Evaluación del profesorado universitario: enfoque metodológico y algunas aportaciones de la investigación

Puede resultarnos extraño tener que aceptar que, pese a los muchos estudios realizados, no existe en la actualidad un consenso amplio sobre lo que es un “buen profesor”. Y esta afirmación es, si cabe, más cierta al referirnos al profesor universitario, pues los desacuerdos comenzarían a aparecer al concretar las finalidades de la enseñanza universitaria. Este hecho nos muestra por qué la evaluación del profesorado universitario es un tema abierto, a debate permanente, en lo referido al conjunto de cuestiones metodológicas que orientan y guían su realización

Vector meson production and nucleon resonance analysis in a coupled-channel approach for energies m_N < sqrt(s) < 2 GeV II: photon-induced results

We present a nucleon resonance analysis by simultaneously considering all pion- and photon-induced experimental data on the final states gamma N, pi N, 2 pi N, eta N, K Lambda, K Sigma, and omega N for energies from the nucleon mass up to sqrt(s) = 2 GeV. In this analysis we find strong evidence for the resonances P_{31}(1750), P_{13}(1900), P_{33}(1920), and D_{13}(1950). The omega N production mechanism is dominated by large P_{11}(1710) and P_{13}(1900) contributions. In this second part we present the results on the photoproduction reactions and the electromagnetic properties of the resonances. The inclusion of all important final states up to sqrt(s) = 2 GeV allows for estimates on the importance of the individual states for the GDH sum rule.Comment: 41 pages, 26 figures, discussion extended, typos corrected, references updated, to appear in Phys. Rev.

Syndecan-1 regulates the biological activities of interleukin-34

IL-34 is a challenging cytokine sharing functional similarities with M-CSF through M-CSFR activation. It also plays a singular role that has recently been explained in the brain, through a binding to the receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase RPTPβ/ζ. The aim of this paper was to look for alternative binding of IL-34 on other cell types. Myeloid cells (HL-60, U-937, THP-1) were used as cells intrinsically expressing M-CSFR, and M-CSFR was expressed in TF-1 and HEK293 cells. IL-34 binding was studied by Scatchard and binding inhibition assays, using 125I-radiolabelled cytokines, and surface plasmon resonance. M-CSFR activation was analysed by Western blot after glycosaminoglycans abrasion, syndecan-1 overexpression or repression and addition of a blocking anti-syndecan antibody. M-CSF and IL-34 induced different patterns of M-CSFR phosphorylations, suggesting the existence of alternative binding for IL-34. Binding experiments and chondroitinase treatment confirmed low affinity binding to chondroitin sulphate chains on cells lacking both M-CSFR and RPTPβ/ζ. Amongst the proteoglycans with chondroitin sulphate chains, syndecan-1 was able to modulate the IL-34-induced M-CSFR signalling pathways. Interestingly, IL-34 induced the migration of syndecan-1 expressing cells. Indeed, IL-34 significantly increased the migration of THP-1 and M2a macrophages that was inhibited by addition of a blocking anti-syndecan-1 antibody. This paper provides evidence of alternative binding of IL-34 to chondroitin sulphates and syndecan-1 at the cell surface that modulates M-CSFR activation. In addition, IL-34-induced myeloid cell migration is a syndecan-1 dependent mechanism

RICORS2040 : The need for collaborative research in chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a silent and poorly known killer. The current concept of CKD is relatively young and uptake by the public, physicians and health authorities is not widespread. Physicians still confuse CKD with chronic kidney insufficiency or failure. For the wider public and health authorities, CKD evokes kidney replacement therapy (KRT). In Spain, the prevalence of KRT is 0.13%. Thus health authorities may consider CKD a non-issue: very few persons eventually need KRT and, for those in whom kidneys fail, the problem is 'solved' by dialysis or kidney transplantation. However, KRT is the tip of the iceberg in the burden of CKD. The main burden of CKD is accelerated ageing and premature death. The cut-off points for kidney function and kidney damage indexes that define CKD also mark an increased risk for all-cause premature death. CKD is the most prevalent risk factor for lethal coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the factor that most increases the risk of death in COVID-19, after old age. Men and women undergoing KRT still have an annual mortality that is 10- to 100-fold higher than similar-age peers, and life expectancy is shortened by ~40 years for young persons on dialysis and by 15 years for young persons with a functioning kidney graft. CKD is expected to become the fifth greatest global cause of death by 2040 and the second greatest cause of death in Spain before the end of the century, a time when one in four Spaniards will have CKD. However, by 2022, CKD will become the only top-15 global predicted cause of death that is not supported by a dedicated well-funded Centres for Biomedical Research (CIBER) network structure in Spain. Realizing the underestimation of the CKD burden of disease by health authorities, the Decade of the Kidney initiative for 2020-2030 was launched by the American Association of Kidney Patients and the European Kidney Health Alliance. Leading Spanish kidney researchers grouped in the kidney collaborative research network Red de Investigación Renal have now applied for the Redes de Investigación Cooperativa Orientadas a Resultados en Salud (RICORS) call for collaborative research in Spain with the support of the Spanish Society of Nephrology, Federación Nacional de Asociaciones para la Lucha Contra las Enfermedades del Riñón and ONT: RICORS2040 aims to prevent the dire predictions for the global 2040 burden of CKD from becoming true

Evaluación del profesorado universitario: enfoque metodológico y algunas aportaciones de la investigación

Puede resultarnos extraño tener que aceptar que, pese a los muchos estudios realizados, no existe en la actualidad un consenso amplio sobre lo que es un “buen profesor”. Y esta afirmación es, si cabe, más cierta al referirnos al profesor universitario, pues los desacuerdos comenzarían a aparecer al concretar las finalidades de la enseñanza universitaria. Este hecho nos muestra por qué la evaluación del profesorado universitario es un tema abierto, a debate permanente, en lo referido al conjunto de cuestiones metodológicas que orientan y guían su realización

Valoración del trabajo colaborativo en los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje en entornos escolares con alto nivel TIC

La investigación pretende conocer las concepciones de los profesores sobre el trabajo colaborativo (TC) como estrategia de aprendizaje en centros educativos con altas prestaciones tecnológicas y probar si el valor didáctico concedido al TC está condicionado por la práctica docente. La población a estudio queda definida por 185 profesores en ejercicio de Primaria y de Secundaria de centros educativos con alto nivel de acreditación TIC. Los datos se han obtenido a través de un cuestionario. Los resultados constatan una alta valoración del TC y evidencian que los docentes con mayor experiencia profesional en el uso del TC valoran mejor esta metodología.The aims of this research are to study teachers’ opinions about collaborative work as a learning methodology in schools with a high ICT level accreditation and to know if the methodological value that teachers give to collaborative work is conditioned by teaching practice. The study sample comprises 185 teachers from Primary and Secondary schools that have been accredited with a high level of ICT. Data was obtained through a questionnaire. The results show high values in collaborative work. We emphasize that the highest values are found along those teachers with longer experience in the practical usage of collaborative methodologies

La proteína priónica celular en el sistema nervioso central de mamíferos. Correlatos anatomoclínicos

Resumen: Introducción: La proteína priónica celular patógena (PrPsc) necesita de la presencia de la fisiológica (PrPc) para su propagación y replicación. Se estudia comparativamente la expresión y localización de PrPc en el sistema nervioso central (SNC) de rata, ratón, gato, vaca y humano, mediante técnicas inmunohistoquímicas y de Western blot, con el objetivo de un mejor conocimiento de las prionopatías y de la enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA). Material y métodos: Se emplearon encéfalos humanos y de gato, rata y vaca, para estudios por técnicas inmunohistoquímicas; se analizaron las cortezas frontal, temporal y occipital, así como hipocampo y tálamo. Se utilizaron técnicas de Western blot para encéfalos de ratón, gato, vaca y humano. Resultados: Existe una disminución rostrocaudal de la cuantía de PrPc en el SNC de dichas especies. PrPc se sitúa en la membrana y en el citoplasma de las neuronas. Se observan neuronas inhibitorias en el córtex del gato. El patrón general del Western blot es análogo en las especies estudiadas, con predominio de la banda diglucosilada sobre las bandas monoglucosilada y no glucosilada. Discusión: Los datos indican que en las prionopatías, PrPsc puede transmitirse y replicarse de forma retrógrada en y a partir de las zonas más PrP positivas. La mayor cuantía de PrPc en algunas zonas del encéfalo humano podría estar en relación con los hallazgos anatomopatológicos de la EA. Conclusiones: Los datos apoyan un transporte retrógrado de la PrPsc en el SNC. La PrPc debe de tener relación con la fisiopatología de la EA. Abstract: Introduction: The scrapie prion protein (PrPsc) requieres the cellular prion protein (PrPc) for its propagation and replication. In this work we studied the expression and localization of the PrPc in the central nervous system (SNC) of the rat, mouse, cat, cow and human, using immunohistochemestry and Western blot techniques to understand more about prionopathies and Alzheimer's disease (EA). Matherial and methods: For the immunohistochemetry study we used human, cat, rat and cow samples to analyse frontal, temporal and occipital cortex, as well as the hippocampus and the thalamus. For the Western blot analysis we used mouse, cat, cow and human brain samples. Results: We observed a decrease in the amount of PrPc in the SNC in a rostrocaudal shift in the species mentioned above. We observed inhibitory cells in the cat cortex. The Western blot analysis showed a similar pattern of expression in the different species studied with a preponderance of the diglycosylated band, in relation to the other bands observed in the analysis. Discussion: These data suggest that in prionopathies PrPsc could be transmitted and could be replicated in and from the areas with most expression of PrPc. Similarly, a higher amount of this protein (PrPc) in some brain areas could explain some histopathological aspects of EA. Conclusions: Our findings support the hypothesis of a retrograde transport of PrPsc in the SNC. PrPc could be related to the pathophysiology of EA. Palabras clave: Proteína priónica celular, Prionopatías, Enfermedad de Alzheimer, Mamíferos, Keywords: Cellular prion protein, Prionopathies, Alzheimer's disease, Mammal