Perceptions of University Students towards Digital Transformation during the Pandemic

: The aim of this study is to determine the perceptions of university students toward teaching– learning processes during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research gathers inquiries made worldwide on the perceptions of students in higher education during a state of alarm. The proposed objectives were (a) to analyse the perception of students toward teaching–learning processes in university; (b) to determine the assessment given by students about the changes that took place in university teaching as a result of COVID-19; and (c) to explore resources (hardware and software), professional collaboration, digital pedagogy and student empowerment (motivation) regarding digital education and recent changes in university teaching due to the pandemic. This study used a non-experimental, descriptive design based on opinion polls or surveys. The results show a positive correlation between digital pedagogy, student motivation and digital environments. As a conclusion, we encourage the scientific community to continue delving into the motivation, collaboration and reflective exchange of experiences, self-learning and promotion of initiatives that foster the development of competencies in future teachers. It is also important to continue the research on integrated designs in training processes in university, tutoring and continuous evaluation, as they are key for digital transformation in universities

Autonomy, Motivation, and Digital Pedagogy Are Key Factors in the Perceptions of Spanish Higher-Education Students toward Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic

This paper proposes a development model of the adaptation capacity of students to digital transformation in university teaching through three constructs: motivations, digital pedagogy, and student autonomy. For this study, an ad hoc scale was created to record the adaptation capacity of students to digital transformation. The sample was 483 students from the University of Seville (Spain), to whom an online survey was administered during the development of online teaching in the period of November 2020 using the Google Forms platform. The findings of this study showed that university student motivation acquired a greater threshold than autonomy, whose threshold in turn, was greater than that of digital pedagogy in the ability to adapt to online teaching and that the capacity of adaptation to the online modality is explained by the perception that university students have of the usefulness, products, and learning outcomes, among others. In conclusion, the lack of adequate and enabled study spaces is key to developing the online model. We consider all these aspects as prospective research objectives

Contextual Performance in Academic Settings: The Role of Personality, Self-efficacy, and Impression Management

The main purpose of this paper was to analyse the predictive role of personality, self-efficacy, and impression management on contextual performance in academic settings. A sample of 223 university students voluntarily answered a battery of tests on-line. Results showed that conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness, as well as self-efficacy, predict contextual performance self-evaluations. Furthermore, the significant interaction between conscientiousness and self-efficacy multiplies their influence. Besides, impression management contributes to predicting contextual performance, but did not interact with the remaining variables. Results related to personality and self-efficacy are consistent with those found in work settings

Fatores psicossociais e carga mental de trabalho: uma realidade percebida pelos enfermeiros em Unidades de Terapia Intensiva 1

OBJETIVO: analisar a percepção de fatores psicossociais e a carga mental de trabalho de enfermeiros que trabalham em unidades de terapia intensiva. A hipótese é que os enfermeiros dessas unidades podem perceber os riscos psicossociais e manifestar uma alta carga mental de trabalho. Além disso, a dimensão psicossocial relacionada às demandas cognitivas do cargo explicaria a maior parte da carga mental de trabalho. MÉTODO: estudo quantitativo, com delineamento descritivo, transversal e comparativo. Foi examinada 91% da população das Unidades de Terapia Intensiva de três hospitais chilenos, correspondente a 111 enfermeiros. Os instrumentos utilizados incluíram (a) um questionário do histórico biossociodemográfico; (b) o questionário SUSESO-ISTAS 21; e (c) a Escala Subjetiva de Carga Mental de Trabalho (ESCAM). RESULTADOS: no total, 64% e 57% dos participantes perceberam um alto nível de exposição aos riscos psicossociais Demanda psicológica e Jornada dupla, respectivamente. Além disso, foi observado um nível de médio para alto de carga mental global. Foram obtidas correlações positivas e significativas entre algumas das dimensões do SUSESO-ISTAS 21 e do ESCAM. Utilizando uma análise de regressão, determinou-se que três dimensões do questionário de risco psicossocial ajudaram a explicar 38% da carga mental total. CONCLUSÃO: os enfermeiros das unidades de terapia intensiva percebem os fatores psicossociais e a sobrecarga mental de trabalho em várias de suas dimensões.OBJETIVO: analizar la percepción de Factores psicosociales y Carga mental de trabajo de enfermeras/os que laboran en Unidades Críticas. Se hipotetiza que los/as enfermeros/as de estas unidades pudieran percibir riesgos psicosociales; Mostrarán una Carga mental de trabajo alta; y la dimensión psicosocial relacionada con exigencias cognitivas del puesto explicará en mayor medida la Carga Mental. MÉTODO: estudio cuantitativo, de diseño descriptivo, transversal y comparativo. Se censó el 91% de la población de Unidades Críticas de tres hospitales chilenos, correspondiente a 111 enfermeras/os. Los instrumentos utilizados fueron: (a) Cuestionario de antecedentes biosociodemográficos; (b) Cuestionario SUSESO-ISTAS 21; y (c) Escala Subjetiva de Carga Mental de Trabajo (ESCAM). RESULTADOS: el 64% y el 57% de los/as participantes perciben un alto nivel de exposición a los riesgos psicosociales Demandas psicológicas y Doble presencia, respectivamente. Además, se obtiene un nivel de Carga mental global media-alta. Se obtuvo correlaciones positivas y significativas entre algunas dimensiones de SUSESO-ISTAS 21 y ESCAM, y mediante un análisis de regresión se obtuvo que tres dimensiones del cuestionario de riesgos psicosociales contribuyen a explicar un 38% de la Carga mental global. CONCLUSIÓN: las/os enfermeras/os de unidades críticas, perciben factores psicosociales inadecuados y sobrecarga mental de trabajo, en varias de sus dimensiones.OBJECTIVE: To analyse the perception of psychosocial factors and mental workload of nurses who work in intensive care units. It is hypothesised that nurses in these units could perceive psychosocial risks, manifesting in a high mental work load. The psychosocial dimension related to the position's cognitive demands is hypothesised to mostly explain mental work load. METHOD: Quantitative study, with a descriptive, cross-sectional, and comparative design. A total of 91% of the intensive care unit populations of three Chilean hospitals was surveyed, corresponding to 111 nurses. The instruments utilised included (A) a biosociodemographic history questionnaire; (b) the SUSESO-ISTAS 21 questionnaire; and (c) the Mental Work Load Subjective Scale (ESCAM, in Spanish). RESULTS: In total, 64% and 57% of participants perceived high levels of exposure to the psychosocial risks Psychosocial demands and Double shift, respectively. In addition, a medium-high level of overall mental load was observed. Positive and significant correlations between some of the SUSESO-ISTAS 21 and ESCAM dimensions were obtained. Using a regression analysis, it was determined that three dimensions of the psychosocial risk questionnaire helped to explain 38% of the overall mental load. CONCLUSION: Intensive care unit nurses felt that inadequate psychosocial factors and mental work overload existed in several of the tested dimensions

Plexopatía braquial secundaria a tumor maligno de la vaina del nervio periférico

  Brachial plexopathy secondary a malignant tumor of the peripheral nerve sheath.Introduction. Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) are sarcomas that are rarely located in the upper limb. Clinical case. We present a 31- year-old woman with progressive dysesthesia and weakness of the left upper limb. The neurophysiological study showed damage in the left brachial plexus. A soft tissue mass that was invading the plexus was observed in the magnetic resonance image. The anatomopathological study was compatible with MPNST diagnosis. Conclusions. Intrinsic tumors of the brachial plexus are uncommon. A MPNST is an extremely aggressive mesenchymal tumor that is seldom rooted in the brachial plexus. Key words: Brachial plexus. Brachial plexopathy. Neoplasm. Malignant tumor. Peripheral nerve sheath.  Introducción: el plexo braquial puede verse afectado por patología neoplásica tanto primaria como secundaria. Los tumores primarios del plexo braquial son entidades poco frecuentes, aunque algunos, como el tumor maligno de la vaina del nervio periférico pueden tener un comportamiento agresivo. Caso clínico: se presenta una mujer de 31 años con disestesias y debilidad progresiva en el miembro superior izquierdo. El estudio neurofisiológico mostró afectación del plexo braquial izquierdo. En la resonancia magnética se observó una masa de tejido blando que invadía el plexo braquial. El estudio histológico fue compatible con un tumor maligno de la vaina del nervio periférico. Conclusiones: el tumor maligno de la vaina del nervio periférico es un tumor altamente agresivo que puede aparecer en pacientes sin datos clínicos de neurofibromatosis tipo 1. Debe mantenerse un elevado nivel de sospecha con el objetivo de no retrasar el diagnóstico para así poder realizar un tratamiento lo más conservador posible. Palabras clave: Plexo braquial. Plexopatía braquial. Neoplasia. Tumor maligna. Vaína del nervio periférico. &nbsp

Quality More Than Quantity: The Use of Carbohydrates in High-Fat Diets to Tackle Obesity in Growing Rats

This research was supported by funds provided by the Abbott Laboratories S.A.Childhood obesity prevention is important to avoid obesity and its comorbidities into adulthood. Although the energy density of food has been considered a main obesogenic factor, a focus on food quality rather that the quantity of the different macronutrients is needed. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of changing the quality of carbohydrates from rapidly to slowly digestible carbohydrates on metabolic abnormalities and its impact on obesity in growing rats fed a high-fat diet (HFD). Growing rats were fed on HFD containing carbohydrates with different digestion rates: a HFD containing rapid-digesting carbohydrates (OBE group) or slow-digesting carbohydrates (ISR group), for 4 weeks and the effect on the metabolism and signaling pathways were analyzed in different tissues. Animals from OBE group presented an overweight/obese phenotype with a higher body weight gain and greater accumulation of fat in adipose tissue and liver. This state was associated with an increase of HOMA index, serum diacylglycerols and triacylglycerides, insulin, leptin, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. In contrast, the change of carbohydrate profile in the diet to one based on slow digestible prevented the obesity-related adverse effects. In adipose tissue, GLUT4 was increased and UCPs and PPARg were decreased in ISR group respect to OBE group. In liver, GLUT2, FAS, and SRBP1 were lower in ISR group than OBE group. In muscle, an increase of glycogen, GLUT4, AMPK, and Akt were observed in comparison to OBE group. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that the replacement of rapidly digestible carbohydrates for slowly digestible carbohydrates within a highfat diet promoted a protective effect against the development of obesity and its associated comorbidities.Abbott Laboratories S.A

Alterations in Circulating Monocytes Predict COVID-19 Severity and Include Chromatin Modifications Still Detectable Six Months after Recovery

This study was supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (COVID-19 research call COV20/00181)—co-financed by the European Development Regional Fund “A way to achieve Europe” and by Consejería de Sanidad de la Comunidad de Madrid (CÍVICO study 2020/0082). R.L.G. and O.C.M. hold a research contract “Rio Hortega” (CM19/00120 and CM19/00092, respectively) from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. MCL holds a predoctoral fellowship (FPU19/06393) from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation.An early analysis of circulating monocytes may be critical for predicting COVID-19 course and its sequelae. In 131 untreated, acute COVID-19 patients at emergency room arrival, monocytes showed decreased surface molecule expression, including low HLA-DR, in association with an inflammatory cytokine status and limited anti-SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell response. Most of these alterations had normalized in post-COVID-19 patients 6 months after discharge. Acute COVID-19 monocytes transcriptome showed upregulation of anti-inflammatory tissue repair genes such as BCL6, AREG and IL-10 and increased accessibility of chromatin. Some of these transcriptomic and epigenetic features still remained in post-COVID-19 monocytes. Importantly, a poorer expression of surface molecules and low IRF1 gene transcription in circulating monocytes at admission defined a COVID-19 patient group with impaired SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell response and increased risk of requiring intensive care or dying. An early analysis of monocytes may be useful for COVID-19 patient stratification and for designing innate immunity-focused therapies.Depto. de MedicinaFac. de MedicinaTRUEUnión EuropeaMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovación (España)Comunidad de MadridInstituto de Salud Carlos IIIpu

SARS-CoV-2 viral load in nasopharyngeal swabs is not an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome

The aim was to assess the ability of nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load at frst patient’s hospital evaluation to predict unfavorable outcomes. We conducted a prospective cohort study including 321 adult patients with confrmed COVID-19 through RT-PCR in nasopharyngeal swabs. Quantitative Synthetic SARS-CoV-2 RNA cycle threshold values were used to calculate the viral load in log10 copies/mL. Disease severity at the end of follow up was categorized into mild, moderate, and severe. Primary endpoint was a composite of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and/or death (n= 85, 26.4%). Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load over the second quartile (≥7.35 log10 copies/mL, p = 0.003) and second tertile (≥ 8.27 log10 copies/mL, p = 0.01) were associated to unfavorable outcome in the unadjusted logistic regression analysis. However, in the fnal multivariable analysis, viral load was not independently associated with an unfavorable outcome. Five predictors were independently associated with increased odds of ICU admission and/or death: age≥ 70 years, SpO2, neutrophils > 7.5 × ­103 /µL, lactate dehydrogenase≥ 300 U/L, and C-reactive protein≥ 100 mg/L. In summary, nasopharyngeal SARS-CoV-2 viral load on admission is generally high in patients with COVID-19, regardless of illness severity, but it cannot be used as an independent predictor of unfavorable clinical outcome

Recursos y consecuencias de cuidar a las personas mayores de 65 años: una revisión sistemática

Introducción: El cuidado prestado por los cuidadores principales de personas mayores constituye el principal soporte que éstas reciben. Proporcionar estos cuidados afecta de diferente manera a cada cuidador. La literatura es amplia y extensa al describir estas repercusiones de la tarea de cuidar sobre el cuidador, así como en referencia a los recursos de apoyo utilizados. Método: Se ha realizado una revisión sistemática de la literatura, en las principales bases de datos nacionales e internacionales, sobre las intervenciones, recursos y repercusiones de la tarea de cuidar sobre los cuidadores informales de personas mayores. Conclusiones: Los cuidadores informales españoles de personas mayores parecen disponer de diferentes recursos de apoyo en su tarea de cuidado, aunque sigue siendo la familia la principal fuente de ayuda frente a los sistemas formales. La literatura recoge repercusiones tanto positivas como negativas derivadas de la responsabilidad del cuidado. Entre estos últimos, encontramos como máximo exponente los estados ansioso-depresivos, así como la sobrecarga del cuidador. Sin embargo, estas consecuencias negativas se entrelazan e interactúan con las afectaciones positivas. La revisión realizada nos invita a afirmar que se precisa el desarrollo de más estudios para tratar de esclarecer la relación entre ambos polos de la experiencia del cuidado

Pobreza en la ocupación e instrumentos de reacción

Unión Europea,Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad y el Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional DER2015-63701-C3-1-