Art and the development of creativity in the classroom of Early Childhood Education

La expresión plástica es fundamental en la etapa de Educación Infantil, ya que a través del dibujo, el niño va a ser capaz de expresar y transmitir sus ideas, pensamientos, emociones y sentimientos. Es cierto que actualmente no se le dedica el tiempo suficiente en las aulas y no se es consciente de los beneficios que puede aportar en el desarrollo físico, afectivo, social e intelectual de los niños. Por ello, debemos usar el arte como herramienta principal y una metodología activa como es el trabajo por proyectos, ya que persigue desarrollar la creatividad de los más pequeños.The plastic expression is fundamental in the stage of Early Childhood Education, since through drawing, the child will be able to express and transmit their ideas, thoughts, emotions and feelings. It is true that currently he does not spend enough time in the classroom and is not aware of the benefits it can bring in the physical, emotional, social and intellectual development of children. Therefore, we must use art as a main tool and an active methodology such as project work, since it aims to develop the creativity of the youngest

The ABP method: innovation in the classroom of Early Childhood Education

El método ABP es una de las formas más innovadoras y prácticas de trabajar en el aula los distintos contenidos que forman el currículo de Educación Infantil. Este método se basa en aprender de forma significativa a través de centros de interés, despertando la atención de los alumnos. Además, apuesta por un aprendizaje activo en el que el niño sea el protagonista de su propio conocimiento, estableciendo múltiples conexiones entre lo que ya conoce y lo nuevo que desea aprender. En definitiva, va a permitir que el niño observe, experimente y explore su entorno, desarrollando su imaginación y creatividad.The ABP method is one of the most innovative and practical ways of working in the classroom the different contents that make up the Early Childhood Education curriculum. This method is based on learning in a meaningful way through centers of interest, awakening students' attention. In addition, he is committed to active learning in which the child is the protagonist of his own knowledge, establishing multiple connections between what he already knows and what he wants to learn. In short, it will allow the child to observe, experiment and explore their environment, developing their imagination and creativity

Development of multiple intelligences in the classroom of Early Childhood Education

El niño empieza a desarrollar su inteligencia desde el momento de su nacimiento y sigue en constante evolución a lo largo de su vida. Asimismo, podemos decir que la inteligencia que poseemos no tiene límite y por tanto, debe fomentarse cuanto antes, concretamente, desde el momento en el que el niño va a la escuela. Sin embargo, algunos psicólogos y educadores consideran que las personas no tenemos un tipo concreto de inteligencia, sino que tenemos más de una. Howard Gardner, considera que todos podemos desarrollarlas siempre que recibamos la estimulación necesaria, empleando metodologías activas que favorezcan el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje.The child begins to develop his intelligence from the moment of his birth and it continues in constant evolution throughout his life. Also, the intelligence we have it has no limit and therefore, should be encouraged as soon as possible, specifically, from the time the child goes to school. However, some psychologists and educators believe that people do not have a specific type of intelligence, but that we have more than one. Howard Gardner, consider that we can all develop them as long as we receive the necessary stimulation and, we use active methodologies that favour the teaching-learning process

Las orientaciones de meta y los motivos de práctica deportiva en jóvenes gimnastas de Castilla-León

Si en el mundo de la iniciación deportiva existe un aspecto fundamental y destacable, éste es la motivación. Aprendizaje y motivación son fenómenos íntimamente ligados. Cuando se consigue captar la atención y atraer el interés del grupo con el que se trabaja, nos encontramos en condiciones óptimas para conseguir los objetivos marcados por el entrenador. Gran parte de los estudios sobre los motivos de la práctica deportiva se han centrado en las razones por las cuales las personas (especialmente los niños) participan y/o abandonan la práctica de un determinado deporte (Gill y cols., 1983; Gould, Feltz y Weiss, 1985; Brodkin y Weiss, 1990; Balaguer y Atienza, 1994, López y Márquez, 2001, Villamarín, Maurí y Sanz, 1998). Estos trabajos, coinciden en afirmar que hay una serie de dimensiones por los que los jóvenes practican deporte: motivos de salud, afiliación, competencia, diversión y competició

Tolerance to paternal genotoxic damage promotes survival during embryo development in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

[EN] Spermatozoa carry DNA damage that must be repaired by the oocyte machinery upon fertilization. Different strategies could be adopted by different vertebrates to face the paternal genotoxic damage. Mammals have strong sperm selection mechanisms and activate a zygotic DNA damage response (DDR) (including cell cycle arrest, DNA repair and alternative apoptosis) in order to guarantee the genomic conformity of the reduced progeny. However, external fertilizers, with different reproductive strategies, seem to proceed distinctively. Previous results from our group showed a downregulation of apoptotic activity in trout embryos with a defective DNA repairing ability, suggesting that mechanisms of tolerance to damaged DNA could be activated in fish to maintain cell survival and to progress with development. In this work, zebrafish embryos were obtained from control or UV-irradiated sperm (carrying more than 10% of fragmented DNA but still preserving fertilization ability). DNA repair (γH2AX and 53BP1 foci), apoptotic activity, expression of genes related to DDR and malformation rates were analyzed throughout development. Results showed in the progeny from damaged sperm, an enhanced repairing activity at the mid-blastula transition stage that returned to its basal level at later stages, rendering at hatching a very high rate of multimalformed larvae. The study of transcriptional and post-translational activity of tp53 (ZDF-GENE-990415-270) revealed the activation of an intense DDR in those progenies. However, the downstream pro-apoptotic factor noxa (ZDF-GENE-070119-3) showed a significant downregulation, whereas the anti-apoptotic gene bcl2 (ZDF-GENE-051015-1) was upregulated, triggering a repressive apoptotic scenario in spite of a clear genomic instability. This repression can be explained by the observed upregulation of p53 isoform Δ113p53, which is known to enhance bcl2 transcription. Our results showed that tp53 is involved in DNA damage tolerance (DDT) pathways, allowing the embryo survival regardless of the paternal DNA damage. DDT could be an evolutionary mechanism in fish: tolerance to unrepaired sperm DNA could introduce new mutations, some of them potentially advantageous to face a changing environmentSIThis work was supported by Ministerio de Economı́a y Competitividad (AGL2011- 27787 and AGL2014-53167

Impact of sperm DNA damage and oocyte-repairing capacity on trout development

Palabras clave extraídas del título[EN] Zygotic repair of paternal DNA is essential during embryo development. In spite of the interest devoted to sperm DNA damage, its combined effect with defect-repairing oocytes has not been analyzed. Modification of the breeding season is a common practice in aquaculture. This practice reduces developmental success and could affect the both factors: sperm DNA integrity and oocyte repair capacity. To evaluate the maternal role, we analyzed the progeny outcome after fertilizing in-season trout oocytes with untreated and with UV-irradiated sperm. We also analyzed the offspring obtained out of season with untreated sperm. The analysis of the number of lesions in 4 sperm nuclear genes revealed an increase of 1.22–11.18 lesions/10 kb in out-of-season sperm, similar to that obtained after sperm UV irradiation (400 µW/cm25 min). Gene expression showed in out-of-season oocytes the overexpression of repair genes (ogg1, ung, lig3, rad1) and downregulation of tp53, indicating an enhanced repairing activity and reduced capacity to arrest development upon damage. The analysis of the progeny in out-of-season embryos revealed a similar profile tolerant to DNA damage, leading to a much lower apoptotic activity at organogenesis, lower hatching rates and increased rate of malformations. The effects were milder in descendants from in-season-irradiated sperm, showing an enhanced repairing activity at epibolia. Results point out the importance of the repairing machinery provided by the oocyte and show how susceptible it is to environmental changes. Transcripts related to DNA damage signalization and repair could be used as markers of oocyte qualitySIThis work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (project AGL2011-27787

Distribution of DNA damage in the sperm nucleus: A study of zebrafish as a model of histone-packaged chromatin

[EN] Reproductive defects can occur when the integrity of the male gamete genome is affected. Sperm chromatin is not homogeneous, having relaxed regions which are more accessible to the transcription machinery in the embryo, and thought to be specially sensitive to DNA damage. The level of damage in specific genes located in these sensitive regions could represent an early biomarker of damage. Our objective is to test the hypothesis that these more relaxed regions show greater susceptibility to damage in zebrafish, a species lacking protamines and whose sperm chromatin is compacted with histones. After sperm UV irradiation, treatment with H2O2 and cryopreservation, global chromatin fragmentation was evaluated using the TUNEL assay, and the number of lesions per 10 Kb in specific genes (hoxa3a, hoxb5b, sox2, accessible for early transcription and rDNA 18S and rDNA 28S) was quantified by using a qPCR approach. Additionally, oxidative damage within the sperm nucleus and the potential colocalization of this injury with histone H3 and TOPO IIα+β were located by using immunofluorescence. UV irradiation produced the highest degree of fragmentation (p = 0.041) and the highest number of lesions per 10 Kb in all the genes, but no differences were observed in sensitivity to damage in the studied genes (ranging from 14.93 to 8.03 lesions per 10 Kb in hoxb5b and 28S, respectively). In contrast, H2O2 and cryopreservation caused varying levels of damage in the analyzed genes which was not related to their accessibility, ranging from 0.00 to 1.65 lesions per 10 Kb in 28S and hoxb5b, respectively, after H2O2 treatment, and from 0.073 to 5.51 in 28S and sox2, respectively, after cryopreservation. Immunodetection near oxidative lesions also revealed different spatial patterns depending on the treatments used, these being mostly homogeneous with UV irradiation or cryopreservation, and peripherally located around the nucleus after H2O2 treatment. Oxidative lesions did not colocalize with histone H3 or TOPO IIα+β thus demonstrating that the relaxed DNA regions associated with these proteins were not more vulnerable to oxidative damage. Results suggest that accessibility of each agent to the nucleus could be the main factor responsible for the distribution of sperm DNA damage rather than the organization of the chromatin. Lesions in these genes important to early embryo development assayed in this study cannot be used as biomarkers of global DNA damageSISpanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (project AGL2011-27787; AGL2014-53167-C3-3-R), Junta de Castilla y León (Spain) (EDU/1083/2013) and the Fondo Social Europe

Genetic and epigenetic alterations induced by bisphenol A exposure during different periods of spermatogenesis: from spermatozoa to the progeny

Exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) has been related to male reproductive disorders. Since this endocrine disruptor also displays genotoxic and epigenotoxic effects, it likely alters the spermatogenesis, a process in which both hormones and chromatin remodeling play crucial roles. The hypothesis of this work is that BPA impairs early embryo development by modifying the spermatic genetic and epigenetic information. Zebrafish males were exposed to 100 and 2000 μg/L BPA during early spermatogenesis and during the whole process. Genotoxic and epigenotoxic effects on spermatozoa (comet assay and immunocytochemistry) as well as progeny development (mortality, DNA repairing activity, apoptosis and epigenetic profile) were evaluated. Exposure to 100 µg/L BPA during mitosis slightly increased sperm chromatin fragmentation, enhancing DNA repairing activity in embryos. The rest of treatments promoted high levels of sperm DNA damage, triggering apoptosis in early embryo and severely impairing survival. Regarding epigenetics, histone acetylation (H3K9Ac and H3K27Ac) was similarly enhanced in spermatozoa and embryos from males exposed to all the treatments. Therefore, BPA male exposure jeopardizes embryonic survival and development due to the transmission of a paternal damaged genome and of a hyper-acetylated histone profile, both alterations depending on the dose of the toxicant and the temporal window of exposureS

Male exposure to bisphenol a impairs spermatogenesis and triggers histone hyperacetylation in zebrafish testes

[EN] Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor whose ubiquitous presence in the environment has been related with impairment of male reproduction. BPA can cause both transcriptomic and epigenetic changes during spermatogenesis. To evaluate the potential effects of male exposure to BPA, adult zebrafish males were exposed during spermatogenesis to doses of 100 and 2000 μg/L, which were reported in contaminated water bodies and higher than those allowed for human consumption. Fertilization capacity and survival at hatching were analysed after mating with untreated females. Spermatogenic progress was analysed through a morphometrical study of testes and apoptosis was evaluated by TUNEL assay. Testicular gene expression was evaluated by RT-qPCR and epigenetics by using ELISA and immunocytochemistry. In vitro studies were performed to investigate the role of Gper. Chromatin fragmentation and the presence of transcripts were also evaluated in ejaculated sperm. Results on testes from males treated with the highest dose showed a significant decrease in spermatocytes, an increase in apoptosis, a downregulation of ccnb1 and sycp3, all of which point to an alteration of spermatogenesis and to meiotic arrest and an upregulation of gper1 and esrrga receptors. Additionally, BPA at 2000 μg/L caused missregulation of epigenetic remodelling enzymes transcripts in testes and promoted DNA hypermethylation and H3K27me3 demethylation. BPA also triggered an increase in histone acetyltransferase activity, which led to hyperacetylation of histones (H3K9ac, H3K14ac, H4K12ac). In vitro reversion of histone acetylation changes using a specific GPER antagonist, G-36, suggested this receptor as mediator of histone hyperacetylation. Males treated with the lower dose only showed an increase in some histone acetylation marks (H3K14ac, H4K12ac) but their progeny displayed very limited survival at hatching, revealing the deleterious effects of unbalanced paternal epigenetic information. Furthermore, the highest dose of BPA led to chromatin fragmentation, promoting direct reproductive effects, which are incompatible with embryo developmentSIThis work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (project AGL2014-53167-C3-3-R), Junta de Castilla y León (Spain) (EDU/1083/2013), the Fondo Social Europeo and by an EMBO Short-Term Fellowship to SG

Multi-criteria feasibility of real use of self-compacting concrete with sustainable aggregate, binder and powder

Replacing natural raw materials with industrial by-products can increase the sustainability of Self-Compacting Concrete (SCC), although its fresh and hardened behavior will usually worsen. The benefits of increased sustainability must therefore outweigh any reduction in concrete flowability and strength. These aspects can be analyzed through Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) algorithms. In all, 19 SCC mixes were studied. One reproduced commercial SCC (limestone filler and conventional cement), the others were produced with more sustainable materials: 100% coarse Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA); 0%, 50% or 100% fine RCA; 45% Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag (GGBS); and sustainable aggregate powders such as limestone fines 0/0.5 mm and RCA powder 0/0.5 mm. Decreased flowability at 15 and at 60 min, compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, carbon footprint, and cost of mix were all studied. Both the carbon footprint and the cost were calculated considering only the composition of the SCC, without including aspects that depend on each particular case study, such as transport distances. These aspects constituted the decision-making criteria of the MCDM analysis, under which 14 scenarios were evaluated with different requirements for SCC, using 3 different algorithms (TOPSIS, AHP, and PROMETHEE). The results suggested that the ideal choice for fast concreting is a combination of GGBS, 100% coarse RCA and limestone fines, although if SCC has to be transported to the concreting point, then conventional cement should be used. Strength and stiffness can be maximized by limiting the fine RCA content to 50%. Finally, considering a versatile choice, only SCC with coarse RCA, limestone fines, GGBS and 0% fine RCA could compete with conventional SCC. Adapting the design to minimize the detrimental effects of by-products is therefore essential to promote sustainable SCC that is also commercially competitive.Spanish Ministry MCIU, AEI and ERDF [grant numbers PID 2020-113837RB-I00; 10.13039/501100011033; FPU17/03374]; the Junta de Castilla y León (Regional Government) and ERDF [grant number UIC-231, BU119P17]; Youth Employment Initiative (JCyL) and ESF [grant number UBU05B_1274]; and, finally, the University of Burgos [grant number SUCONS, Y135.GI]