Massive Open Online Courses as a Digital Learning Strategy of Education for Sustainable Development

This article aims to present the results of a case study of the use of Massive Open Online Courses as a digital learning strategy to promote education for sustainable development. The research focuses on the results of four Massive Open Online Courses offered to more than 17,000 participants, a case study research method was carried out to identify the didactic activities recommended to integrate on the Massive Open Online Courses of education for sustainable development. Among the results, it was found that challenge-based learning didactic activities develop participants’ skills that can be transferred to real-world scenarios and allow learning to become more profound and durable. The results also show that a better understanding of the network dynamics to explore how to develop a robust peer-learning environment is necessary. Future works are recommended to explore the potentials of big data to anticipate the needs of the participants’ digital skills

The effects of age, organized physical activity and sedentarism on fitness in older adults: An 8-year longitudinal study

The aims of the present study were (1) to describe the changes in physical fitness during an 8 year follow-up in a large sample of Spanish adults aged 65 or over that are initially engaged in organized physical activity (OPA), (2) to compare fitness changes according to different age groups (65 to 69 vs. 70 to 74 vs. =75 years-old), (3) to evaluate the independent and combined effects of changes in OPA engagement and sitting time (ST) on physical fitness. A total of 642 (147 males) non-institutionalized over 65 years-old participants completed the EXERNET battery fitness tests and completed a validated questionnaire from which information regarding OPA and ST were collected. All participants completed evaluations in 2008-2009 and in 2016-2017. An impairment of fitness-related variables happens after 65 years of age in both males and females, with the older participants (=75), showing the largest decreases. Males who continued performing OPA demonstrated lower decreases in balance, leg flexibility and agility when compared to those who stopped performing OPA during the follow-up. Females who continued performing OPA demonstrated lower decreases of all variables except for balance when compared to those who stopped performing OPA during the follow-up

Higher levels of physical fitness are associated with a reduced risk of suffering sarcopenic obesity and better perceived health among elderly. The EXERNET multi-center study

Objective: To evaluate the associations between physical fitness levels, health related quality of life (HRQoL) and sarcopenic obesity (SO) and to analyze the usefulness of several physical fitness tests as a screening tool for detecting elderly people with an increased risk of suffering SO. Design: Cross-sectional analysis of a population-based sample. Setting: Non-institutionalized Spanish elderly participating in the EXERNET multi-centre study. Participants: 2747 elderly subjects aged 65 and older. Measurements: Body weight, height and body mass index were evaluated in each subject. Body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance. Four SO groups were created based on percentage of body fat and relative muscle mass; 1) normal group, 2) sarcopenic group, 3) obesity group and 4) SO group. Physical fitness was evaluated using 8 tests (balance, lower and upper body strength, lower and upper body flexibility, agility, walking speed and aerobic capacity). Three tertiles were created for each test based on the calculated scores. HRQoL was assessed using the EuroQol visual analogue scale. Results: Participants with SO showed lower physical fitness levels compared with normal subjects. Better balance, agility, and aerobic capacity were associated to a lower risk of suffering SO in the fittest men (odds ratio < 0.30). In women, better balance, walking speed, and aerobic capacity were associated to a lower risk of suffering SO in the fittest women (odds ratio < 0.21) Superior perceived health was associated with better physical fitness performance. Conclusions: Higher levels of physical fitness were associated with a reduced risk of suffering SO and better perceived health among elderly. SO elderly people have lower physical functional levels than healthy counterparts

Comparación del uso del ácido amsónico y Blanco de Calcofluor para colorear hongos sobre bloques de agar

Introducción El diagnóstico temprano y veraz de las micosis invasivas es fundamental para mejorar la calidad de vida de pacientes inmunocomprometidos al disminuir las complicaciones fatales. Aunque las coloraciones que se están aplicando son útiles, tienen baja especificidad y valor predictivo positivo que disminuyen su eficacia en el diagnóstico. Es por esto que es necesario explorar nuevos colorantes como los derivados del estilbeno que son capaces de emitir fluorescencia al unirse a enlaces presentes en la pared celular fúngica. Objetivo Identificar las características operativas de la técnica de coloración ácido amsónico y compararlas con la coloración Blanco de Calcofluor. Materiales y métodos Se realizó un estudio de pruebas diagnósticas, en el que se evaluaron 186 láminas parafinadas para cada coloración con hongos o bacterias. Resultados La especificidad de la microscopía fue mayor con ácido amsónico que con Blanco de Calcofluor (100% y 49,4%, respectivamente). La sensibilidad fue del 96,7% con Blanco de Calcofluor y 93,5% con ácido amsónico. Conclusiones El ácido amsónico es una técnica más específica que el Blanco de Calcofluor y las dos coloraciones requieren entrenamiento previo para la detección microscópica de hongos

Dissemination of blaIMP-8 among Enterobacteriaceae isolates from a Buenos Aires Hospital

Entre agosto de 2008 y diciembre de 2011 se detectaron en el Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos «Evita» de Lanús 6 aislamientos de enterobacterias productoras de metalo- β-lactamasas, distribuidos en tres especies: Enterobacter cloacae (4), Klebsiella oxytoca (1) y Citrobacter freundii (1). Los seis aislamientos presentaron un perfi l de multirresistencia y se confi rmó la presencia del gen blaIMP-8. Cinco aislamientos además expresaron la β-lactamasa de espectro extendido PER-2. El gen blaIMP-8 fue hallado como primer casete de un integrón de clase 1. Sin embargo, la secuencia 3´ conservada no pudo detectarse en tres aislamientos. En todos los casos, el gen blaIMP-8 fue transferido por conjugación a Escherichia coli resistente a azida. Mediante PFGE se observó que los cuatro aislamientos de E. cloacae no estuvieron genéticamente relacionados. Estos son los primeros hallazgos de metalo-β-lactamasas en la institución, que sugieren una posible diseminación horizontal del gen blaIMP-8 intra e interespecies.From August 2008 to December 2011, six metallo-β-lactamase-producing isolates, four Enterobacter cloacae, one Klebsiella oxytoca and one Citrobacter freundii, were detected at Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos “Evita” in Lanús. All six isolates showed multiresistant profi les and the presence of the blaIMP-8 gene. Five isolates also expressed PER-2 extended spectrum β-lactamase. The blaIMP-8 gene was found as the fi rst cassette in a class 1 integron. However, the 3´ conserved sequence could not be detected in three isolates. In all cases, blaIMP-8 was transferred by conjugation to azide-resistant Escherichia coli J53. PFGE analysis revealed that the four E. cloacae isolates were not genetically related. These are the fi rst metallo-β-lactamases detected in this institution and our results suggest a possible intra- and inter-species horizontal dissemination of blaIMP-8.Fil: Togneri, Ana M.. Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos Evita. Laboratorio de Bacteriología; ArgentinaFil: Gómez, Sonia Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Dirección Nacional de Institutos de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Area de Antimicrobianos; ArgentinaFil: Podestá, Laura B.. Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos Evita. Laboratorio de Bacteriología; ArgentinaFil: Pérez, Marcela P.. Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos Evita. Laboratorio de Bacteriología; ArgentinaFil: Faccone, Diego Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Dirección Nacional de Institutos de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Area de Antimicrobianos; ArgentinaFil: Ríos, Lidia E.. Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos Evita. Laboratorio de Bacteriología; ArgentinaFil: Gañete, Marcelo A.. Hospital Interzonal General de Agudos Evita. Laboratorio de Bacteriología; ArgentinaFil: Anchordoqui, María S. . Dirección Nacional de Institutos de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Area de Antimicrobianos; ArgentinaFil: Pasterán, Fernando G.. Dirección Nacional de Institutos de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Area de Antimicrobianos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Corso, Alejandra C.. Dirección Nacional de Institutos de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Enfermedades Infecciosas. Area de Antimicrobianos; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Combined Body Mass Index and Waist-To-Height Ratio and Its Association With Lifestyle and Health Factors Among Spanish Children: The PASOS Study

[Abstract] Background and Aims: The World Health Organization recommended simultaneous measurement of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) and suggested joint use to predict disease risks. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of BMI and waist-toheight ratio (WHtR) categories among Spanish children and adolescents, as well as their associations with several lifestyle factors. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of 8–16-year-old children and adolescents (n = 3772) were included in the PASOS nationwide representative study. Children/adolescents and their mothers/female caregivers answered a questionnaire on lifestyle and health factors. Child/adolescent anthropometrics were measured. Four combined BMI-WHtR disease risk categories were built. Results: A third of participants showed combined BMI-WHtR categories with high disease risk (12.3% ‘increased risk’, 9.7% ‘high risk’, 14.3% ‘very high risk’). Participants in the ‘very high risk’ group were less likely to be females (odds ratio 0.63; 95% CI: 0.52–0.76) and adolescents (0.60; 95% CI: 0.49–0.72), to practice _60 min/day of moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (0.73; 95% CI: 0.57–0.93), and to watch <120 min/day of total screen time on weekdays (0.61; 95% CI: 0.49–0.76). Mothers of participants in the ‘very high risk’ group were less likely to have a high educational level, be in the overweight or normal range, have never smoked or were former smokers, and watch <120 min/day of total screen time on weekends. Participants in the ‘increased’ and ‘high risk’ categories had mothers with normal weight and _60 min/day of MVPA. Participants in the ’high risk’ group did not achieve _60 min/day of MVPA and showed lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Conclusions: Adherence to a healthy lifestyle in children and adolescents, but also in their mothers/female caregivers during offspring’s childhood and adolescence, is associated with low BMI-WHtR disease risk

Caracterización de familias en las localidades de la Florida, Samaria, Galán y San Nicolás en Pereira, Colombia

Introducción: el estado de salud en las etapas de vida de los individuos dentro del sistema familiar, requiere herramientas que orienten los estudios alrededor de las familias, sus características, cualidades, tipologías, funcionalidad y crisis, entre otros. Como sistema es importante para el desarrollo individual y permite la conformación de intervenciones de enfermería en la promoción de la salud. Métodos: estudio de tipo descriptivo. Se aplicaron los instrumentos de valoración familiar a 78 familias. Las familias proceden de estratos sociales 1 y 2 de las áreas urbana y rural de Pereira Resultados: las relaciones intrafamiliares estudiadas son fuertes, lo cual significa que a pesar de los conflictos sociales que afectan a grupos familiares, permanece el valor cultural que se le da a la familia y a sus miembros. Conclusiones: las familias estudiadas no se reconocen como un sistema susceptible de ser evaluado; todos los individuos se autoevalúan de manera individualista y aislada de la comunidad, entorno y grupo familiar

Combined body mass index and waist-to-height ratio and its association with lifestyle and health factors among Spanish children: the PASOS study

Background and Aims: The World Health Organization recommended simultaneous measurement of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) and suggested joint use to predict disease risks. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of BMI and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) categories among Spanish children and adolescents, as well as their associations with several lifestyle factors. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of 8–16-year-old children and adolescents (n = 3772) were included in the PASOS nationwide representative study. Children/adolescents and their mothers/female caregivers answered a questionnaire on lifestyle and health factors. Child/adolescent anthropometrics were measured. Four combined BMI-WHtR disease risk categories were built. Results: A third of participants showed combined BMI-WHtR categories with high disease risk (12.3% ‘increased risk’, 9.7% ‘high risk’, 14.3% ‘very high risk’). Participants in the ‘very high risk’ group were less likely to be females (odds ratio 0.63; 95% CI: 0.52–0.76) and adolescents (0.60; 95% CI: 0.49–0.72), to practice ≥60 min/day of moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) (0.73; 95% CI: 0.57–0.93), and to watch <120 min/day of total screen time on weekdays (0.61; 95% CI: 0.49–0.76). Mothers of participants in the ‘very high risk’ group were less likely to have a high educational level, be in the overweight or normal range, have never smoked or were former smokers, and watch <120 min/day of total screen time on weekends. Participants in the ‘increased’ and ‘high risk’ categories had mothers with normal weight and ≥60 min/day of MVPA. Participants in the ’high risk’ group did not achieve ≥60 min/day of MVPA and showed lower adherence to the mediterranean diet. Conclusions: Adherence to a healthy lifestyle in children and adolescents, but also in their mothers/female caregivers during offspring’s childhood and adolescence, is associated with low BMI-WHtR disease risk.The PASOS study was funded by Fundación PROBITAS and the Gasol Foundation. Additional funds were received from the Barça Foundation, Banco Santander, IFA, Vienna and the Fundación Deporte Joven (no references are applicable). J.A.T., C.B., M.M.G., and M.d.M.B. were funded by CIBEROBN (CB12/03/30038) of the Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), and co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund

Independent and joined association between socioeconomic indicators and pediatric obesity in Spain: the PASOS study

Childhood obesity is a public health problem worldwide. An important determinant of child and adolescent obesity is socioeconomic status (SES). However, the magnitude of the impact of different SES indicators on pediatric obesity on the Spanish population scale is unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the association between three SES indicators and obesity in a nationwide, representative sample of Spanish children and adolescents. A total of 2791 boys and girls aged 8 to 16 years old were included. Their weight, height, and waist circumference were measured. SES was assessed using two parent/legal guardian self-reported indicators (educational level -University/non-University- and labor market status -Employed/Unemployed-). As a third SES indicator, the annual mean income per person was obtained from the census section where the participating schools were located (≥12.731€/<12.731€). The prevalence of obesity, severe obesity, and abdominal obesity was 11.5%, 1.4%, and 22.3%, respectively. Logistic regression models showed an inverse association of both education and labor market status with obesity, severe obesity, and abdominal obesity (all p < 0.001). Income was also inversely associated with obesity (p < 0.01) and abdominal obesity (p < 0.001). Finally, the highest composite SES category (University/Employed/≥12.731€ n = 517) showed a robust and inverse association with obesity (OR = 0.28; 95% CI: 0.16–0.48), severe obesity (OR = 0.20; 95% CI: 0.05–0.81), and abdominal obesity (OR = 0.36; 95% CI: 0.23–0.54) in comparison with the lowest composite SES category (Less than University/Unemployed/<12.731€; n = 164). No significant interaction between composite SES categories and age and gender was found. SES is strongly associated with pediatric obesity in Spain.The PASOS study was funded by Fundación PROBITAS (2019) and the Gasol Foundation (2019-2020). Additional funds were received from the Barça Foundation (2019-2020), Banco Santander (2019), IFA (2019-2020), Vienna (2019), and the Fundación Deporte Joven (2019) (no references are applicable). J.A.T., M.G.-G. and C.B. are funding by Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the CIBEROBN CB12/03/30038, which are co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund