Selected Reaction Monitoring (SRM) frente a Western Blot

We propose the SRM technology as a complementary method to the Western Blot for the detection and quantification of proteins in a sample. The technique Western Blot has its own limitations: i) only a protein-of-choice is detected, ignoring any non-relevant proteins, ii) the sensitivity of the technique depends on the specificity of the antibody and iii) Western Blot is expensive and time-consuming. The advantages of SRM with respect Western Blot are remarkable: i) you can detect up to hundreds of different proteins in a sample, ii) SRM is more sensitive, because just 50 copies of the target protein per cell are enough for the detection and iii) once it has been made an investment in the necessary machinery to develop this technique, the detection of proteins in a sample turns into a cheaper, faster, more specific and full-quantitative procedure, without the need of using antibodies. First of all, SRM requires the identification of little peptides, obtained by tryptic digestion, whose sequence must be unique for a single protein or isoform. There is software for that aim. Then, it’s necessary to create isotope-labeled peptides of that identified for acting as internal standards. That sample is introduced in a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer: it passes through a first quadrupole, which functions as a filter, where the fragments are selected, previously ionized, attending to the mass/charge (m/z) relation that correspond to that unique fragments of the protein of interest. In this first selection may be other peptides from other proteins, with the same m/z but with different sequence. To select those that are exclusive from the target protein, the fragments are moved to a second quadrupole, where they are fragmented again with a physical method, and so new smaller fragments are generated. All the new fragments are conduced to the third quadrupole, where just those which come from the protein of interest are selected, attending at their m/z again. The target peptide concentration is determined by measuring the observed signal response for the target peptide relative to that of the isotopic-labeled peptide, the concentration of which is calculated from a pre-determined calibration-response curve. Calibration curves have to be generated for each target peptide in the sample. Because SRM technology is increasing its use, there have been developed databases where the scientific community upload information about protocols and standards for each protein with the aim to facilitate the work to other researchers

Skills that Pre-service Primary Teachers’ consider important in argumentation approach

Argumentation as a form of scientific discourse is a powerful tool that allows students questioning, justifying, and evaluating their and others’ claims. In science education, transmissive teaching predominates and this leads to difficulties in students’ construction of arguments and highlights limitations in teachers' pedagogical abilities in the management of this type of activities. Also, teachers' beliefs and perceptions have a big influence in the way they teach. Thus, the purpose has been to investigate pre-service primary teachers’ beliefs of what would be the skills they need as a core to support argumentation in science classrooms, and what skills students can develop when participate in science lessons based in argumentation. Results show that Pre-service Teachers of Primary pay little attention to the skills they will need in order to manage different methodological strategies as debate, pair work or pair discussion, that support the argumentation approach. Moreover, they lack of awareness about what is a good argument and its components, besides scientific knowledge. These results are significant because they indicate a need in designing specific training programs to support teachers in acquiring knowledge and skills about argumentation.Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. This study is part of the project “La argumentacıón como estrategıa metodológıca para el desarrollo de competencıas profesıonales docentes.” [Argumentation as a methodological strategy for the development of professional teacher competences] (PIE15-74) funded by the University of Málaga in the assembly of 201

Do we play chess and learn science?

[Resumen] El ajedrez es un juego basado en tácticas y estrategias y, por tanto, fomenta los aspectos intelectuales y recreativos de aquellos que lo practican. En esta experiencia se presenta el diseño y la puesta en práctica de una serie de actividades creadas para la enseñanza de determinados contenidos científicos, a un alumno con dificultades de aprendizaje, a través del ajedrez como recurso educativo utilizando el modelo didáctico alternativo o de investigación en la escuela. La valoración de la experiencia, realizada a través de rúbricas diseñadas para tal efecto, muestra un avance importante en el alumno en cuanto al nivel de compresión de los conceptos científicos trabajados, así como un progreso en procedimientos y actitudes propias de la metodología científica.[Abstract] Chess is a game based on tactics and strategies, and therefore, it fosters the intellectual and recreational aspects of those who practice it. This experience presents the design and implementation of a series of activities created for the teaching of certain scientific contents to a student with learning difficulties. The activities use the chess as an educational resource and the alternative didactic model or research in the school model. The evaluation of the experience, performed through rubrics, designed for this purpose, show an important advance in the student in his cognitive level of the scientific concepts worked, as well as a progress in procedures and attitudes specific to scientific methodolog

El consumo de drogas en España a través de las campañas publicitarias de la Fundación de Ayuda contra la Drogadicción (FAD)

Vuitenes Jornades de Foment de la Investigació de la FCHS (Any 2002-2003

Una experiencia para tomar conciencia del feminismo a través del carácter formativo y funcional de la aritmética

Este trabajo forma parte del proyecto “Desarrollando competencias profesionales docentes mediante el estudio de mujeres científicas a través del aula invertida” (PIE17-026) financiado por la Universidad de Málaga en la convocatoria de 2017-2019 y de la “Red interdisciplinar con enfoque feminista en la formación del profesorado”Se muestra una experiencia docente con futuro profesorado de Educación Primaria en la que se ha usado no solo un enfoque instrumental sino también formativo y funcional, centrado en la igualdad de género, para trabajar la aritmética. El objetivo es tomar conciencia de la importancia de desarrollar este triple carácter desde la educación matemática.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

The Use of Bioinformatic Tools in Symbiosis and Co-Evolution Studies

Through millions of years, the multicellular organisms have coexisted and coevolved with the surrounding microorganisms, in an almost symbiotic relationship forming a complex entity known as holobiont. The composition and functions of these microbial communities were limited during many years to only a mere fraction, due to the use of culture-based techniques. The advent of molecular-based techniques allowed the identification of uncultured organisms in a culture-free manner. In recent years, the development of next generation sequencing techniques have allowed the high-throughput study of microbial communities allowing the identification and classification of otherwise uncultured microorganisms in a given environment, tissue or host through metagenomics. The next generation sequencing techniques have been used in the functional study of microbial assemblages and were able to identify the role of the microorganisms in biogeochemical cycles, pathogenic processes, metabolism and development, through metatranscriptomics. Taken together, the next generation sequencing based-studies have shown the existence of a complex metabolic network in different hosts and environments, with the microbial communities. This chapter will focus in different available bioinformatic tools that are suitable to study symbiosis and coevolution processes in a given sample

He production and induced swelling in KOYO-F

From preliminary results[1] of neutron fluxes and energy spectra obtained for the vacuum vessel of the Fast Ignition Fusion Reactor KOYO-F, the distribution of Primary Knock-on Atoms (PKA), necessary to quantify defect production, has been calculated. In the presence of He these defects could induce swelling through nucleation of voids and bubbles. Kinetic Monte Carlo models are being developed to predict the evolution of these defects in different metals. As a first study we have focused on He in Ni, since there are systematic experimental results available

The sustainable transformation of business events: sociodemographic variables as determinants of attitudes towards sustainable academic conferences

PurposeThis study aimed to assess whether sociodemographic variables explain significant differences in attitudes towards transforming academic conferences into more sustainable events.Design/methodology/approachAn analytical model of participants' attitudes towards sustainable conferences based on literature review as well as the theories of reasoned action and planned behaviour was developed and applied to a sample of 532 surveyed individuals from 68 countries who regularly attended academic conferences in the last five years prior to 2020. The results were refined using statistical and computational techniques to achieve more empirically robust conclusions.FindingsResults reveal that sociodemographic variables such as attendees' gender and age explain differences in attitudes. Women and older adults have stronger pro-environmental attitudes regarding event sustainability. On the other hand, attitudes towards more sustainable academic conferences are quite strong and positive overall. More sustainable events' venues, catering, conference materials and accommodations strongly influence attendees' attitudes towards more sustainable conferences. The strength of attitudes was weaker towards transportation.Research limitations/implicationsFirst, the analyses focused on only aspects related to the attendees' attitudes. Assessing their real behaviour would complete this research. The geographical areas defined by the U.N. and used in this study have the limitation of combining highly developed countries and developing countries in the same geographical area, for example, the Americas and Asia and the Pacific.Practical implicationsSpecific socio-demographic variables' effects on attitudes towards sustainable academic conferences can indicate how organisers can best promote these events according to attendees' characteristics and develop differentiated marketing campaigns. For women and older adults, event sustainability should be emphasised as a competitive strategy to promote events and attract these audiences. Marketing strategies for younger attendees (under 30 years old) could focus on technology, networking or attractive social programmes. Sustainable venues, catering, conference materials and accommodations are easier to promote. Event organisers should encourage participants to make more environmentally friendly decisions regarding more sustainable event transport.Social implicationsA strategy based on promoting the event as contributing to sustainable development could educate attendees and put them on the path to developing stronger positive attitudes regarding sustainability and more sustainable behaviours. Sustainable academic conferences can educate students, organisers, service providers and delegates through their involvement in sustainable practices.Originality/valueTo our best knowledge, this research is the first to assess whether sociodemographic variables explain significant differences in attitudes towards the sustainable transformation of academic conferences.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The Importance of the Interaction Radius Between Cr and Self-interstitial Fe in Object Kinetic Monte Carlo Calculations of Irradiated FeCr Diluted Alloys

We have studied electron irradiation and annealing of FeCr alloys in the dilute limit ( less than 1% Cr) using Object kinetic Monte Carlo (OKMC) with input from density functional theory calculations and empirical potentials. The results are compared to experimental measurements of electric resistivity for different Cr concentrations. We analyse the dependence of Cr on the first two observed peaks: ID2 and IE and the influence of parameters such as the interaction radius between Cr and an Fe self-interstitial