Promoting individual and group regulated learning in colaborative settings: an experience in Higher Education

[spa] En este trabajo presentamos una experiencia de innovación docente dirigida a promover la regulación individual y grupal del aprendizaje en estudiantes universitarios que trabajan en un entorno colaborativo mediado por ordenador. Participaron en la experiencia 127 estudiantes y tres profesores de una asignatura troncal de Psicología de la Educación de la Universitat de Barcelona (España). La experiencia se basó en el uso de una herramienta digital ¿ el 'cuaderno de bitácora'¿ en que los estudiantes debían incluir una serie de evidencias de su proceso de trabajo personal y grupal, y del progreso de su aprendizaje, que eran revisadas y comentadas sistemáticamente por los profesores. Se valoró la experiencia a partir de cuestionarios a los estudiantes y autoinformes de los profesores, así como de las calificaciones de los estudiantes. Los resultados de la experiencia fueron positivos tanto desde el punto de vista de la mejora en la organización y funcionamiento individual y grupal de los estudiantes como de la satisfacción de los estudiantes y el profesorado.[eng] We present a teaching innovation intervention aimed at promoting individual and group learning regulation in undergraduate students working in a computer supported collaborative learning environment. Participants were 127 students and three teachers of a compulsory course on Educational Psychology at the University of Barcelona (Spain). As a central point of the intervention, a digital tool --the "student’s log"-- was designed for students to include a series of evidences of their individual and group work processes, and of their learning progress, which the teachers systematically revised and marked with comments. The intervention was evaluated using student questionnaires and teachers’ self-reports, and also considered students’ final grades. The results of the intervention were positive both from the point of view of students’ learning and working processes and from the point of view of students’ and teachers’ satisfaction

Lignin biomarkers as tracers of mercury sources in lakes water column

This study presents the role of specific terrigenous organic compounds as important vectors of mercury (Hg) transported from watersheds to lakes of the Canadian boreal forest. In order to differentiate the autochthonous from the allochthonous organic matter (OM), lignin derived biomarker signatures [Lambda, S/V, C/V, P/(V ? S), 3,5-Bd/V and (Ad/Al)v] were used. Since lignin is exclusively produced by terrigenous plants, this approach can give a non equivocal picture of the watershed inputs to the lakes. Moreover, it allows a characterization of the source of OM and its state of degradation. The water column of six lakes from the Canadian Shield was sampled monthly between June and September 2005. Lake total dissolved Hg concentrations and Lambda were positively correlated, meaning that Hg and ligneous inputs are linked (dissolved OM r2 = 0.62, p\0.0001; particulate OM r2 = 0.76, p\0.0001). Ratios of P/(V ? S) and 3,5-Bd/V from both dissolved OM and particulate OM of the water column suggest an inverse relationship between the progressive state of pedogenesis and maturation of the OM in soil before entering the lake, and the Hg concentrations in the water column. No relation was found between Hg levels in the lakes and the watershed flora composition—angiosperm versus gymnosperm or woody versus non-woody compounds. This study has significant implications for watershed management of ecosystems since limiting fresh terrestrial OM inputs should reduce Hg inputs to the aquatic systems. This is particularly the case for largescale land-use impacts, such as deforestation, agriculture and urbanization, associated to large quantities of soil OM being transferred to aquatic systems

Cap a una educació distribuïda i interconnectada. Algunes implicacions per a la formació dels docents

Podeu consultar el llibre complet a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/164497El nou escenari que configura la societat de la informació i del coneixement amb TIC provoca canvis que comporten remodelar l’educació escolar identificant-la, no com el context formatiu únic, sinó com un context més entre els diversos que configuren l’educació actual distribuïda i interconnectada. Aquest nou model educatiu es basa, per una banda, en reconèixer les trajectòries personals d’aprenentatge, atorgant valor formatiu i interconnectant a les experiències d’aprenentatge que tenen lloc en contextos diversos i, per altra banda, en la personalització de l’aprenentatge, tot donant continuïtat a aquestes experiències personals i prioritat a les que tenen valor i sentit personal per a cadascun dels aprenents. En aquest context cal revisar la formació de mestres per promoure les competències professionals necessàries, en concret les pròpies de reflexionar sobre les situacions de la pràctica i col·laborar amb d’altres per interrelacionar i donar continuïtat a les experiències d’aprenentatge diverses dels nens i de les nenes

Mass spectrometry imaging identifies palmitoylcarnitine as an immunological mediator during Salmonella Typhimurium infection

Salmonella Typhimurium causes a self-limiting gastroenteritis that may lead to systemic disease. Bacteria invade the small intestine, crossing the intestinal epithelium from where they are transported to the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) within migrating immune cells. MLNs are an important site at which the innate and adaptive immune responses converge but their architecture and function is severely disrupted during S. Typhimurium infection. To further understand host-pathogen interactions at this site, we used mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) to analyse MLN tissue from a murine model of S. Typhimurium infection. A molecule, identified as palmitoylcarnitine (PalC), was of particular interest due to its high abundance at loci of S. Typhimurium infection and MLN disruption. High levels of PalC localised to sites within the MLNs where B and T cells were absent and where the perimeter of CD169+ sub capsular sinus macrophages was disrupted. MLN cells cultured ex vivo and treated with PalC had reduced CD4+CD25+ T cells and an increased number of B220+CD19+ B cells. The reduction in CD4+CD25+ T cells was likely due to apoptosis driven by increased caspase-3/7 activity. These data indicate that PalC significantly alters the host response in the MLNs, acting as a decisive factor in infection outcome

PREVALENCIA DE INFECCIÓN EN LA HERIDA QUIRÚRGICA EN PACIENTE GINECOLÓGICA A LOS DIEZ Y VEINTE DÍAS DE LA INTERVENCIÓN POR LAPAROTOMÍA Y CON ALTA PRECOZ

Longitudinal study (two observations) in 109 gynecological patients that underwent laparotomy surgery and patient early check out and that had received training for self-care at check out. With the objective of knowing the prevalence of surgical wound infection ten or twenty days after the operation and to identify the impact of education for self-care. The procedure for information collection consisted of two semistructured interviews, carried out via telephone, where among other questions they were asked about the characteristics of the wound, the person and the place where the cure was received. The prevalence of the infection was found in 10 % of the patients after ten days and in 5 % after twenty days. The relationship between the variable of the infection, person and where curing took place, make us put special emphasis in valuing the conditions of treatment, and the consequences of multi-personal involvement.Estudio longitudinal (2 observaciones) en 109 pacientes ginecológicas intervenidas por laparotomia y con alta precoz y que habian recibido formación para el autocuidado al alta. Con los objetivos de conocer la prevalencia de infección en la hérida quirurgica a los 10 y 20 días de la intervención y de identificar el impacto de la educación para el autocuidado. El procedimiento de recogida de información consistió en dos entrevistas semiestructuradas, realizadas vía telefónica, donde entre otros aspectos se preguntaba sobre las características de la herida, y la persona y lugar donde se realizaba la cura. La prevalencia de infección se encontró en el 10% a los 10 días y el 5 % a los 20 días. La relación entre la variable signos de infección y persona y lugar de la cura lleva a hacer hincapié en valorar las condiciones en que se realizan la curas y en las consecuencias de la intervención de varias manos en la cura de la herida

Combined dynamics of mercury and terrigenous organic matter following impoundment of Churchill Falls Hydroelectric Reservoir, Labrador

Sediments from two recently (40 years) flooded lakes (Gabbro lake and Sandgirt lake) and an unflooded lake (Atikonak lake) were sampled to investigate the effects of reservoir impoundment on mercury (Hg) and terrigenous organic matter (TOM) loading in the Churchill Falls Hydroelectric complex in Labrador, Canada. Lignin biomarkers in TOM, which exclusively derive from terrestrial vegetation, were used as biomarkers for the presence and source origin of TOM—and for Hg due to their close associations—in sediments. In the two flooded Gabbro and Sandgirt lakes, we observed drastic increases in total mercury concentrations, T-[Hg], in sediments, which temporally coincided with the time of reservoir impoundment as assessed by 210Pb age dating. In the natural Atikonak lake sediments, on the other hand, T-[Hg] showed no such step-increase but gradually and slowly increased until present. T-[Hg] increases in lake sediments after flooding were also associated with a change in the nature of TOM: biomarker signatures changed to typical signatures of TOM from vegetated terrestrial landscape surrounding the lakes, and indicate a change to TOM that was much less degraded and typical of forest soil organic horizons. We conclude that T-[Hg] increase in the sediments of the two flooded reservoirs was the result of flooding of surrounding forests, whereby mainly surface organic horizons and upper soil horizons were prone to erosion and subsequent re-sedimentation in the reservoirs. The fact that T-[Hg] was still enriched 40 years after reservoir impoundment indicates prolonged response time of lake Hg and sediment loadings after reservoir impoundments

Effects of external nutrient sources and extreme weather events on the nutrient budget of a Southern European coastal lagoon

The seasonal and annual nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and carbon (C) budgets of the mesotidal Ria Formosa lagoon, southern Portugal, were estimated to reveal the main inputs and outputs, the seasonal patterns, and how they may influence the ecological functioning of the system. The effects of extreme weather events such as long-lasting strong winds causing upwelling and strong rainfall were assessed. External nutrient inputs were quantified; ocean exchange was assessed in 24-h sampling campaigns, and final calculations were made using a hydrodynamic model of the lagoon. Rain and stream inputs were the main freshwater sources to the lagoon. However, wastewater treatment plant and groundwater discharges dominated nutrient input, together accounting for 98, 96, and 88 % of total C, N, and P input, respectively. Organic matter and nutrients were continuously exported to the ocean. This pattern was reversed following extreme events, such as strong winds in early summer that caused upwelling and after a period of heavy rainfall in late autumn. A principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that ammonium and organic N and C exchange were positively associated with temperature as opposed to pH and nitrate. These variables reflected mostly the benthic lagoon metabolism, whereas particulate P exchange was correlated to Chl a, indicating that this was more related to phytoplankton dynamics. The increase of stochastic events, as expected in climate change scenarios, may have strong effects on the ecological functioning of coastal lagoons, altering the C and nutrient budgets.Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT) [POCI/MAR/58427/2004, PPCDT/MAR/58427/2004]; Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation (FCT

Pathways to cellular supremacy in biocomputing

Synthetic biology uses living cells as the substrate for performing human-defined computations. Many current implementations of cellular computing are based on the “genetic circuit” metaphor, an approximation of the operation of silicon-based computers. Although this conceptual mapping has been relatively successful, we argue that it fundamentally limits the types of computation that may be engineered inside the cell, and fails to exploit the rich and diverse functionality available in natural living systems. We propose the notion of “cellular supremacy” to focus attention on domains in which biocomputing might offer superior performance over traditional computers. We consider potential pathways toward cellular supremacy, and suggest application areas in which it may be found.A.G.-M. was supported by the SynBio3D project of the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/R019002/1) and the European CSA on biological standardization BIOROBOOST (EU grant number 820699). T.E.G. was supported by a Royal Society University Research Fellowship (grant UF160357) and BrisSynBio, a BBSRC/ EPSRC Synthetic Biology Research Centre (grant BB/L01386X/1). P.Z. was supported by the EPSRC Portabolomics project (grant EP/N031962/1). P.C. was supported by SynBioChem, a BBSRC/EPSRC Centre for Synthetic Biology of Fine and Specialty Chemicals (grant BB/M017702/1) and the ShikiFactory100 project of the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement 814408

Physical properties of naked DNA influence nucleosome positioning and correlate with transcription start and termination sites in yeast

Abstract Background In eukaryotic organisms, DNA is packaged into chromatin structure, where most of DNA is wrapped into nucleosomes. DNA compaction and nucleosome positioning have clear functional implications, since they modulate the accessibility of genomic regions to regulatory proteins. Despite the intensive research effort focused in this area, the rules defining nucleosome positioning and the location of DNA regulatory regions still remain elusive. Results Naked (histone-free) and nucleosomal DNA from yeast were digested by microccocal nuclease (MNase) and sequenced genome-wide. MNase cutting preferences were determined for both naked and nucleosomal DNAs. Integration of their sequencing profiles with DNA conformational descriptors derived from atomistic molecular dynamic simulations enabled us to extract the physical properties of DNA on a genomic scale and to correlate them with chromatin structure and gene regulation. The local structure of DNA around regulatory regions was found to be unusually flexible and to display a unique pattern of nucleosome positioning. Ab initio physical descriptors derived from molecular dynamics were used to develop a computational method that accurately predicts nucleosome enriched and depleted regions. Conclusions Our experimental and computational analyses jointly demonstrate a clear correlation between sequence-dependent physical properties of naked DNA and regulatory signals in the chromatin structure. These results demonstrate that nucleosome positioning around TSS (Transcription Start Site) and TTS (Transcription Termination Site) (at least in yeast) is strongly dependent on DNA physical properties, which can define a basal regulatory mechanism of gene expression