Habilidades de visualización de estudiantes de primaria en actividades de geometría espacial

La forma de usar la visualización ayuda a caracterizar a los estudiantes con talento matemático (Ramírez, 2012). Los investigadores adoptan varios puntos de vista para analizar esta relación (Riu y otros, 2007). Entendiendo la visualización como “el tipo de razonamiento basado en el uso de elementos visuales o espaciales, tanto mentales como físicos” (Gutiérrez, 1996, p. 9), planteamos dos objetivos de investigación: i) analizar las habilidades de visualización (Del Grande, 1990) puestas en juego por un grupo natural de 21 estudiantes de 6º de Primaria, con diferentes grados de talento matemático, al resolver un bloque de actividades de manipulación de cubos y ii) relacionar el uso de esas habilidades con el talento matemático de los alumnos, evaluado mediante los tests PMA (Thurstone, 2005) y PEM (Benavides, 2008)

Periphyton and phytoplankton assessment in a shrimp nursery: signature pigments analysis

[EN] Understanding microalgae composition is key for an improved aquaculture system management. The primary objective of this research was to estimate microalgae community structure in a Marsupenaeus japonicus nursery. The secondary objective was to analyze the environmental parameters (salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen, total dissolved ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and phosphates) and shrimp density effect on abundance, composition and development of microalgae in a shrimp nursery. Periphyton and phytoplankton composition and abundance were determined using HPLC signature pigment analysis coupled with CHEMTAX software. Environmental parameters were measured in the tanks with probes or in the laboratory following standard procedures of water quality analysis. A nonparametric repeated-measures ANOVA statistical analysis was done to test differences between treatments. Spearman rank correlation analyses were performed on environmental and biological variables with phytoplankton or periphyton groups in order to examine significant relationship. The results showed diatoms were significantly higher than any other groups in both phytoplankton and periphyton communities. Shrimp density effect on periphyton, phytoplankton composition and environmental parameters was minor. Nutrients played a key role on phytoplankton development, but had a minor effect on periphyton, which was more affected by colonization processes and other environmental variables. The analysis of signature pigments allowed to report the presence of previously undetected groups on periphyton, prasinophytes and prymnesiophytes, which are characterized by high nutritional value. This is especially important in nurseries because shrimp grazing on periphyton can increase post-larvae survival.Financial support for this research was provided by Conselleria d'Educacio, Investigacio, Cultura i Esport of the Generalitat Valenciana, through the program VALi+D, file Number ACIF/2014/244. The authors want to thank the anonymous reviewer for the accurate revision and useful comments which helped to improve the original manuscript.Llario, F.; Rodilla, M.; Falco, S.; Escrivá, J.; Sebastiá-Frasquet, M. (2020). Periphyton and phytoplankton assessment in a shrimp nursery: signature pigments analysis. International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology. 17(2):857-868. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13762-019-02515-zS85786817

The impact of a web-based lifestyle educational program (‘Living Better’) Reintervention on hypertensive overweight or obese patients

‘Living Better’, a self-administered web-based intervention, designed to facilitate lifestyle changes, has already shown positive short-and medium-term health benefits in patients with an obesity–hypertension phenotype. The objectives of this study were: (1) to examine the long-term (3-year) evolution of a group of hypertensive overweight or obese patients who had already followed the ‘Living Better’ program; (2) to analyze the effects of completing this program a second time (reintervention) during the COVID-19 pandemic. A quasi-experimental design was used. We recruited 29 individuals from the 105 who had participated in our first study. We assessed and compared their systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), body mass index (BMI), eating behavior, and physical activity (PA) level (reported as METs-min/week), at Time 0 (first intervention follow-up), Time 1 (before the reintervention), and Time 2 (post-reintervention). Our results showed significant improvements between Time 1 and Time 2 in SBP (-4.7 (-8.7 to -0.7); p = 0.017), DBP (-3.5 (-6.2 to -0.8); p = 0.009), BMI (-0.7 (-1.0 to -0.4); p 0.24). Implementation of the ‘Living Better’ program maintained positive long-term (3-year) health benefits in patients with an obesity–hypertension phenotype. Moreover, a reintervention with this program during the COVID-19 pandemic produced significant improvements in blood pressure, BMI, eating behavior, and PA. © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland

Professional interventions to implement guidelines to prevent hazardous alcohol consumption by patients in primary care settings (Protocol)

post-print90 K

Recommendations for the treatment of epilepsy in adult patients in general practice in Belgium: an update

In 2008, a group of Belgian epilepsy experts published recommendations for antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment of epilepsies in adults and children. Selection of compounds was based on the registration and reimbursement status in Belgium, the level of evidence for efficacy, common daily practice and the personal views and experiences of the authors. In November 2011 the validity of these recommendations was reviewed by the same group of Belgian epilepsy experts who contributed to the preparation of the original paper. The recommendations made in 2008 for initial monotherapy in paediatric patients were still considered to be valid, except for the first choice treatment for childhood absence epilepsy. This update therefore focuses on the treatment recommendations for initial monotherapy and add-on treatment in adult patients. Several other relevant aspects of treatment with AEDs are addressed, including considerations for optimal combination of AEDs (rational polytherapy), pharmacokinetic properties, pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic interaction profile, adverse effects, comorbidity, treatment of elderly patients, AED treatment during pregnancy, and generic substitution of AEDs

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

Spread of a SARS-CoV-2 variant through Europe in the summer of 2020.

Following its emergence in late 2019, the spread of SARS-CoV-21,2 has been tracked by phylogenetic analysis of viral genome sequences in unprecedented detail3–5. Although the virus spread globally in early 2020 before borders closed, intercontinental travel has since been greatly reduced. However, travel within Europe resumed in the summer of 2020. Here we report on a SARS-CoV-2 variant, 20E (EU1), that was identified in Spain in early summer 2020 and subsequently spread across Europe. We find no evidence that this variant has increased transmissibility, but instead demonstrate how rising incidence in Spain, resumption of travel, and lack of effective screening and containment may explain the variant’s success. Despite travel restrictions, we estimate that 20E (EU1) was introduced hundreds of times to European countries by summertime travellers, which is likely to have undermined local efforts to minimize infection with SARS-CoV-2. Our results illustrate how a variant can rapidly become dominant even in the absence of a substantial transmission advantage in favourable epidemiological settings. Genomic surveillance is critical for understanding how travel can affect transmission of SARS-CoV-2, and thus for informing future containment strategies as travel resumes. © 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited

Driving forces that structure sublittoral macrobenthic communities in sandy beaches along environmental gradients

[EN] Sandy beaches are very dynamic and changeable environments that present a wide variety of life forms, and, in some areas, high productivity. In the Gulf of Valencia (Western Mediterranean Sea, Spain) these areas have endured an economically important shellfishery of clams (Donax trunculus and Chamelea gallina). In the Mediterranean, a sea with a notable oligotrophic character, rivers are particularly important because of the contributions of fresh water that carry nutrients and organic matter to coastal ecosystems. Consequently, close to the mouths of the rivers, it is possible to investigate the functions of physical, chemical and biological gradients on the macrofauna structuring of sandy beach communities. The objective of this study was to determine the response of sublittoral benthic communities to environmental variables in microtidal intermediate sandy beaches of the south of the Gulf of Valencia. Samples of benthic macrofauna, water and sediment were collected at 5 stations located in the sublittoral zone at different distances to freshwater sources, each one sampled at five depths, in three sampling campaigns. In general, the physicochemical and nutritional variables of water showed a spatial variation alongshore, and only a few variables (dissolved inorganic nitrogen, suspended solids and salinity) also had an across-shore variation. This variability was due to the different freshwater contributions. The sediment variables (mean grain size and organic matter) presented clear patterns related to depth. With respect to the macrofauna, positive relationships with depth were observed for the total density, density of bivalves, polychaetes, crustaceans and C. gallina, while D. trunculus showed the opposite pattern. The proximity to freshwater sources, favoured a greater abundance of organisms. Regarding temporal variation, two very different phytoplanktonic compositions between winter and summer could be distinguished, while, for the macrofauna, differences in abundance were observed with maximum values in summer. The influence of freshwater discharges on the phytoplankton primary production will have an influence on the abundance of macrobenthic fauna, but after a time lag. By means of CCA analyses, it was found that the communities of benthic macrofauna were strongly influenced by physical factors such as mean grain size, as well as the nutritional variables (organic matter in sediment and microalgae in the water column) and the distance to the freshwater discharges. The identification of these variables is crucial in order to develop an adequate coastal management, paying special attention to the anthropogenic activities that may be modifying the environment and, therefore will affect the biocoenoses.This project was funded by Vicerrectorado de Investigacion de la Universitat Politecnica de Valencia in the framework of the research project: "Influencia de factores fisicos, quimicos y nutricionales en la distribucion espacio temporal de la macrofauna bentonica del sublitoral de playas arenosas", Reference No. SP20120678. The authors would like to thank Dr Omar Defeo and the anonymous reviewer for their comments and suggestions that substantially improved the manuscriptEscrivá, J.; Rodilla, M.; Martín-Díaz, JP.; Estruch, VD.; Sebastiá-Frasquet, M.; Llario, F.; Falco, S. (2020). Driving forces that structure sublittoral macrobenthic communities in sandy beaches along environmental gradients. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science. 233:1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2019.106517S11223