Elaboración de los materiales didácticos necesarios para la adaptación de la enseñanza de hematología al Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior

Con el fin de adaptarnos al Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior, este Proyecto de Innovación Docente, plantea como objetivo principal la creación, por parte del alumno, de material de autoaprendizaje basado en pruebas objetivas. La materia elegida, Hematología, forma parte de la Licenciatura de Farmacia. El proyecto, realizado sobre 400 alumnos distribuidos en 4 grupos, ha pretendido darles las bases metodológicas suficientes para elaborar preguntas de elección múltiple similares a las del sistema de evaluación del alumnado. Con esta actividad conseguimos que el alumno enfoque su aprendizaje hacia pruebas objetivas, concretando la información, distinguiendo lo más importante de cada tema, participando en el desarrollo continuo de la materia, y mejorando sus calificaciones y autoaprendizaje. El resultado de la innovación muestra un elevado grado de participación en la actividad por parte de los alumnos (incluso mayor que con otras actividades de innovación), los cuales han valorado muy positivamente la experiencia. Además, los resultados académicos han mejorado sustancialmente, como muestra la tasa de rendimiento respecto a años anteriores.In order to comply with the European Space of Higher Educational, the main aim of this Teaching Innovation Project is to encourage students to produce self-learning materials based on multiple-choice tests. The course subject under consideration is Haematology, which is studied in Pharmacy at university level. The project was carried out with 400 students distributed in 4 groups, and it aimed at providing students with enough methodological grounding, so that they could produce multiple-choice questions similar to those used in student assessment processes. By doing this, we managed to make students focus their learning on multiple-choice tests, thus defining information; distinguishing the most important areas in each subject; participating in the continuous development of the subject, and improving their marks and self-learning. The results of this innovative process show students’ high level of participation in the activity (even higher than in previous years), and that the students rated the experience very positively. Furthermore, academic results improved significantly compared to previous years, as shown by the performance rate

Leucine absorption after jejunoileal bypass in rats

Jejunal and ileal absorption of L-leucine has been studied in rats subjected to jejunoileal bypass and in sham-operated rats, for five minute periods, using a perfusion technique. Aminoacid concentrations were: 1, 2.5, 5, 10 and 25 mM. In sorne experiments methionine was added to determine simple diffusion. The ratio of the active/diffusive components of absorption were calculated at the different luminal aminoacid concentrations in both groups of rats, showing that this ratio was lower in control animal

Ethanol consumption by Wistar rat dams affects selenium bioavailability and antioxidant balance in their progeny

Ethanol consumption affects maternal nutrition, the mothers’ antioxidant balance and the future health of their progeny. Selenium (Se) is a trace element cofactor of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase (GPx). We will study the effect of ethanol on Se bioavailability in dams and in their progeny. We have used three experimental groups of dams: control, chronic ethanol and pair-fed; and three groups of pups. Se levels were measured by graphite-furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. Serum and hepatic GPx activity was determined by spectrometry. We have concluded that ethanol decreased Se retention in dams, affecting their tissue Se deposits and those of their offspring, while also compromising their progeny’s weight and oxidation balance. These effects of ethanol are caused by a reduction in Se intake and a direct alcohol-generated oxidation action

Folic Acid Homeostasis and Its Pathways Related to Hepatic Oxidation in Adolescent Rats Exposed to Binge Drinking

Chronic ethanol consumption and liver disease are intimately related to folic acid (FA) homeostasis. Despite the fact that FA decreases lipid oxidation, its mechanisms are not yet well elucidated. Lately, adolescents have been practising binge drinking (BD), consisting of the intake of a high amount of alcohol in a short time; this is a particularly pro-oxidant form of consumption. The aim of this study is to examine, for the first time, FA homeostasis in BD adolescent rats and its antioxidant properties in the liver. We used adolescent rats, including control rats and rats exposed to an intermittent intraperitoneal BD model, supplemented with or without FA. Renal FA reabsorption and renal FA deposits were increased in BD rats; hepatic deposits were decreased, and heart and serum levels remained unaffected. This depletion in the liver was accompanied by higher transaminase levels; an imbalance in the antioxidant endogenous enzymatic system; lipid and protein oxidation; a decrease in glutathione (GSH) levels; hyper-homocysteinemia (HHcy); an increase in NADPH oxidase (NOX) 1 and NOX4 enzymes; an increase in caspase 9 and 3; and a decrease in the anti-apoptotic metallopeptidase inhibitor 1. Furthermore, BD exposure increased the expression of uncoupled endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) by increasing reactive nitrogen species generation and the nitration of tyrosine proteins. When FA was administered, hepatic FA levels returned to normal levels; transaminase and lipid and protein oxidation also decreased. Its antioxidant activity was due, in part, to the modulation of superoxide dismutase activity, GSH synthesis and NOX1, NOX4 and caspase expression. FA reduced HHcy and increased the expression of coupled eNOS by increasing tetrahydrobiopterin expression, avoiding nitrosative stress. In conclusion, FA homeostasis and its antioxidant properties are affected in BD adolescent rats, making it clear that this vitamin plays an important role in the oxidative, nitrosative and apoptotic hepatic damage generated by acute ethanol exposure. For this, FA supplementation becomes a potential BD therapy for adolescents, preventing future acute alcohol-related harms.Junta de Andalucía CTS-19

Inflammation and oxidative stress, the links between obesity and COVID-19: a narrative review

COVID-19, an acute respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, has rapidly become a pandemic. On the other hand, obesity is also reaching dramatic dimensions and it is a risk factor for morbidity and premature mortality. Obesity has been linked to a high risk of serious-associated complications to COVID-19, due to the increased risk of concomitant chronic diseases, which highlights the health public relevance of the topic. Obese subjects have a pro-inflammatory environment, which can further exacerbate COVID-19-induced inflammation and oxidative stress, explaining the increased risk of serious complications in these patients. Another factor that favors infection in obese patients is the high expression of ACE2 receptors in the adipose tissue. The negative impact of COVID-19 in obesity is also associated with a decrease in respiratory function, the concurrence of multiple comorbidities, a low-degree chronic inflammatory state, immunocompromised situation, and therefore a higher rate of hospitalization, mechanical ventilation, in-hospital complications such as pneumonia, and death. In this review, the link between obesity and COVID-19 was analyzed, exploring the potential common mechanisms in both diseases, with special attention to oxidative stress and inflammation, due to the crucial role of both pathways in the development of the disease

Instagram como herramienta de aprendizaje en Fisiología: @fisiofarma_us

Las redes sociales (RR.SS.) forman parte de nuestra vida diaria convirtiéndose en una de las principales vías de comunicación y búsqueda de información, especialmente entre los más jóvenes. Entre los usuarios que usan de las RR.SS., un gran número son estudiantes universitarios; y entre los temas más tratados se encuentran aquellos relativos a temáticas de ciencias de la salud. Es por ello por lo que desde el Departamento de Fisiología de la Facultad de Farmacia de la Universidad de Sevilla se desarrolló un proyecto de innovación docente durante el curso 2021-2022 cuyo objetivo era la utilización de las RR.SS. para el aprendizaje de las materias impartidas en nuestro departamento, analizando los posibles beneficios derivado del uso de esta por parte de nuestros estudiantes y profesores. Esta actividad consistió en el desarrollo de contenido divulgativo relativo a la Fisiología por parte de estudiantes del Grado en Farmacia, Grado en Óptica-optometría y Doble Grado en ambos, de nuestro Centro para posteriormente ser publicado en una cuenta de Instagram creada para tal fin (@fisiofarma_us). La opinión tanto de los estudiantes como del profesorado sobre el proyecto fue recogida a través de la encuesta al finalizar el proyecto, y se realizó un registro del impacto en la RR.SS. (seguidores, interacciones, etc). Nuestra cuenta Instagram tuvo un gran impacto en RR.SS. Entre los resultados a destacar, los estudiantes consideran que esta actividad ha favorecido su interés por la Fisiología y tanto estudiantes como profesores creen que esta actividad favoreció diferentes herramientas de aprendizaje. Estos resultados nos hacen concluir que el uso adecuado de las RR.SS. puede ser un método efectivo de aprendizaje e incentivo para fomentar una mejor compresión de las asignaturas de Fisiología en grados universitarios de ciencias de la salud, como Farmacia u Óptica-optometría.: Social networks (RR.SS.) have become an integral part of our daily lives and serve as one of the primary means of communication and information retrieval, particularly among younger. A significant proportion of RR.SS. users are university students, and health science topics are among the most frequently discussed subjects. Considering this, the Department of Physiology at the Facultyof Pharmacy at the University of Seville initiated a teaching innovation project during the 2021-2022 academic year. This project aimed to use RR.SS. as a tool for learning the subjects taught within our department and to analyse the potential benefits that could be derived from its use by our students and members of the physiology department. This initiative involved the creation of informative content related to Physiology by students enrolled in the Degree in Pharmacy, Degree in OpticsOptometry, and Double Degree programs at our faculty. This content was subsequently published on an Instagram account created explicitly for this purpose (@fisiofarma_us). At the end of the project, feedback was obtained from both students and professors of the physiology department via a survey, and data about the impact of our initiative on RR.SS. (e.g., number of followers, interactions, and others) was recorded. Our Instagram account generated considerable interest on RR.SS. Notably, students reported that this activity increased their stake in Physiology, and both students and faculty members indicated that it facilitated the use of various learning tools. Based on these findings, we conclude that the use of RR.SS. can effectively enhance learning and promote a deeper understanding of Physiology-related subjects among students enrolled in university-level health science programs such as Pharmacy or Optics-Optometr

Effects of antioxidant supplementation on duodenal se-met absorption in ethanol-exposed rat offspring in vivo

The nutritional deficiencies provoked by ethanol consumption, during gestation or lactation, can contribute to multiple birth defects in offspring. In order to improve our knowledge about selenium (Se) distribution in pups exposed to ethanol, the present study evaluated the effect of this drug on intestinal development and determined its action on duodenal absorption of selenomethionine (Se-Met). To determinate if supplementation could improve Se absorption and its serum values, we used two antioxidant supplemented regimens on dams, with selenium alone or selenium plus folic acid, and obtained six groups of pups: C (control), A (alcohol), CS (control + Se), AS (alcohol + Se), CFS (control + Se + folic acid) and AFS (alcohol + Se + folic acid). Duodenal Se-Met transport was performed using an in vivo perfusion method. Se levels were measured by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The supplemented diets utilized had a positive influence on body growth, duodenal perimeter and Se content in ethanol-exposed pups. Ethanol exposure increased Se-Met duodenal absorption in all pups, supplemented or not, presenting the highest values of maximal velocity (V max) compared with their control counterparts. The affinity constant (K m) increased according to rank: A>AS>AFS groups. These results suggest that although antioxidant supplementation does not restore Se-Met absorption to normal values, it enhances the affinity of the transporters for the substrate and improves the damage caused by ethanol in the duodenal mucos