An Investigative, Cooperative Learning Approach for General Chemistry Laboratories

The integration of research and education is an essential component of our university’s teaching philosophy. Recently, we made a curricular revision to facilitate such an approach in the General Chemistry Laboratory, to teach students that investigative approaches are at the core of sciences. The curriculum revision included new interdisciplinary experiments and a research project. Investigative, peer review, and cooperative learning strategies were introduced to enhance student learning and engagement. An environment in which students can analyze results within a laboratory session and reach comprehensive and quantitative conclusions was encouraged. To assess our results, students completed questionnaires, evaluated their peers and themselves. Instructors evaluated students through written reports, oral presentations, pre- and post test, a practical exam and a final exam. Assessments of the learning outcomes were performed to determine the level of research skills development, the improvement in laboratory techniques, and depth in analysis of concepts. The experimental designs, implementation of results, and comparisons of student performances using traditional approaches are presented

Caracterización de pacientes con tromboembolismo pulmonar atendidos en el Hospital Clínico Quirúrgico Docente “Dr. León Cuervo Rubio”

Introduction: pulmonary thromboembolism is a clinical situation triggered by the obstruction of the pulmonary arteries by a thrombus in situ or from the venous system.Objective: to characterize deceased patients with a diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism treated at the "Dr. Leon Cuervo Rubio” Teaching Surgical Clinical Hospital.Method: observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study of deceased patients diagnosed with pulmonary thromboembolism, treated at the “Dr. León Cuervo Rubio” Teaching Surgical Clinical Hospital between January 2018 and December 2019. The universe consisted of 63 patients with a pathological diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism, working with all the patients.Results: There was a predominance of male patients (63,49 %) and age groups between 71 and 80 years (36,51 %), with age over 65 years (80,95 %) and immobility due to more than 72 hours (49,21 %) as the most common risk factors. Predominance of patients with tachycardia (98,41 %) and tachypnea (96,82 %) as clinical manifestations was found. 65,7 % of the patients presented occlusion of large caliber branches, and pulmonary infarction in 89% of the patients.Conclusions: It is concluded that male patients, past the sixth decade of life and immobilized for several days, are likely to die in the event of pulmonary thromboembolism; presenting tachycardia and tachypnea as clinical manifestations. Occlusion of large caliber branches, as well as pulmonary infarction, occur to a great extent in patients.Introducción: el tromboembolismo pulmonar es una situación clínica desencadenada por la obstrucción de las arterias pulmonares por un trombo in situ o procedente del sistema venoso.Objetivo: caracterizar a los pacientes fallecidos con diagnóstico de tromboembolismo pulmonar atendidos en el Hospital Clínico Quirúrgico Docente “Dr. León Cuervo Rubio”.Método: estudio observacional, descriptivo y transversal a los pacientes fallecidos con diagnóstico de tromboembolismo pulmonar, atendidos en el Hospital Clínico Quirúrgico Docente “Dr. León Cuervo Rubio” entre enero de 2018 y diciembre de 2019. El universo estuvo constituido por 63 pacientes con diagnóstico anatomopatológico de tromboembolismo pulmonar, se trabajó con la totalidad de los pacientes.Resultados: Se encontró predominio de pacientes del sexo masculino (63,49 %) y de los grupos etarios entre 71 y 80 años (36,51 %), con la edad mayor de 65 años (80,95 %) y la inmovilidad por más de 72 horas (49,21 %) como factores de riesgo más comunes. Se encontró predominio de pacientes con taquicardia (98,41 %) y taquipnea (96,82 %) como manifestaciones clínicas. El 65,7 % de los pacientes presentó oclusión de ramas de gran calibre, y  infarto pulmonar en el 89 % de los pacientes.Conclusiones: los pacientes del sexo masculino, pasados la sexta década de vida e inmovilizados por varios días son propensos a fallecer ante la ocurrencia de un tromboembolismo pulmonar; presentando taquicardia y taquipnea como manifestaciones clínicas. En los pacientes se presenta en gran medida oclusión de ramas de gran calibre, así como el infarto pulmonar

Caracterización de divertículos duodenales diagnosticados en pacientes con litiasis biliar

Introduction: diseases of the small intestine are numerous, from the wide variety of infectious alterations to tumors or motility defects.Objective: to characterize duodenal diverticula in patients with gallstones in the province of Pinar del Río.Method: des- criptive, cross-sectional study in the period from January 2018 to December 2019. The universe consisted of 187 patients with gallstones diagnosed with duodenal diverticula, who attended the Provincial Gastroenterology Service of Pinar del Río. It worked with the entire universe. Variables such as age, sex, personal pathological history, clinical manifestations, radiological diagnosis and location of the papilla in relation to the position of the diverticulum were analyzed.Results: the female sex predominated (68.9%) and those older than 75 years were the most affected age group (24.6%). Cholecystectomy was the most frequent personal pathological history (48.6%). 60.9% of the patients presented jaundice. The papilla was located inside the diverticula in 61% of the cases and 95 patients had residual bile duct stones.Conclusions: duodenal diverticula in patients with gallstones were more frequent in females and in the age group older than 75 years. Cholecystectomy was the predominant antecedent and the most frequent clinical manifestation was jaundice. In relation to duodenal diverticula, the papilla was located within them.Introducción: las enfermedades del intestino delgado son numerosas, desde la extensa variedad de alteraciones infecciosas hasta los tumores o defectos de la motilidad.Objetivo: caracterizar los divertículos duodenales en pacientes con litiasis biliar diagnosticados en el servicio de Gastroenterología Provincial del Hospital General “Abel Santamaría Cuadrado” de la provincia de Pinar del Río, en el período de enero de 2018 a diciembre de 2019.Método: se realizó un estudio observacional, descriptivo, de corte transversal en el período de enero de 2018 a diciembre de 2019. El universo estuvo constituido por 187 pacientes con litiasis biliar diagnosticados con divertículos duodenales, que acudieron al Servicio de Gastroenterología Provincial de Pinar del Río. Se trabajó con todo el universo.Resultados: predominó el sexo femenino (68, 9 %) y los mayores de 75 años fue el grupo etario más afectado (24,6 %). La colecistectomía fue el antecedente patológico personal más frecuente (48,6 %). El 60,9 % de los pacientes presentó ictericia. La papila fue localizada en el interior de los divertículos en el 61 % de los casos y 95 pacientes presentaron litiasis residual del colédoco.Conclusiones: los divertículos duodenales en pacientes con litiasis biliar fueron más frecuentes en el sexo femenino y en el grupo etario de mayores de 75 años. La colecistectomía fue el antecedente que predominó y la manifestación clínica de mayor frecuencia fue la ictericia. En relación a los divertículos duodenales, la papila fue localizada dentro los mismos

The polygenic basis of relapse after a first episode of schizophrenia

Little is known about genetic predisposition to relapse. Previous studies have linked cognitive and psychopathological (mainly schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) polygenic risk scores (PRS) with clinical manifestations of the disease. This study aims to explore the potential role of PRS from major mental disorders and cognition on schizophrenia relapse. 114 patients recruited in the 2EPs Project were included (56 patients who had not experienced relapse after 3 years of enrollment and 58 patients who relapsed during the 3-year follow-up). PRS for schizophrenia (PRS-SZ), bipolar disorder (PRS-BD), education attainment (PRS-EA) and cognitive performance (PRS-CP) were used to assess the genetic risk of schizophrenia relapse.Patients with higher PRS-EA, showed both a lower risk (OR=0.29, 95% CI [0.11–0.73]) and a later onset of relapse (30.96± 1.74 vs. 23.12± 1.14 months, p=0.007. Our study provides evidence that the genetic burden of neurocognitive function is a potentially predictors of relapse that could be incorporated into future risk prediction models. Moreover, appropriate treatments for cognitive symptoms appear to be important for improving the long-term clinical outcome of relapse

The polygenic basis of relapse after a first episode of schizophrenia

Little is known about genetic predisposition to relapse. Previous studies have linked cognitive and psychopathological (mainly schizophrenia and bipolar disorder) polygenic risk scores (PRS) with clinical manifestations of the disease. This study aims to explore the potential role of PRS from major mental disorders and cognition on schizophrenia relapse. 114 patients recruited in the 2EPs Project were included (56 patients who had not experienced relapse after 3 years of enrollment and 58 patients who relapsed during the 3-year follow-up). PRS for schizophrenia (PRS-SZ), bipolar disorder (PRS-BD), education attainment (PRS-EA) and cognitive performance (PRS-CP) were used to assess the genetic risk of schizophrenia relapse.Patients with higher PRS-EA, showed both a lower risk (OR=0.29, 95% CI [0.11–0.73]) and a later onset of relapse (30.96± 1.74 vs. 23.12± 1.14 months, p=0.007. Our study provides evidence that the genetic burden of neurocognitive function is a potentially predictors of relapse that could be incorporated into future risk prediction models. Moreover, appropriate treatments for cognitive symptoms appear to be important for improving the long-term clinical outcome of relapse

Epigenetic clocks in relapse after a first episode of schizophrenia

The main objective of the present study was to investigate the association between several epigenetic clocks, covering different aspects of aging, with schizophrenia relapse evaluated over a 3-year follow-up period in a cohort of ninety-one first-episode schizophrenia patients. Genome-wide DNA methylation was profiled and four epigenetic clocks, including epigenetic clocks of chronological age, mortality and telomere length were calculated. Patients that relapsed during the follow-up showed epigenetic acceleration of the telomere length clock (p = 0.030). Shorter telomere length was associated with cognitive performance (working memory, r = 0.31 p = 0.015; verbal fluency, r = 0.28 p = 0.028), but no direct effect of cognitive function or symptom severity on relapse was detected. The results of the present study suggest that epigenetic age acceleration could be involved in the clinical course of schizophrenia and could be a useful marker of relapse when measured in remission stages

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Influence of clinical and neurocognitive factors in psychosocial functioning after a first episode non-affective psychosis: differences between males and females

BackgroundDeficits in psychosocial functioning are present in the early stages of psychosis. Several factors, such as premorbid adjustment, neurocognitive performance, and cognitive reserve (CR), potentially influence functionality. Sex differences are observed in individuals with psychosis in multiple domains. Nonetheless, few studies have explored the predictive factors of poor functioning according to sex in first-episode psychosis (FEP). This study aimed to explore sex differences, examine changes, and identify predictors of functioning according to sex after onset.Materials and methodsThe initial sample comprised 588 individuals. However, only adults with non-affective FEP (n = 247, 161 males and 86 females) and healthy controls (n = 224, 142 males and 82 females) were included. A comprehensive assessment including functional, neuropsychological, and clinical scales was performed at baseline and at 2-year follow-up. A linear regression model was used to determine the predictors of functioning at 2-year follow-up.ResultsFEP improved their functionality at follow-up (67.4% of both males and females). In males, longer duration of untreated psychosis (β = 0.328, p = 0.003) and worse premorbid adjustment (β = 0.256, p = 0.023) were associated with impaired functioning at 2-year follow-up, while in females processing speed (β = 0.403, p = 0.003), executive function (β = 0.299, p = 0.020) and CR (β = −0.307, p = 0.012) were significantly associated with functioning.ConclusionOur data indicate that predictors of functioning at 2-year follow-up in the FEP group differ according to sex. Therefore, treatment and preventative efforts may be adjusted taking sex into account. Males may benefit from functional remediation at early stages. Conversely, in females, early interventions centered on CR enhancement and cognitive rehabilitation may be recommended