Estado de la docencia universitaria en inglés y herramientas para facilitar su implantación

El inglés es la lengua vehicular de la ciencia y con el establecimiento del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior su relevancia en el ámbito docente va a ir en aumento. Con el fin de conocer el nivel de inglés y las opiniones respecto a la enseñanza en este idioma, se realizaron unas encuestas a alumnos de la facultad de Ciencias en la Universidad de Alicante. A partir de los datos recopilados se obtuvo una estima del nivel de inglés del alumnado y sus principales inquietudes en esta materia. Los resultados de las encuestas fueron usados para diseñar propuestas que promuevan una mayor aceptación del inglés en las aulas y su integración progresiva en el ámbito académico. Las propuestas de este estudio se espera que ayuden a facilitar la implantación de la docencia en inglés en las universidades españolas y, en consecuencia, a la integración de éstas en el Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior

Aprendizaje de idiomas en el aula: cómo promover la docencia universitaria en lengua extranjera

El inglés es la lingua franca en el ámbito universitario. Por una parte, en investigación, el inglés es la lengua vehicular de la ciencia. Desde el punto de vista de la docencia, el inglés cada vez está adquiriendo mayor importancia con la globalización e internacionalización de las universidades españolas, como por ejemplo, con el establecimiento del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior. El objetivo de este estudio es conocer el nivel de inglés de los estudiantes de la facultad de Ciencias en la Universidad de Alicante con distinto grado de inmersión lingüística en este idioma y las opiniones respecto a la enseñanza en este idioma. Los resultados obtenidos nos sirvieron para saber la situación actual de la implementación del inglés en dicha Universidad. A partir de estos resultados, se diseñaron propuestas dirigidas a promover una mayor aceptación del inglés en las aulas y su integración progresiva en el ámbito académico. Se pretende que dichas propuestas faciliten la implantación de la docencia en inglés en las universidades, lo que ayudará a la internacionalización de éstas

Epitaxy and characterization of InP/InGaAs tandem solar cells grown by MOVPE on InP and Si substrates

The integration of III-V multi-junction solar cells on Si substrates is currently one of the most promising possibilities to combine high photovoltaic performance with a reduction of the manufacturing costs. In this work, we propose a prospective study for the realization of an InP/InGaAs tandem solar cell lattice-matched to InP on a commercially available Si template by direct MOVPE growth. The InP top cell and the InGaAs bottom cell were firstly separately grown and optimized using InP substrates, which exhibited conversion efficiencies of 13.5% and 11.4%, respectively. The two devices were then combined in a tandem device by introducing an intermediate InP/AlInAs lattice-matched tunnel junction, showing an efficiency of 18.4%. As an intermediate step towards the realization of the tandem device on Si, the InP and InGaAs single junction solar cells were grown on top of a commercial InP/GaP/Si template. This transitional stage enabled to isolate and evaluate the effects of the growth of III-V on Si on the photovoltaic performance through the comparison with the aforementioned devices on InP. Each cell was electrically characterized by external quantum efficiency and dark and illuminated current-voltage under solar simulator. The material quality was also analyzed by means of X-ray diffraction, Atomic-Force Microscopy, Transmission Electron and Scanning Electron Microscopy. The III-V on Si devices showed efficiencies of 3.6% and 2.0% for the InP and InGaAs solar cells, respectively

Hypothalamic AMPK-ER Stress-JNK1 Axis Mediates the Central Actions of Thyroid Hormones on Energy Balance

Thyroid hormones (THs) act in the brain to modulate energy balance. We show that central triiodothyronine (T3) regulates de novo lipogenesis in liver and lipid oxidation in brown adipose tissue (BAT) through the parasympathetic (PSNS) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS), respectively. Central T3 promotes hepatic lipogenesis with parallel stimulation of the thermogenic program in BAT. The action of T3 depends on AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-induced regulation of two signaling pathways in the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH): decreased ceramide-induced endoplasmic reticulum(ER) stress, which promotes BAT thermogenesis, and increased c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation, which controls hepatic lipid metabolism. Of note, ablation of AMPK alpha 1 in steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1) neurons of the VMH fully recapitulated the effect of central T3, pointing to this population in mediating the effect of central THs on metabolism. Overall, these findings uncover the underlying pathways through which central T3 modulates peripheral metabolism.Peer reviewe

Trends in the epidemiology of catheter-related bloodstream infections; towards a paradigm shift, Spain, 2007 to 2019

Altres ajuts: Departament de Salut. Generalitat de Catalunya ("Pla estratègic de recerca i innovació en salut (PERIS) 2019-2021"); Ministerio de Asuntos Económicos y Transformación Digital; Red Española de Investigación en Patología Infecciosa (REIPI).Background: Catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSI) are frequent healthcare-associated infections and an important cause of death. Aim: To analyse changes in CRBSI epidemiology observed by the Infection Control Catalan Programme (VINCat). Methods: A cohort study including all hospital-acquired CRBSI episodes diagnosed at 55 hospitals (2007-2019) in Catalonia, Spain, was prospectively conducted. CRBSI incidence rates were adjusted per 1,000patientdays. To assess the CRBSI rate trend per year, negative binomial models were used, with the number of events as the dependent variable, and the year as the main independent variable. From each model, the annual rate of CRBSI diagnosed per 1,000patientdays and the incidence rate ratio (IRR) with its 95% confidence intervals (CI) were reported. Results: During the study, 9,290 CRBSI episodes were diagnosed (mean annual incidence rate:0.20episodes/1,000patientdays). Patients' median age was 64.1years; 36.6% (3,403/9,290) were female. In total, 73.7% (n=6,845) of CRBSI occurred in non-intensive care unit (ICU) wards, 62.7% (n=5,822) were related to central venous catheter (CVC), 24.1% (n=2,236) to peripheral venous catheters (PVC) and 13.3% (n=1,232) to peripherally-inserted central venous catheters (PICVC). Incidence rate fell over the study period (IRR:0.94;95%CI:0.93-0.96), especially in the ICU (IRR:0.88;95%CI:0.87-0.89). As a whole, while episodes of CVC CRBSI fell significantly (IRR:0.88;95%CI:0.87-0.91), peripherally-inserted catheter CRBSI (PVC and PICVC) rose, especially in medical wards (IRR PICVC:1.08;95%CI:1.05-1.11; IRR PVC: 1.03; 95% 1.00-1.05). Conclusions: Over the study, CRBSIs associated with CVC and diagnosed in ICUs decreased while episodes in conventional wards involving peripherally-inserted catheters increased. Hospitals should implement preventive measures in conventional wards

Applicability of probabilistic graphical models for early detection of SARS-CoV-2 reactive antibodies after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in hematological patients

Prior studies of antibody response after full SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in hematological patients have confirmed lower antibody levels compared to the general population. Serological response in hematological patients varies widely according to the disease type and its status, and the treatment given and its timing with respect to vaccination. Through probabilistic machine learning graphical models, we estimated the conditional probabilities of having detectable anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies at 3–6 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in a large cohort of patients with several hematological diseases (n= 1166). Most patients received mRNA-based vaccines (97%), mainly Moderna® mRNA-1273 (74%) followed by Pfizer-BioNTech® BNT162b2 (23%). The overall antibody detection rate at 3 to 6 weeks after full vaccination for the entire cohort was 79%. Variables such as type of disease, timing of anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy, age, corticosteroids therapy, vaccine type, disease status, or prior infection with SARS-CoV-2 are among the most relevant conditions influencing SARS-CoV-2-IgG-reactive antibody detection. A lower probability of having detectable antibodies was observed in patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma treated with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies within 6 months before vaccination (29.32%), whereas the highest probability was observed in younger patients with chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms (99.53%). The Moderna® mRNA-1273 compound provided higher probabilities of antibody detection in all scenarios. This study depicts conditional probabilities of having detectable antibodies in the whole cohort and in specific scenarios such as B cell NHL, CLL, MM, and cMPN that may impact humoral responses. These results could be useful to focus on additional preventive and/or monitoring interventions in these highly immunosuppressed hematological patients.REDCap is developed and supported by Vanderbilt Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. We thank the Spanish Society of Hematology (SEHH) for its support on the study. We sincerely want to thanks the invaluable aid of microbiology services for their commitment in SARS-CoV-2-reactive IgG antibody monitoring in these highly immunosuppressed patients from all participating centers. Finally, we also want to thank the patients, nurses, and study coordinators for their foremost contributions in this study.Peer reviewe

Geographic patterns of tree dispersal modes in Amazonia and their ecological correlates

Aim: To investigate the geographic patterns and ecological correlates in the geographic distribution of the most common tree dispersal modes in Amazonia (endozoochory, synzoochory, anemochory and hydrochory). We examined if the proportional abundance of these dispersal modes could be explained by the availability of dispersal agents (disperser-availability hypothesis) and/or the availability of resources for constructing zoochorous fruits (resource-availability hypothesis). Time period: Tree-inventory plots established between 1934 and 2019. Major taxa studied: Trees with a diameter at breast height (DBH) ≥ 9.55 cm. Location: Amazonia, here defined as the lowland rain forests of the Amazon River basin and the Guiana Shield. Methods: We assigned dispersal modes to a total of 5433 species and morphospecies within 1877 tree-inventory plots across terra-firme, seasonally flooded, and permanently flooded forests. We investigated geographic patterns in the proportional abundance of dispersal modes. We performed an abundance-weighted mean pairwise distance (MPD) test and fit generalized linear models (GLMs) to explain the geographic distribution of dispersal modes. Results: Anemochory was significantly, positively associated with mean annual wind speed, and hydrochory was significantly higher in flooded forests. Dispersal modes did not consistently show significant associations with the availability of resources for constructing zoochorous fruits. A lower dissimilarity in dispersal modes, resulting from a higher dominance of endozoochory, occurred in terra-firme forests (excluding podzols) compared to flooded forests. Main conclusions: The disperser-availability hypothesis was well supported for abiotic dispersal modes (anemochory and hydrochory). The availability of resources for constructing zoochorous fruits seems an unlikely explanation for the distribution of dispersal modes in Amazonia. The association between frugivores and the proportional abundance of zoochory requires further research, as tree recruitment not only depends on dispersal vectors but also on conditions that favour or limit seedling recruitment across forest types

Geography and ecology shape the phylogenetic composition of Amazonian tree communities

AimAmazonia hosts more tree species from numerous evolutionary lineages, both young and ancient, than any other biogeographic region. Previous studies have shown that tree lineages colonized multiple edaphic environments and dispersed widely across Amazonia, leading to a hypothesis, which we test, that lineages should not be strongly associated with either geographic regions or edaphic forest types.LocationAmazonia.TaxonAngiosperms (Magnoliids; Monocots; Eudicots).MethodsData for the abundance of 5082 tree species in 1989 plots were combined with a mega-phylogeny. We applied evolutionary ordination to assess how phylogenetic composition varies across Amazonia. We used variation partitioning and Moran's eigenvector maps (MEM) to test and quantify the separate and joint contributions of spatial and environmental variables to explain the phylogenetic composition of plots. We tested the indicator value of lineages for geographic regions and edaphic forest types and mapped associations onto the phylogeny.ResultsIn the terra firme and várzea forest types, the phylogenetic composition varies by geographic region, but the igapó and white-sand forest types retain a unique evolutionary signature regardless of region. Overall, we find that soil chemistry, climate and topography explain 24% of the variation in phylogenetic composition, with 79% of that variation being spatially structured (R2 = 19% overall for combined spatial/environmental effects). The phylogenetic composition also shows substantial spatial patterns not related to the environmental variables we quantified (R2 = 28%). A greater number of lineages were significant indicators of geographic regions than forest types.Main ConclusionNumerous tree lineages, including some ancient ones (>66 Ma), show strong associations with geographic regions and edaphic forest types of Amazonia. This shows that specialization in specific edaphic environments has played a long-standing role in the evolutionary assembly of Amazonian forests. Furthermore, many lineages, even those that have dispersed across Amazonia, dominate within a specific region, likely because of phylogenetically conserved niches for environmental conditions that are prevalent within regions

Geography and ecology shape the phylogenetic composition of Amazonian tree communities

Aim: Amazonia hosts more tree species from numerous evolutionary lineages, both young and ancient, than any other biogeographic region. Previous studies have shown that tree lineages colonized multiple edaphic environments and dispersed widely across Amazonia, leading to a hypothesis, which we test, that lineages should not be strongly associated with either geographic regions or edaphic forest types. Location: Amazonia. Taxon: Angiosperms (Magnoliids; Monocots; Eudicots). Methods: Data for the abundance of 5082 tree species in 1989 plots were combined with a mega-phylogeny. We applied evolutionary ordination to assess how phylogenetic composition varies across Amazonia. We used variation partitioning and Moran\u27s eigenvector maps (MEM) to test and quantify the separate and joint contributions of spatial and environmental variables to explain the phylogenetic composition of plots. We tested the indicator value of lineages for geographic regions and edaphic forest types and mapped associations onto the phylogeny. Results: In the terra firme and várzea forest types, the phylogenetic composition varies by geographic region, but the igapó and white-sand forest types retain a unique evolutionary signature regardless of region. Overall, we find that soil chemistry, climate and topography explain 24% of the variation in phylogenetic composition, with 79% of that variation being spatially structured (R$^{2}$ = 19% overall for combined spatial/environmental effects). The phylogenetic composition also shows substantial spatial patterns not related to the environmental variables we quantified (R$^{2}$ = 28%). A greater number of lineages were significant indicators of geographic regions than forest types. Main Conclusion: Numerous tree lineages, including some ancient ones (>66 Ma), show strong associations with geographic regions and edaphic forest types of Amazonia. This shows that specialization in specific edaphic environments has played a long-standing role in the evolutionary assembly of Amazonian forests. Furthermore, many lineages, even those that have dispersed across Amazonia, dominate within a specific region, likely because of phylogenetically conserved niches for environmental conditions that are prevalent within regions

Mapping density, diversity and species-richness of the Amazon tree flora

Using 2.046 botanically-inventoried tree plots across the largest tropical forest on Earth, we mapped tree species-diversity and tree species-richness at 0.1-degree resolution, and investigated drivers for diversity and richness. Using only location, stratified by forest type, as predictor, our spatial model, to the best of our knowledge, provides the most accurate map of tree diversity in Amazonia to date, explaining approximately 70% of the tree diversity and species-richness. Large soil-forest combinations determine a significant percentage of the variation in tree species-richness and tree alpha-diversity in Amazonian forest-plots. We suggest that the size and fragmentation of these systems drive their large-scale diversity patterns and hence local diversity. A model not using location but cumulative water deficit, tree density, and temperature seasonality explains 47% of the tree species-richness in the terra-firme forest in Amazonia. Over large areas across Amazonia, residuals of this relationship are small and poorly spatially structured, suggesting that much of the residual variation may be local. The Guyana Shield area has consistently negative residuals, showing that this area has lower tree species-richness than expected by our models. We provide extensive plot meta-data, including tree density, tree alpha-diversity and tree species-richness results and gridded maps at 0.1-degree resolution