Assessment and practical science:identifying generalizable characteristics of written assessments that reward and incentivise effective practices in practical science lessons

High-stakes assessments prominently influence what is done in secondary school science lessons (‘washback’ effects). It is therefore important that assessments of knowledge and understanding gained from practical work are constructed to reward and incentivise effective practices in practical work. To do that, they must differentiate between pupils who have experienced practical work in different ways. This empirical, mixed-methods study identifies generalizable characteristics of written assessments that differentially reward pupils who experienced practical activities through hands-on work, teacher demonstration, video demonstration, or reading about the activity. Conclusions are drawn from 1486 post-intervention tests completed by pupils aged 14–15 in England, from lesson observations and teacher interviews. This study also identifies pedagogical practices that were more noticeable in practical work that was most rewarded by the written assessments: the work was teacher-guided; and pupils were encouraged to be active participants. Existing literature describes negative washback effects of high-stakes, written assessments that limit the use and effectiveness of practical work as a pedagogical tool. We describe ways in which written assessments could be constructed to better reward effective practices in practical work (practices that better support learning), with the intention of having positive washback effects on pedagogy by better incentivising these practices

Portuguese isolates of Aspergillus section Flavi unraveled by the calmodulin gene

Aspergillus is a large genus, with a complex and ever evolving taxonomy. Section Flavi is one of the most significant sections in the genus. Taxonomy and species identification is subject of great interest for scientists aiming to clarify the species concept and limits within the section. Furthermore, this section comprises both toxigenic and non-toxigenic species/strains, with great interest to biotechnology and food industry. Various genes, namely the rRNA (ITS region), calmodulin and β-tubulin genes, have been widely reported as good markers for Aspergillus species identification, because they are rapid and cost-effective. In the present study, we evaluated the discriminatory power of the ITS region and the calmodulin gene to distinguish closely related taxa within Aspergillus section Flavi. For this purpose, 26 isolates of Aspergillus section Flavi obtained from Portuguese almonds were characterized at various levels: i) phenotypic, regarding various aspects of morphology and physiology; ii) spectral, using MALDI-TOF ICMS to obtain protein fingerprinting; and iii) genotypic, by sequence analysis of a 730 bp segment of the calmodulin gene and a 908 bp segment of the ITS region. For the various methods, dendrograms were created and results were compared. Both genotypic and spectral analyses divided the isolates in 3 groups corresponding to closely related taxa of A. flavus, A. parasiticus and A. tamarii. Except for the ITS region, all sets of analysis positioned 5 of the 26 isolates in two unidentified clades close to A. parasiticus, and divided the A. flavus group in two distinct clades. The phylogenetic analysis of the calmodulin sequences resulted in very similar dendrograms when using various methods of analysis (Neighbor-Joining, Maximum Likelihood, Bayesian Inference), and altering the analytical parameters did not result in significant changes. Furthermore, the genetic dendrograms were strongly supported by the phenotypic and spectral analyses. These results confirm the calmodulin gene as a robust and reliable genomic marker for this group of fungi. The unsolved isolate identifications are currently under further analysis

Potential of mannan or dextrin nanogels as vaccine carrier/adjuvant systems

Polymeric nanogels have been sophisticatedly designed promising a new generation of vaccine delivery/adjuvant systems capable of boosting immune response, a strategic priority in vaccine design. Here, nanogels made of mannan or dextrin were evaluated for their potential as carriers/adjuvants in vaccine formulations. Since lymph nodes are preferential target organs for vaccine delivery systems, nanogels were biotin-labeled, injected in the footpad of rats, and their presence in draining lymph nodes was assessed by immunofluorescence. Nanogels were detected in the popliteal and inguinal lymph nodes by 24h upon subcutaneous administration, indicating entrapment in lymphatic organs. Moreover, the model antigen ovalbumin was physically encapsulated within nanogels and physicochemically characterized concerning size, zeta potential, ovalbumin loading, and entrapment efficiency. The immunogenicity of these formulations was assessed in mice intradermally immunized with ovalbuminmannan or ovalbumindextrin by determining ovalbumin-specific antibody serum titers. Intradermal vaccination using ovalbuminmannan elicited a humoral immune response in which ovalbumin-specific IgG1 levels were significantly higher than those obtained with ovalbumin alone, indicating a TH2-type response. In contrast, dextrin nanogel did not show adjuvant potential. Altogether, these results indicate that mannan nanogel is a material that should be explored as a future antigen delivery system.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work is supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) Portugal, post-doc grant SFRH/BPD/70524/2010 and the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), PhD grant. The authors thank the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684). The authors also acknowledge the Project RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-027462)

Endo- and exometabolome crosstalk in mesenchymal stem cells undergoing osteogenic differentiation

This paper describes, for the first time to our knowledge, a lipidome and exometabolome characterization of osteogenic differentiation for human adipose tissue stem cells (hAMSCs) using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The holistic nature of NMR enabled the time-course evolution of cholesterol, mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (including ω-6 and ω-3 fatty acids), several phospholipids (phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, sphingomyelins, and plasmalogens), and mono- and triglycerides to be followed. Lipid changes occurred almost exclusively between days 1 and 7, followed by a tendency for lipidome stabilization after day 7. On average, phospholipids and longer and more unsaturated fatty acids increased up to day 7, probably related to plasma membrane fluidity. Articulation of lipidome changes with previously reported polar endometabolome profiling and with exometabolome changes reported here in the same cells, enabled important correlations to be established during hAMSC osteogenic differentiation. Our results supported hypotheses related to the dynamics of membrane remodelling, anti-oxidative mechanisms, protein synthesis, and energy metabolism. Importantly, the observation of specific up-taken or excreted metabolites paves the way for the identification of potential osteoinductive metabolites useful for optimized osteogenic protocols.publishe

How can biomolecules improve mucoadhesion of oral insulin? A comprehensive insight using ex-vivo, in silico and in vivo models

Currently, insulin can only be administered through the subcutaneous route. Due to the flaws associated with this route, it is of interest to orally deliver this drug. However, insulin delivered orally has several barriers to overcome as it is degraded by the stomach’s low pH, enzymatic content, and poor absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. Polymers with marine source like chitosan are commonly used in nanotechnology and drug delivery due to their biocompatibility and special features. This work focuses on the preparation and characterization of mucoadhesive insulin-loaded polymeric nanoparticles. Results showed a suitable mean size for oral administration (<600 nm by dynamic laser scattering), spherical shape, encapsulation efficiency (59.8%), and high recovery yield (80.6%). Circular dichroism spectroscopy demonstrated that protein retained its secondary structure after encapsulation. Moreover, the mucoadhesive potential of the nanoparticles was assessed in silico and the results, corroborated with ex-vivo experiments, showed that using chitosan strongly increases mucoadhesion. Besides, in vitro and in vivo safety assessment of the final formulation were performed, showing no toxicity. Lastly, the insulin-loaded nanoparticles were effective in reducing diabetic rats’ glycemia. Overall, the coating of insulin-loaded nanoparticles with chitosan represents a potentially safe and promising approach to protect insulin and enhance peroral delivery.Supported in part by UID/DTP/04138/2019 from FCT, Portugal and DREAMS (ULHT). SEM analysis was funded by FCT/MCTES for the financial support to CESAM (UIDP/50017/2020+UIDB/50017/2020), through national funds. Acknowledgments: The authors are grateful to the Carla Vânia (iMedUlisboa) for her collaboration in HPLC analysis and Joana Moreira (ECTS-ULHT) for her collaboration in conducting some experiments.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Promoção do aleitamento materno

O conhecimento das mulheres sobre o tempo de amamentação é menor que o tempo preconizado na literatura científica ou pelas organizações de saúde. Fazer uma revisão sistemática da literatura sobre promoção do aleitamento materno.Foi realizada uma revisão de literatura na base de dados LILACS, MEDLINE E SCIELO, entre os anos 2003 e 2013, com base nos seguintes descritores: “Aleitamento materno”, amamentação”, “promoção da saúde”, “saúde da criança”, “desmame”, saúde da mulher”, “cuidados de enfermagem”. Foram definidos como critérios de exclusão, puérperas com patologias, relatação e período anterior ao parto. Foram analisados 28 artigos submetidos aos critérios de exclusão, obtendo-se para amostra final desta revisão, 21 artigos. A maioria dos estudos foi realizada no Brasil, e o tempo de acompanhamento das mulheres ocorreu entre o parto e os 24 meses. Verificou-se que o conhecimento das puérperas relativamente à amamentação é determinante para o aumento das taxas de amamentação, no entanto é insuficiente. O apoio aos problemas comuns relacionados com a lactação devem ser manejados adequadamente evitando o desmame precoce. É necessário capacitar os profissionais envolvidos com a amamentação para que estejam aptos a identificar as mudanças do amamentar, melhorar essa prática e o sistema de apoio. As orientações dos profissionais de saúde e o investimento em campanhas de difusão apresentam-se como instrumentos eficazes de promoção. A participação ativa dos profissionais de saúde é essencial na promoção do aleitamento materno, tendo em conta todo o contexto social, sem esquecer o suporte ao ambiente e companheiro

Professional Training in Beekeeping: A Cross-Country Survey to Identify Learning Opportunities

first_pagesettingsOrder Article Reprints Open AccessArticle Professional Training in Beekeeping: A Cross-Country Survey to Identify Learning Opportunities by Raquel P. F. Guiné 1ORCID,Jorge Oliveira 1ORCID,Catarina Coelho 1,2,*ORCID,Daniela Teixeira Costa 1,Paula Correia 1ORCID,Helena Esteves Correia 1ORCID,Bjørn Dahle 3,Melissa Oddie 3,Risto Raimets 4,Reet Karise 4ORCID,Luis Tourino 5,Salvatore Basile 6,Emilio Buonomo 6,Ivan Stefanic 7 andCristina A. Costa 1ORCID 1 CERNAS Research Centre, Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal 2 CECAV, Animal and Veterinary Research Center, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Quinta de Prados, Apartado 1013, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal 3 Norwegian Beekeepers Association, 2040 Kløfta, Norway 4 Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, 51014 Tartu, Estonia 5 Eosa Estrategia y Organización SA, 36202 Vigo, Spain 6 Bio-Distretto Cilento, 84052 Salerno, Italy 7 Tera Tehnopolis, 31000 Osijek, Croatia * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. Sustainability 2023, 15(11), 8953; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118953 Received: 21 April 2023 / Revised: 24 May 2023 / Accepted: 31 May 2023 / Published: 1 June 2023 (This article belongs to the Special Issue Prospects Challenges and Sustainability of the Agri-Food Supply Chain in the New Global Economy II) Download Browse Figures Review Reports Versions Notes Abstract Habitat loss, climate change, and other environmental degradations pose severe challenges to beekeepers. Therefore, this sector needs to rely on updated information so that the intervening actors can deal with the problems. In this context, and assuming that professional training can greatly help those acting in the beekeeping sector, this work intended to investigate the gaps in the updated knowledge of beekeepers and how these can be filled through lifelong learning. The research was conducted in seven European countries (Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Norway, Portugal, and Spain). The data were collected through a questionnaire survey translated into the native languages of all participating countries. The results revealed that the topics of highest interest are apiary health and pest control and the management of the colonies throughout the year. The beekeepers update their knowledge through family, complemented by professional training, with participants preferring in-person courses as well as, in the workplace or in internships. The learning methodologies they consider most useful are project-based learning and learning through gamification. The videos and paper books or manuals are particularly valued as learning materials, and practical exercises are considered the most helpful assessment format. Finally, considering the effect of sociodemographic variables on the learning experiences and preferences of beekeeping actors, it was observed that the country was the most influential of the variables under study. In conclusion, this work revealed valuable information that should be used to design professional training actions to help the professionals in the beekeeping sector enhance their competencies and be better prepared to manage their activities successfully.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Excess hospitalizations and mortality associated with seasonal influenza in Portugal, 2008–2018

Funding Information: The BARI study was funded by Sanofi. Funding Information: CG, MM, HB, and CDC are Sanofi employees. MC, HL, and GB are IQVIA employees. FF, JCDS, CR, JFR, and CRC have received fees from Sanofi. JCDS reports Advisory Board from Boehringer Ingelheim; personal fees and Advisory Board from GSK; grants, personal fees, and Advisory Board from AstraZeneca; personal fees and Advisory Board from Bial; non-financial support from Mundipharma; personal fees from Sanofi; Advisory Board from Novartis, outside the submitted work. FF reports Advisory Board and personal fees from Sanofi, Pfizer, MSD, Gilead and personal fees or non-financial support from Bial, AstraZeneca, GSK, Novartis, Boehringer Ingelheim, Tecnifar, Lilly, Bayer, and Roche outside the submitted work. Publisher Copyright: © 2022, The Author(s).Background: Influenza can have a domino effect, triggering severe conditions and leading to hospitalization or even death. Since influenza testing is not routinely performed, statistical modeling techniques are increasingly being used to estimate annual hospitalizations and deaths associated with influenza, to overcome the known underestimation from registers coded with influenza-specific diagnosis. The aim of this study was to estimate the clinical and economic burden of severe influenza in Portugal. Methods: The study comprised ten epidemic seasons (2008/09–2017/18) and used two approaches: (i) a direct method of estimating the seasonal influenza hospitalization incidence, based on the number of National Health Service hospitalizations with influenza-specific International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes (ICD-9: 487–488; ICD-10: J09-J11), as primary or secondary diagnosis; (ii) an indirect method of estimating excess hospitalizations and deaths using broader groups of ICD codes in time-series models, computed for six age groups and four groups of diagnoses: pneumonia or influenza (ICD-9: 480–488, 517.1; ICD-10: J09–J18), respiratory (ICD-9: 460–519; ICD-10: J00–J99), respiratory or cardiovascular (R&C, ICD-9: 390–459, 460–519; ICD-10: I00–I99, J00–J99), and all-cause. Means are reported excluding the H1N1pdm09 pandemic (2009/10). Results: The mean number of hospitalizations coded as due to influenza per season was 1,207, resulting in 11.6 cases per 100,000 people. The mean direct annual cost of these hospitalizations was €3.9 million, of which 78.6% was generated by patients with comorbidities. Mean annual influenza-associated R&C hospitalizations were estimated at 5356 (min: 456; max: 8776), corresponding to 51.5 cases per 100,000 (95% CI: 40.9–62.0) for all age groups and 199.6 (95% CI: 163.9–235.8) for the population aged ≥ 65 years. The mean direct annual cost of the estimated excess R&C hospitalizations was €15.2 million for all age groups and €12.8 million for the population aged ≥ 65 years. Mean annual influenza-associated all-cause deaths per 100,000 people were estimated at 22.7 for all age groups. Conclusions: The study findings suggest that there is an under-detection of influenza in the Portuguese population. A high burden of severe influenza remains to be addressed, not only in the elderly population but also in younger people.publishersversionpublishe

Metal Coordination and Biological Screening of a Schiff Base Derived from 8-Hydroxyquinoline and Benzothiazole

Designing new metallodrugs for anticancer therapy is a driving force in the scientific community. Aiming to contribute to this field, we hereby report the development of a Schiff base (H2L) derived from the condensation of 2-carbaldehyde-8-hydroxyquinoline with 2-hydrazinobenzothiazole and its complexation with transition metal ions. All compounds were characterised by analytical and spectroscopic techniques, which disclosed their structure: [Cu(HL)Cl], [Cu(HL)2], [Ni(HL)(acetate)], [Ni(HL)2], [Ru(HL)Cl(DMSO)], [VO(HL)2] and [Fe(HL)2Cl(H2O)]. Different binding modes were proposed, showing the ligand’s coordination versatility. The ligand proton dissociation constants were determined, and the tested compounds showed high lipophilicity and light sensitivity. The stability of all complexes in aqueous media and their ability to bind to albumin were screened. Based on an antiproliferative in vitro screening, [Ni(HL)(acetate)] and [Ru(HL)Cl(DMSO)] were selected for further studies aiming to investigate their mechanisms of action and therapeutic potential towards colon cancer. The complexes displayed IC50 < 21 μM towards murine (CT-26) and human (HCT-116) colon cancer cell lines. Importantly, both complexes exhibited superior antiproliferative properties compared to the clinically approved 5-fluorouracil. [Ni(HL)(acetate)] induced cell cycle arrest in S phase in CT-26 cells. For [Ru(HL)Cl(DMSO)] this effect was observed in both colon cancer cell lines. Additionally, both compounds significantly inhibited cell migration particularly in the human colon cancer cell line, HCT-116. Overall, the therapeutic potential of both metal complexes was demonstrated