Student perceptions on portfolio as an assessment tool for clinical practical learning

Introducción/objetivo: la evaluación de las prácticas clínicas en enfermería es una parte fundamental en la medida que retroalimenta a los profesores y a los estudiantes sobre la eficacia del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje y sobre la adquisición de competencias. Una de las posibles estrategias que se están utilizando para la misma es el portafolio. Su uso como metodología de evaluación se considera la alternativa ideal, ya que permite una valoración continua del conocimiento, habilidades y actitudes de los estudiantes, reflejando la evolución de su aprendizaje. El objetivo es conocer la percepción de los estudiantes acerca de las ventajas e inconvenientes de la utilización del portafolio de prácticas como instrumento de evaluación de las mismas. Material y métodos: estudio descriptivo cualitativo, la recolección de los datos se llevó a cabo a través de los portafolios y los cuestionarios de los estudiantes de enfermería de 4º curso de la Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería Cruz Roja (España), que realizaron prácticas durante curso 2103-2014. Resultados: los estudiantes consideran al portafolio como un método de evaluación que permite conocer no solo lo que han aprendido, sino también cómo se ha producido el aprendizaje, para emitir una valoración ajustada a la realidad. Discusión: dichos resultados concuerdan con los obtenidos en muchas universidades donde es considerado una opción válida frente a los métodos tradicionales, para una evaluación sumativa y formativa. Conclusiones: los estudiantes perciben que el portafolio es un buen instrumento de evaluación para las prácticas, aunque continúa teniendo algunas limitaciones como el tiempo y el esfuerzo empleado en su elaboración.Introduction: evaluation of clinical practical learning in nursing is a very important item because of the feedback to teachers and students on the efficacy of the learning process and on competence acquisition. Portfolio is one of the alternative strategies being used for such an assessment. Its use as an assessment method is seen as ideal because it allows a continued evaluation of knowledge, skills, and attitudes of students, and reflects their learning process. Purpose: to assess students' perception on advantages and disadvantages of practical lessons portfolio use as an evaluation tool. Material and methods: a qualitative descriptive study was performed. Data collection was based on portfolios and questionnaires completed by 4th year nursing students in Red Cross School of Nursing participating in practical learning over the academic year 2103-2014. Results: students consider portfolio to be an assessment method allowing them to know what they have learnt as well as how the learning process has occurred, in order to make an assessment based on real facts. Discussion: such findings are consistent with those found in many universities, where this is a valid option as an alternative to traditional methods, for a summative and educational assessment. Conclusions: according to students perceptions, portfolio is a useful assessment tool for practical learning, but some limitations persist regarding time and efforts needed to use it

Structural and functional analysis of virus factories purified from Rabbit vesivirus-infected Vero cells

Rabbit vesivirus infection induces membrane modifications and accumulation of vesicular structures in the cytoplasm of infected Vero cells. Crude RaV replication complexes (RCs) have been purified and their structural and functional properties have been characterized.We show that calnexin, an ER-resident protein, RaV non-structural proteins 2AB-, 2C-, 3A-, 3B- and 3CD-like as well as viral RNAs co-localize within membranous structures which are able to replicate the endogenous RNA templates. The purified virus factories protected their viral RNA contents from microccocal nuclease degradation and were inaccessible to exogenously added synthetic transcripts. In addition, we have shown that RCs can be used to investigate uridylylation of native endogenous VPg. In contrast to the observation that the virus factories were inaccessible to RNAs, RCs were accessible to added recombinant VPg which was subsequently nucleotidylylated. Nevertheless no elongation of an RNA chain attached to native or recombinant VPg could be demonstrated

FIREMAP: Cloud-based software to automate the estimation of wildfire-induced ecological impacts and recovery processes using remote sensing techniques

[EN] The formulation and planning of integrated fire management strategies must be strengthened by decision support systems about fire-induced ecological impacts and ecosystem recovery processes, particularly in the context of extreme wildfire events that challenge land management initiatives. Wildfire data collection and analysis through remote sensing earth observations is of utmost importance for this purpose. However, the needs of land managers are not always met because the exploitation of the full potential of remote sensing techniques requires a high level of technical expertise. In addition, data acquisition and storage, database management, networking, and computing requirements may present technical difficulties. Here, we present FIREMAP software, which leverages the potential of Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud-based platform, an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI), and the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) wildfire database for wildfire analyses through remote sensing techniques and data collections. FIREMAP software allows automatic computing of (i) machine learning-based burned area (BA) detection algorithms to facilitate the mapping of (historical) fire perimeters, (ii) fire severity spectral indices, and (iii) post-fire recovery trajectories through the inversion of physically-based radiative transfer models. We introduce (i) the FIREMAP platform architecture and the GUI, (ii) the implementation of well-established algorithms for wildfire science and management in GEE, (iii) the validation of the algorithm implementation in fifteen case-study wildfires across the western Mediterranean Basin, and (iv) the near-future and long-term planned expansion of FIREMAP featuresSIThis study was financially supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation in the framework of LANDSUSFIRE project (PID2022-139156OB-C21) within the National Program for the Promotion of Scientific-Technical Research (2021-2023), and with Next-Generation Funds of the European Union (EU) in the framework of the FIREMAP project (TED2021-130925B-I00); and by the Regional Government of Castile and León in the framework of the IA-FIREXTCyL project (LE081P23). Víctor Fernández-García was supported by a Margarita Salas post-doctoral fellowship from the Ministry of Universities of Spain, financed with European Union-NextGenerationEU and Ministerio de Universidades Fund

Treatment with tocilizumab or corticosteroids for COVID-19 patients with hyperinflammatory state: a multicentre cohort study (SAM-COVID-19)

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the association between tocilizumab or corticosteroids and the risk of intubation or death in patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) with a hyperinflammatory state according to clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods: A cohort study was performed in 60 Spanish hospitals including 778 patients with COVID-19 and clinical and laboratory data indicative of a hyperinflammatory state. Treatment was mainly with tocilizumab, an intermediate-high dose of corticosteroids (IHDC), a pulse dose of corticosteroids (PDC), combination therapy, or no treatment. Primary outcome was intubation or death; follow-up was 21 days. Propensity score-adjusted estimations using Cox regression (logistic regression if needed) were calculated. Propensity scores were used as confounders, matching variables and for the inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTWs). Results: In all, 88, 117, 78 and 151 patients treated with tocilizumab, IHDC, PDC, and combination therapy, respectively, were compared with 344 untreated patients. The primary endpoint occurred in 10 (11.4%), 27 (23.1%), 12 (15.4%), 40 (25.6%) and 69 (21.1%), respectively. The IPTW-based hazard ratios (odds ratio for combination therapy) for the primary endpoint were 0.32 (95%CI 0.22-0.47; p < 0.001) for tocilizumab, 0.82 (0.71-1.30; p 0.82) for IHDC, 0.61 (0.43-0.86; p 0.006) for PDC, and 1.17 (0.86-1.58; p 0.30) for combination therapy. Other applications of the propensity score provided similar results, but were not significant for PDC. Tocilizumab was also associated with lower hazard of death alone in IPTW analysis (0.07; 0.02-0.17; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Tocilizumab might be useful in COVID-19 patients with a hyperinflammatory state and should be prioritized for randomized trials in this situatio

Centrality evolution of the charged-particle pseudorapidity density over a broad pseudorapidity range in Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=2.76TeV

Peer reviewe

Aplicabilidad de los modelos de periodización del entrenamiento deportivo. Una revision sistemática

With the development of training, the way in which the coaches structure the workloads was adapted to their needs. The objective of this study was to identify the model that allows greater efficiency and Applicability, based on an analysis of 12.342 references to publications from 2004 and 2005 found in databases, and updated in late 2008. The selected sample, after exclusion criteria, consisted of 103 publications. The methodology used was the systematic review and Size-Effect inferential statistical method, enabling the establishment of an Index of Applicability (IAPLIC). The models of periodization Classical, ATR and Structural Bells showed a �Very Good� IAPLIC and the models Prioritized and in Blocks, a "Good� one. It is concluded that the models with "Very Good" IAPLIC are the ones with the best applicability.Con la evolución del entrenamiento la forma en la cual los técnicos estructuran las cargas de trabajo se ha ido adaptando a sus propias necesidades. El objetivo de este estudio ha sido identificar el modelo que permita una mayor eficacia y aplicabilidad, partiendo del análisis de 12.342 referencias bibliográficas correspondiente a publicaciones realizadas entre los años 2004 y 2005, que podemos encontrar en bases de datos, y actualizados al final de 2008. La muestra seleccionada, tras aplicar criterios de exclusión, configuró 103 publicaciones. La metodología utilizada fue la revisión sistemática y el método estadístico inferencial de Tamaño-Efecto, posibilitando el establecimiento de un Índice de Aplicabilidad (IAPLIC). Los modelos de periodización Clásica, ATR y Campanas Estructurales presentaron un IAPLIC �Muy Bueno�, y los modelos Prioritario y en Bloques, �Bueno�. Se concluye que estos modelos con un IAPLIC �Muy Bueno� son los de mejor aplicabilidad

Student perceptions on portfolio as an assessment tool for clinical practical learning

Introducción/objetivo: la evaluación de las prácticas clínicas en enfermería es una parte fundamental en la medida que retroalimenta a los profesores y a los estudiantes sobre la eficacia del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje y sobre la adquisición de competencias. Una de las posibles estrategias que se están utilizando para la misma es el portafolio. Su uso como metodología de evaluación se considera la alternativa ideal, ya que permite una valoración continua del conocimiento, habilidades y actitudes de los estudiantes, reflejando la evolución de su aprendizaje. El objetivo es conocer la percepción de los estudiantes acerca de las ventajas e inconvenientes de la utilización del portafolio de prácticas como instrumento de evaluación de las mismas. Material y métodos: estudio descriptivo cualitativo, la recolección de los datos se llevó a cabo a través de los portafolios y los cuestionarios de los estudiantes de enfermería de 4º curso de la Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería Cruz Roja (España), que realizaron prácticas durante curso 2103-2014. Resultados: los estudiantes consideran al portafolio como un método de evaluación que permite conocer no solo lo que han aprendido, sino también cómo se ha producido el aprendizaje, para emitir una valoración ajustada a la realidad. Discusión: dichos resultados concuerdan con los obtenidos en muchas universidades donde es considerado una opción válida frente a los métodos tradicionales, para una evaluación sumativa y formativa. Conclusiones: los estudiantes perciben que el portafolio es un buen instrumento de evaluación para las prácticas, aunque continúa teniendo algunas limitaciones como el tiempo y el esfuerzo empleado en su elaboración.Introduction: evaluation of clinical practical learning in nursing is a very important item because of the feedback to teachers and students on the efficacy of the learning process and on competence acquisition. Portfolio is one of the alternative strategies being used for such an assessment. Its use as an assessment method is seen as ideal because it allows a continued evaluation of knowledge, skills, and attitudes of students, and reflects their learning process. Purpose: to assess students' perception on advantages and disadvantages of practical lessons portfolio use as an evaluation tool. Material and methods: a qualitative descriptive study was performed. Data collection was based on portfolios and questionnaires completed by 4th year nursing students in Red Cross School of Nursing participating in practical learning over the academic year 2103-2014. Results: students consider portfolio to be an assessment method allowing them to know what they have learnt as well as how the learning process has occurred, in order to make an assessment based on real facts. Discussion: such findings are consistent with those found in many universities, where this is a valid option as an alternative to traditional methods, for a summative and educational assessment. Conclusions: according to students perceptions, portfolio is a useful assessment tool for practical learning, but some limitations persist regarding time and efforts needed to use it