Niederungen by Herta Müller: a critical approach to the scars of an unbreathable childhood

Through the look and narrative voice of a Romanian girl, the writer Herta Müller brings us closer with her first work – Niederungen (En tierras bajas) - to the still living scars of her own childhood in a small village in the region of Timisoara at the time of the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceausescu. This article attempts a critical approach to the recurring theme focused on the complaint of the country left behind by the author after her own experience of exile to West Germany in 1987. A critical analysis of this first work written by Müller in the German language brings us closer to her intercultural literature. The high quality of the literary production of this German-Romanian migrant writer was finally awarded in 2009 with the Nobel Prize for Literature

Combination of Direct Viable Count and Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (DVC-FISH) as a Potential Method for Identifying Viable Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Oysters and Mussels

[EN] Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a human food-borne pathogen with the ability to enter the food chain. It is able to acquire a viable, non-cultivable state (VBNC), which is not detected by traditional methods. The combination of the direct viable count method and a fluorescent in situ hybridization technique (DVC-FISH) makes it possible to detect microorganisms that can present VBNC forms in complex samples The optimization of the in vitro DVC-FISH technique for V. parahaemolyticus was carried out. The selected antibiotic was ciprofloxacin at a concentration of 0.75 mu g/mL with an incubation time in DVC broth of 5 h. The DVC-FISH technique and the traditional plate culture were applied to detect and quantify the viable cells of the affected pathogen in artificially contaminated food matrices at different temperatures. The results obtained showed that low temperatures produced an important logarithmic decrease of V. parahaemolyticus, while at 22 degrees C, it proliferated rapidly. The DVC-FISH technique proved to be a useful tool for the detection and quantification of V. parahaemolyticus in the two seafood matrices of oysters and mussels. This is the first study in which this technique has been developed to detect viable cells for this microorganism.García Hernández, J.; Hernández Pérez, M.; Moreno Trigos, MY. (2021). Combination of Direct Viable Count and Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (DVC-FISH) as a Potential Method for Identifying Viable Vibrio parahaemolyticus in Oysters and Mussels. Foods. 10(7):1-14. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10071502S11410

A Photonic Label-Free Biosensor to Detect Salmonella spp. in Fresh Vegetables and Meat

[EN] This paper presents a method that can be used to detect and identify Salmonella spp. in fresh meat and vegetable samples using a photonic biosensor with specialized bioreceptors. Detection was based on photon transduction. Silicon-nitride-based resonant cavities were used to capture the change in light response when there is specific binding of the immobilized antibody to the sensor surface against the target antigen. A control immobilization experiment was conducted to validate the immobilization process on the biosensor surface prior to biofunctionalization for Salmonella spp. detection. This experiment involved immobilization of pre-selected antibodies on silicon nitride surfaces. Two types of antibodies were suitable. The first was a specific polyclonal antibody with superior antigen-binding capacity across a wide range of concentrations. The second was a monoclonal antibody designed for effective binding at lower concentrations. Rigorous validation was performed. The outcomes were compared with those of the habitual method used to detect Salmonella spp. (reference method). Replicates from different batches of contaminated meat and vegetable samples were analyzed. This comprehensive approach provides a methodologically robust, highly sensitive, and accurate way of rapidly detecting Salmonella spp. in food samples. It has potential implications for improved food safety and quality controlThis research was financially supported by the AVI (Valencian Innovation Agency) and received funding from the European Union through FEDER funds. The project, identified as INNEST/2021/338, is known as the BACTERIO project , which focuses on Integrated Photonics for integral microbiological control in the agri-food sector .Fernández Blanco, A.; Hernández Pérez, M.; Moreno Trigos, MY.; García Hernández, J. (2023). A Photonic Label-Free Biosensor to Detect Salmonella spp. in Fresh Vegetables and Meat. Applied Sciences. 13(24). https://doi.org/10.3390/app132413103132

DVC-FISH to identify potentially pathogenic Legionella inside free-living amoebae from water sources

[EN] Despite all safety efforts, drinking and wastewater can still be contaminated by Legionella and free-living amoebae (FLA) since these microorganisms are capable of resisting disinfection treatments. An amoebae cyst harboring pathogenic Legionella spp. can be a transporter of this organism, protecting it and enhancing its infection abilities. Therefore, the aim of this work is to identify by DVC-FISH viable Legionella spp and Legionella pneumophila cells inside FLA from water sources in a specific and rapid way with the aim of assessing the real risk of these waters. A total of 55 water samples were processed, 30 reclaimed wastewater and 25 drinking water. FLA presence was detected in 52.7% of the total processed water samples. When DVC-FISH technique was applied, the presence of viable internalized Legionella spp. cells was identified in 69.0% of the total FLA-positive samples, concretely in 70.0% and 66.7% of wastewater and drinking water samples, respectively. L. pneumophila was simultaneously identified in 48.3% of the total FLA-positive samples, specifically in 50.0% and 44.4% of wastewater and drinking water samples, respectively. By culture, potentially pathogenic Legionella cells were recovered in 27.6% of the total FLA-positive bacteria, particularly in 35.0% and 11.1% of wastewater and drinking water samples, respectively. These findings demonstrate that FLA may promote resistance of bacteria to the performed disinfection treatments for drinking as well as for wastewater. So, in addition to the risk for the presence of pathogenic FLA in water it is necessary to take into account that these can be transporters of the pathogenic bacteria Legionella, which are able to survive inside them. The DVC-FISH method described here has been proved to be a rapid and specific tool to identify pathogenic Legionella spp. and L. penumophila viable cells harboured by FLA in these water sources, posing particular public health concern.This study has been supported by First research projects funding (PAID-06-18), Vice-Rectorate for Research, Innovation and Transfer of Universitat Politècnica de València" (UPV), València, Spain.Moreno Trigos, MY.; Moreno-Mesonero, L.; García Hernández, J. (2019). DVC-FISH to identify potentially pathogenic Legionella inside free-living amoebae from water sources. Environmental Research. 176:1-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2019.06.002S1717

Estrategias de enseñanza que emplean los docentes para desarrollar en los estudiantes el pensamiento reflexivo y crítico: estado del arte en México (1990-2013)

La exigencia de un esfuerzo de reflexividad se constituye como punto de partida indispensable para el diseño de estrategias y metodologías que guíen el desarrollo profesional, académico y de investigación (Pacheco, 2009: 40). Es necesario explorar los factores que influyen en el distanciamiento entre profesores y alumnos, así como las limitaciones que presentan las actuales prácticas de enseñanza-aprendizaje, en las cuales predomina la acumulación de información por sobre el ánimo de promover una verdadera capacidad de pensar. En función de este distanciamiento crítico, profesores y alumnos enfrentarían el desafío de actualizar de manera permanente las estrategias epistemológicas, pedagógicas y didácticas que les permitan enseñar y aprender la capacidad de pensar y de razonar como tareas fundamentales de la formación. El despliegue de estrategias de tipo reflexivo apunta de manera preliminar a remover las inercias arraigadas y anquilosadas en el medio escolar y académico, para posteriormente valorar el peso histórico del conocimiento producido, así como su potencial heurístico.Desde el surgimiento de la enfermería moderna en Iberoamérica, ocurrido en los inicios del siglo pasado, ha venido cobrando importancia la formación de las nuevas generaciones de profesionistas, con esto nos referimos a la educación institucional; primero en los hospitales, posteriormente bajo el cobijo de las escuelas y facultades de medicina y finalmente en las escuelas y facultades de enfermería, principalmente dependientes de universidades públicas (Cárdenas, 2005: 120-129). En ese largo camino, se ha buscado el equilibrio o la congruencia entre los perfiles académico y laboral, esto es, que la formación de los egresados sea acorde con su desempeño profesional en el mercado laboral. Esto ha significado revisar de manera permanente los conocimientos, métodos, técnicas y estrategias de enseñanza y aprendizaje de las nuevas generaciones de enfermeras y enfermeros, manteniendo una vinculación permanente entre la docencia y la asistencia. En la actualidad, la formación de profesionistas en enfermería que respondan de manera eficiente, oportuna, asertiva y humanística a las demandas del cuidado de la vida y al mantenimiento y/o restablecimiento de la salud de una persona no es tarea fácil, toda vez que existe un alto nivel de complejidad en los procesos de vida-salud, salud-enfermedad y vida-muerte; donde el cuidado formal que brinda este profesional implica el establecimiento de un vínculo entre dos seres –el cuidado y el cuidador-, a lo largo del ciclo vital, orientado a la promoción, protección, recuperación y rehabilitación de la salud, así como a atender la enfermedad, para contribuir al desarrollo de una vida digna y plena, o en su caso, ayudar a bien morir

A combination of direct viable count and fluorescence in situ hibridization for specific enumeration of viable Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus

[EN] Aims: We have developed a direct viable count (DVC)-FISH procedure for quickly and easily discriminating between viable and nonviable cells of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus strains, the traditional yogurt bacteria. Methods and Results: direct viable count method has been modified and adapted for Lact. delbrueckii subsp, bulgaricus and Strep. thermophilus analysis by testing different times of incubation and concentrations of DNA-gyrase inhibitors. DVC procedure has been combined with fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) for the specific detection of viable cells of both bacteria with specific rRNA oligonucleotide probes (DVC-FISH). Of the four antibiotics tested (novobiocin, nalidixic acid, pipemidic acid and ciprofloxacin), novobiocin was the most effective for DVC method and the optimum incubation time was 7 h for both bacteria. The number of viable cells was obtained by the enumeration of specific hybridized cells that were elongated at least twice their original length for Lactobacillus and twice their original size for Streptococcus. Conclusions: This technique was successfully applied to detect viable cells in inoculated faeces. Significance and Impact of the Study: Results showed that this DVC-FISH procedure is a quick and culture-independent useful method to specifically detect viable Lact, delbrueckii subsp, bulgaricus and Strep thermophilus in different samples, being applied for the first time to lactic acid bacteria.García Hernández, J.; Moreno Trigos, MY.; Amorocho Cruz, CM.; Hernández Pérez, M. (2011). A combination of direct viable count and fluorescence in situ hibridization for specific enumeration of viable Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Letters in Applied Microbiology. 54(3):247-254. doi:10.1111/j.1472-765X.2011.03201.x24725454

Linguistic skills of children from a low socioeconomic level at the beginning of elementary education

The purpose of this study was to assess the linguistic skills of children from a low socioeconomic background who were beginning their elementary education. A total of 262 first-grade students with an average age of 5.7 years old and who were enrolled in 8 groups of public schools from Mexico State, participated in this project. The instrument used was the Precurrent Skills for Reading Assessment (PSRA) by Vega (1991), and was administered individually to each student at the beginning of the 2004-2005 school year. The statistical analysis using SPSS showed a mean score of 77 (SD=14), which corresponds to 57% of the total PSRA score. These results may indicate that first grade students have an unsatisfactory level of linguistic behaviour. Slight differences in the students’ performances were observed. A slightly better performance was shown by those first grade students who were 6 years old at the beginning of the school year and who had previously received pre-school education. The implications of the poor linguistic level shown by the participants are discussed, and some alternatives based on the behavioural research, are proposed.El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar las habilidades linguísticas con que ingresan a la educación básica primaria alumnos de estrato socioeconómico bajo. Participaron 262 alumnos de primer grado, inscritos en ocho grupos de escuelas públicas del Estado de México, con una media de 5.7 años de edad. Se aplicó individualmente a cada alumno el Instrumento para Evaluar Habilidades precurrentes para la lectura (EPLE), de Vega (1991), al inicio del ciclo escolar 2004-2005. El análisis estadístico con el programa SPSS arrojó como resultado un puntaje promedio de 77 (DS=14). Que corresponde al 57% de la clasicficación total del eple, lo que puede indicar que los alumnos ingresaron al primer grado de primaria con un nivel insatisfactorio de conductas linguísticas. Se observan ligeras diferencias en las ejecuciones de los alumnos, a favor de quienes ingresaron con seis años de edad y con mayor número de años cursados en preescolar. Se discuten las implicaciones del bajo nivel linguístico mostrado por los participantes y se proponen alternativas basadas en la investigación psiclógica conductual