La química al batxillerat i al primer curs universitari

S’aporten reflexions sobre l’ensenyament de la química referents a continguts i problemàtiques d’aquesta matèria, tant en l’àmbit del batxillerat com en l’universitari. Es descriuen les característiques del nou currículum de química, l’estructura i el nou enfocament de les noves PAU de química actuals i es proposen vincles entre el professorat de secundària i el de la universitat. Es planteja la problemàtica de la in certesa amb la qual es pot trobar l’estudiantat pel que fa a l’exigència de coneixements previs i, d’altra banda, la dificultat que es troba el professorat per a l’ensenyament de la química del primer curs universitari a causa d’un alumnat que manifesta grans diferències de coneixements.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Analysis of synoptic patterns in relationship with severe rainfall events in the Ebre Observatory (Catalonia)

The study has obtained a classification of the synoptic patterns associated with a selection of extreme rain episodes registered in the Ebre Observatory between 1905 and 2003, showing a return period of not less than 10 years for any duration from 5 min to 24 h. These episodes had been previously classified in four rainfall intensity groups attending to their meteorological time scale. The synoptic patterns related to every group have been obtained applying a multivariable analysis to three atmospheric levels: sea-level pressure, temperature, and geopotential at 500 hPa. Usually, the synoptic patterns associated with intense rain in southern Catalonia are featured by low-pressure systems advecting warm and wet air from the Mediterranean Sea at the low levels of the troposphere. The configuration in the middle levels of the troposphere is dominated by negative anomalies of geopotential, indicating the presence of a low or a cold front, and temperature anomalies, promoting the destabilization of the atmosphere. These configurations promote the occurrence of severe convective events due to the difference of temperature between the low and medium levels of troposphere and the contribution of humidity in the lowest levels of the atmosphere.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Retinol binding Protein-4 circulating levels were higher in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease vs. histologically normal liver from morbidly obese women.

We aimed to analyze the retinol binding protein-4 (RBP4) messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profiles in adipose tissues and liver of morbidly obese (MO) women with or without nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and to study the relationships with other pro- and anti-inflammatory adipokines in vivo and in vitro. We performed a cross-sectional analysis of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and liver samples from four lean and 45 MO women with or without NAFLD by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and real-time reverse transcription-PCR. We also studied RBP4 expression in HepG2 hepatocytes under various inflammatory stimuli. Circulating RBP4 levels were higher in MO women, and specifically, in MO subjects with NAFLD compared with normal liver controls (lean and MO). RBP4 liver expression was higher in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)-moderate/severe than in NASHmild. Overall RBP4 gene expression was higher in liver than in adipose tissues. Among them, the higher expression corresponded to SAT. VAT expression was lower in the MO cohort. In HepG2, RBP4 mRNA expression was reduced by tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and increased by adiponectin treatment. In conclusion, the results obtained in MO women with NAFLD, brings up the use of RBP4 and other adipokines as a panel of noninvasive molecular biomarkers when NAFLD is suspected. Further studies are needed with other obesity groups.Fil: Terra, Ximena. Universitat Rovira i Virgil. Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia; EspañaFil: Auguet, Teresa. Universitat Rovira i Virgil. Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia; España. Hospital Universitari Joan XXIII. Servei Medicina Interna,; EspañaFil: Broch, Montserrat. Universitat Rovira i Virgil. Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia; EspañaFil: Sabench, Fátima. Hospital Sant Joan de Reus. Servei de Cirurgia,; EspañaFil: Hernandez, Mercè. Hospital Sant Joan de Reus. Servei de Cirurgia,; EspañaFil: Pastor, Rosa M.. Hospital Universitari Joan XXIII. Laboratori de Bioquímica; EspañaFil: Quesada, Isabel María. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mendoza. Instituto de Medicina y Biología Experimental de Cuyo; Argentina. Universitat Rovira i Virgil. Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia; EspañaFil: Lunna, Ana. Universitat Rovira i Virgil. Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia; EspañaFil: Aguilar, Carmen. Universitat Rovira i Virgil. Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia; EspañaFil: Del Castillo, Daniel. Hospital Sant Joan de Reus. Servei de Cirurgia, ; EspañaFil: Richard, Cristobal. Universitat Rovira i Virgil. Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia; España. Hospital Universitari Joan XXIII. Servei Medicina Interna,; Españ

Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles decorated mesoporous silica nanosystem for combined antibiofilm therapy

A crucial challenge to face in the treatment of biofilm-associated infection is the ability of bacteria to develop resistance to traditional antimicrobial therapies based on the administration of antibiotics alone. This study aims to apply magnetic hyperthermia together with controlled antibiotic delivery from a unique magnetic-responsive nanocarrier for a combination therapy against biofilm. The design of the nanosystem is based on antibiotic-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) externally functionalized with a thermo-responsive polymer capping layer, and decorated in the outermost surface with superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs). The SPIONs are able to generate heat upon application of an alternating magnetic field (AMF), reaching the temperature needed to induce a change in the polymer conformation from linear to globular, therefore triggering pore uncapping and the antibiotic cargo release. The microbiological assays indicated that exposure of E. coli biofilms to 200 µg/mL of the nanosystem and the application of an AMF (202 kHz, 30 mT) decreased the number of viable bacteria by 4 log10 units compared with the control. The results of the present study show that combined hyperthermia and antibiotic treatment is a promising approach for the effective management of biofilm-associated infections.Depto. de Química en Ciencias FarmacéuticasFac. de FarmaciaTRUEpu

Aprofitament de residus orgànics com a adob, esmena o substrat

Peer Reviewe

Aprofitament de residus orgànics com a adob, esmena o substrat

Peer Reviewe

Análisis de las situaciones sinópticas correspondientes a episodios de lluvia severa en Barcelona

Postprint (published version

El programa de pràctiques per a estudiants del Centre d’Educació Ambiental Can Coll (Parc Natural de la Serra de Collserola): més de trenta anys d’experiències

El Centre d’Educació Ambiental Can Coll, gestionat pel Consorci del Parc Natural de la Serra de Collserola, desenvolupa una tasca formativa continuada des del curs 1987-1988, amb l’objectiu d’incrementar la visibilitat pública de l’entitat i contribuir a millorar l’educació ambiental dels infants i joves de l’entorn. Cada curs escolar el parc de Collserola, a traves del Servei d’Ús Públic, Divulgació i Educació Ambiental, presenta la proposta d’activitats El curs al Parc. Aquesta iniciativa està integrada dins del Programa d’Activitats Educatives del Consorci d’Educació de Barcelona, que compta amb el Segell de Qualitat del Consell d’Innovació Pedagògica de Barcelona, obtingut a partir d’un procés d’avaluació dirigit per l’Institut de Ciències de l’Educació de la Universitat de Barcelona. El curs al Parc recull més de quaranta programes adreçats a alumnes des de l’educació infantil fins a la universitat i l’educació especial. Les estades de pràctiques al Parc formen part d’aquestes propostes. L’oferta de pràctiques a Centre d’Educació Ambiental Can Coll va dirigida a estudiants universitaris i estudiants de cicles formatius de grau mitjà i superior, i també a empreses o institucions educatives públiques i privades. L’estada de pràctiques és curricular i té reconeixement acadèmic, amb un projecte pedagògic específic vinculat a l’itinerari formatiu de cada alumne. Les pràctiques no impliquen cap compromís laboral ni funcionarial, per la qual cosa no són remunerades, tot i que estan subjectes a la signatura d’un conveni de coŀlaboració educativa entre l’estudiant, l’entitat acadèmica i el Consorci del Parc Natural de la Serra de Collserola. Paraules clau: Parc natural, biodiversitat, educació per a la sostenibilitat, pedagogia, aula de natura, capacitació professional

Un Practicum per a la formació de mestres innovadors, reflexius i crítics

En aquesta comunicació es presenta una experiència feta amb alumnes de formació inicial de magisteri que es troben ja en el tercer curs. Especialitat Educació Primària. Es pretén dissenyar un model que faciliti la formació de mestres reflexius i decidits per una metodologia innovadora. És un projecte interdisciplinar en el que participen professors i professores de diferents Departaments. Davant alguns dels problemes detectats en l'assignatura de pràctiques pels quals s'observava la tendència, en ocasions de fer que els alumnes adquirissin pràctiques tradicionals que veien a l'escola, s'ha buscat la possibilitat de fer projectes d'innovació a les escoles i relacionar-los amb la rebuda d'alumnes de pràctiques . En aquesta comunicació s'explica el funcionament del projecte que és molt ampli, ja que hi participen 11 professors i professores de l'Especialitat i dos exemples de la realització del projecte a les escoles

AN-VR-BE. A randomized controlled trial for reducing fear of gaining weight and other eating disorder symptoms in anorexia nervosa through virtual reality-based body exposure

In vivo body exposure therapy is considered an effective and suitable intervention to help patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) reduce their body image disturbances (BIDs). However, these interventions have notable limitations and cannot effectively reproduce certain fears usually found in AN, such as the fear of gaining weight (FGW). The latest developments in virtual reality (VR) technology and embodiment-based procedures could overcome these limitations and allow AN patients to confront their FGW and BIDs. This study aimed to provide further evidence of the efficacy of an enhanced (by means of embodiment) VR-based body exposure therapy for the treatment of AN. Thirty-five AN patients (16 in the experimental group, 19 in the control group) participated in the study. FGW, BIDs, and other body-related and ED measures were assessed before and after the intervention and three months later. The experimental group received treatment as usual (TAU) and five additional sessions of VR-based body exposure therapy, while the control group received only TAU. After the intervention, ED symptoms were clearly reduced in both groups, with most of the changes being more noticeable in the experimental group. Specifically, after the intervention and at follow-up, significant group differences were found in the FGW and BIDs, with the experimental group showing significantly lower values than the control group. The current study provides new insights and encouraging findings in the field of exposure-based therapies in AN. VR technology might improve research and clinical practice in AN by providing new tools to help patients confront their core fears (i.e., food- or weight-related cues) and improve their emotional, cognitive, and behavioral responses to their body image