias

El artículo analiza las percepciones del profesorado sobre las prácticas de evaluación de los estudiantes universitarios. La metodología consiste en un cuestionario enviado a una muestra de profesores de tres universidades catalanas. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto que las prácticas evaluativas siguen centradas en el aprendizaje del estudiante mientras que un bajo número de profesores dicen utilizar estrategias evaluadoras centradas en competencias. Los resultados ofrecen un marco general sobre la situación de las prácticas evaluadoras empleadas en las universidades y puede constituir un punto de referencia a la hora de poner en marcha estrategias de mejora de las prácticas docentes

Feedback in Higher and Professional Education: Understanding it and doing it well [Reseña]

Reseña de Boud, D. y Molloy, E. (Eds.) (2013). "Feedback in Higher and Professional Education: Understanding it and doing it well", London: Routledge, 240 pp

Estudio de la expresión de PYY en el colon de ratones macho NOD y NOD/Scid de 32 semanas

La diabetes mellitus (DM) es una enfermedad crónica que se caracteriza por presentar elevadas concentraciones de glucosa en sangre. Esta situación se origina cuando el páncreas no sintetiza la cantidad de insulina que el organismo necesita, la y/o no es capaz de ser utilizada con eficacia. La mitad de los pacientes con esta enfermedad presentan múltiples síntomas gastrointestinales como reflujo gastroesofágico, distensión abdominal, náuseas, estreñimiento, diarrea e incontinencia fecal. Algunas de las hormonas que regulan la motilidad gastrointestinal y cuyos niveles se pueden ver alterados en esta patología son: grelina, motilina, CCK, GIP, GLP-1 y PYY. En este estudio se ha analizado la expresión de PYY en el colon de ratones macho NOD (modelo animal de DM1) y NOD/Scid (grupo control) de 32 semanas de edad, mediante la utilización de técnicas inmunocitoquímicas (ICQ). Los resultados obtenidos no muestran diferencias significativas en el número de células inmunorreactivas (IR) para PYY entre ambas estirpes. Se ha hallado un descenso no significativo al comparar el número de células IR para PYY en ratones NOD de 32 semanas con respecto a los de 20 semanas. Además, también existe un descenso no significativo en el número de células IR para PYY en el colon de los ratones NOD hiperglucémicos con respecto a los normoglucémicos de 32 semanas. Finalmente, se ha comparado la expresión del PYY de los ratones NOD con la expresión de GLP-1 en ratones de la misma edad y condición, ya que ambas son hormonas mediadoras del freno ileal, aunque tampoco se apreciaron diferencias significativas

Biscay AGL. An observatory for state of the art operational oceanography at IEO. Derived products, sensor networks and future developments.

Since 1991, shelf and slope waters of the Southern Bay of Biscay are regularly sampled in a monthly hydrographical section north of Santander. From 2003, a deep hydrological standard section was included and on June 2007, an ocean-meteorological buoy was moored at the end of Santander Section (www.boya_agl.st.ieo.es). All of three are part of IEOOS (IEO Observing System). Biscay AGL is one observatory for the EU FixO3 project. The combination of these resources leads to a powerful tool, Biscay AGL, which is more than the combination of the AGL Buoy and the hydrographical samplings. This tool produces not only time series of several parameters at different time resolutions but also derived products, both real and delayed time. Derived products from this buoy include, annual cycles as well as anomalous values. In particular ones such as air-sea heat fluxes, salinity and water temperatures anomalies, sub inertial currents series, chlorophyll surface series, estimate of the mixed layer depth and wind and currents roses. Many sensor networks have been deployed to monitor marine environment, and more will follow in the future. Due to the large number of sensor manufacturers, integrating diverse sensors into observation systems is not straightforward. By defining standardized service interfaces it is possible to enable access to sensor networks and archived sensor data that can be discovered and accessed using standard protocols and application programming interfaces. Future developments include the deployment of a full sensor network as well as adding new devices to the Biscay AGL tool in order to achieve deeper knowledge of the ocean

Development of Peptide Targeted PLGA-PEGylated Nanoparticles Loading Licochalcone-A for Ocular Inflammation

Licochalcone-A is a natural compound with anti-inflammatory properties. However, it possesses low water solubility, making its application for the treatment of ocular inflammation difficult. To overcome this drawback, biodegradable nanoparticles incorporating Licochalcone-A have been developed. Additionally, to avoid fast clearance and increase cellular internalization into the ocular tissues, PLGA nanoparticles have been functionalized using PEG and cell penetrating peptides (Tet-1 and B6). To optimize the formulations, a factorial design was carried out and short-term stability of the nanoparticles was studied. Moreover, morphology was also observed by transmission electron microcopy and in vitro drug release was carried out. Ocular tolerance of the formulations was ensured in vitro and in vivo and anti-inflammatory therapeutic efficacy was also assessed. Surface functionalized nanoparticles loading Licochalcone-A were developed with an average size below 200 nm, a positive surface charge, and a monodisperse population. The formulations were non-irritant and showed a prolonged Licochalcone-A release. Despite the fact that both Licochalcone-A Tet-1 and B6 functionalized nanoparticles demonstrated to be suitable for the treatment of ocular inflammation, B6 targeted nanoparticles provided greater therapeutic efficacy in in vivo assays. Keywords: Licochalcone-A; nanoparticles; ocular inflammation; cell-penetrating peptides; PLG

Epilepsy in Neurodegenerative Diseases: Related Drugs and Molecular Pathways

Epilepsy is a chronic disease of the central nervous system characterized by an electrical imbalance in neurons. It is the second most prevalent neurological disease, with 50 million people affected around the world, and 30% of all epilepsies do not respond to available treatments. Currently, the main hypothesis about the molecular processes that trigger epileptic seizures and promote the neurotoxic effects that lead to cell death focuses on the exacerbation of the glutamate pathway and the massive influx of Ca2+ into neurons by different factors. However, other mechanisms have been proposed, and most of them have also been described in other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, or multiple sclerosis. Interestingly, and mainly because of these common molecular links and the lack of effective treatments for these diseases, some antiseizure drugs have been investigated to evaluate their therapeutic potential in these pathologies. Therefore, in this review, we thoroughly investigate the common molecular pathways between epilepsy and the major neurodegenerative diseases, examine the incidence of epilepsy in these populations, and explore the use of current and innovative antiseizure drugs in the treatment of refractory epilepsy and other neurodegenerative diseases. Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Huntington's disease; Parkinson's disease; epilepsy; multiple sclerosis; neurodegenerative diseases

Sensor Networks and derived products at Biscay AGL observatory. State of the art operational oceanography at IEO

Since 1991, shelf and slope waters of the Southern Bay of Biscay are regularly sampled in a monthly hydrographical section north of Santander, and on June 2007, an ocean meteorological buoy was moored at the end of Santander Section (www. boya_agl.st.ieo.es). Both are part of IEOOS (IEO Observing System). Biscay AGL is one observatory for the EU FixO3 project. Many sensor networks have been deployed to monitor marine environment, and more will follow in the future. Due to the large number of sensor technologies, integrating diverse sensors into observation systems is not straightforward. By defining standardized service interfaces (like those based on OGC standards) it is possible to enable access to sensor networks and archived sensor data that can be discovered and accessed using standard protocols and application programming interfaces, therefore complying with the requirements of the INSPIRE directive. Future developments include the deployment of a full sensor network as well as adding new devices to the Biscay AGL tool in order to achieve a deeper knowledge of the ocean. Biscay AGL is more than the combination of the AGL Buoy and the hydrographical samplings. This observatory produces not only time series of several parameters at different time resolutions but also derived products, both in real and in delayed time. Derived products from this buoy include annual cycles as well as anomalies of physical and biogeochemical magnitudes like air-sea heat fluxes, salinity and water temperatures, sub inertial currents, surface chlorophyll. Different products are derived from in-situ measurements at the AGL buoy like estimates of the mixed layer depth, wind and currents roses and wave intensity diagrams

Research and operational products from the combination of a monthly hydrographic station and an oceanic buoy: The Biscay AGL fixed-point water column observatory.

Long term time series are an important tool for increasing the knowledge of ocean processes as well as for studying water masses variability in different time scales and changes and tendencies in marine ecosystems. Time series has been classically obtained by oceanographic ships that regularly cover standard sections and stations. From 1991, shelf and slope waters of the Southern Bay of Biscay are regularly sampled in a monthly hydrographic line north of Santander to a depth of 1000 m in early stages and for the whole water column down to 2580 m in recent times. Nearby, in June 2007, the IEO deployed an oceanic-meteorological buoy (AGL Buoy, 43º 50.67’N; 3º 46.20’W, and 40 km offshore, www.boya-agl.st.ieo.es). The long-term hydrographical record have allowed to define the seasonality, trends, and interannual variability at all levels, including the mixing layer and the main water masses North Atlantic Central Water and Mediterranean Water. The relation of these changes with high frequency surface conditions has been examined using the AGL buoy data from 2007 as well as satellite and reanalysis data. On that context and using that combination of sources, some products and quality controlled series of high interest and utility for scientific purposes have been developed and are offered hourly in the web page. Main products obtained are: SST and SSS anomalies, wave significant height character with respect to monthly average, and currents with respect to seasonal averages. Ocean-atmosphere heat fluxes (latent and sensible) are computed from the buoy atmospheric and oceanic measurements. Estimations of the mixed layer depth and bulk series at different water levels are provided in a monthly basis. Quality controlled series are provided for sea surface salinity, oxygen and chlorophyll data. Some sensors are particularly affected by biofouling, and monthly visits to the buoy permit to follow these sensors behaviour. Chlorophyll-fluorescence sensor is the main concern, but Dissolved Oxygen sensor is also problematic. Periods of realistic smooth variations present strong offset that is corrected based on the Winkler analysis of water samples. The incorporation of these observatories on larger scale research programs, as done in 2003 in the framework of the VACLAN and COVACLAN projects, is important in order to provide them with a larger spatial dimension and maximize its utility for process-oriented studies. In 2003, the Santander section was extended 90 miles offshore in the framework of a large-scale hydrographic and circulation monitoring program. Partnerships in a large EU project as FixO3 has provided tools for coordination, homogenization and data validation as well as improve the use of chemical-biological data.0,000

New developments on Biscay-AGL Observatory. From derived products to sensor networks.

Biscay-AGL Observatory. Since 1991, shelf and slope waters of the Southern Bay of Biscay are regularly sampled in a monthly hydrographical section north of Santander to a maximum depth of 2500m, as part of the IEO Radiales program. On June 2007, an ocean-meteorological buoy (AGL) was moored at the end of Santander standard section, 22nm north at 2850m depth, to complete the ocean information with the ocean-atmosphere interaction. All of them are part of IEO Observing System (1). The integrated system of AGL and its nearest hydrographic station (2600m depth) is named Biscay-AGL observatory. It is also one station for the EU FixO3 project. Joint resources and systematic analysis lead to a powerful tool, which is much more than the combination of the AGL buoy and the hydrographical samplings. Data Access. All AGL buoy collected data are added to the local database sited at IEO-Santander in real-time and, after rutinary automatised quality controls, they are immediately available through its dedicated webpage (www.boya_agl.st.ieo.es). Monthly CTDO2 data from the hydrographic section are lab-calibrated in order to obtain acurated values of salinity, dissolved oxygen and density, and added to the long-term time series. Biscay-AGL data are quality controlled, flagged and formatted according internationally agreed standards (2, 3) and routinely sent to the IEO Datacenter. This added-value controlled data are incorporated to the IEO permanent archive and made freely available through the SeaDataNet infrastructure for data access and discovery. Derived products. Data acquired by Biscay-AGL may be displayed as timeseries as usual, but end-users are benefited by derived products which provide direct information. A recently developed software tool produces not only timeseries of several parameters at different time resolutions but also derived products, both real and delayed time. Derived products from this buoy include, but not only, annual cycles as well as anomalous values, air-sea heat fluxes, salinity and water temperature anomalies, subinertial currents series, chlorophyll surface series, estimations of the mixed layer depth and wind and currents roses. Sensor Web Enablement (SWE). Sensor Web infrastructures are setup to access real-time data observed by sensors. This system has been implemented in AGL buoy sensors in order to simplify the retrieved events and alerts triggered through sensors. All those functionalities of the Sensor Web are provided in an interoperable way, following the standards stablished by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). By defining standardized service interfaces, these services hides the heterogeneity of the sensor network, its communication details, enabling the access to archived sensor data that can be discovered and accessed using standard protocols and application programming interfaces