Edición de videos digitales en la formación del profesorado

Las nuevas tecnologías están cada vez más presentes en la enseñanza de las Ciencias Experimentales y en la formación del profesorado de Ciencias Experimentales de diferentes niveles educativos. Es por ello, por lo que se ha considerado necesario trabajar y llevar a cabo experiencias apoyadas en las nuevas tecnologías. La finalidad de esta experiencia consiste en fomentar un acercamiento al proceso de enseñanza/aprendizaje de las Ciencias Experimentales a través de la utilización de fotografías y de imágenes editando videos. Además esta actividad sirve como elemento motivador para los futuros maestros y maestras, impulsa la integración de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación en su competencia profesional, y además, sirven como aprendizaje de estas herramientas como instrumento de evaluación y autoevaluación

Edición de videos digitales en la formación del profesorado

Las nuevas tecnologías están cada vez más presentes en la enseñanza de las Ciencias Experimentales y en la formación del profesorado de Ciencias Experimentales de diferentes niveles educativos. Es por ello, por lo que se ha considerado necesario trabajar y llevar a cabo experiencias apoyadas en las nuevas tecnologías. La finalidad de esta experiencia consiste en fomentar un acercamiento al proceso de enseñanza/aprendizaje de las Ciencias Experimentales a través de la utilización de fotografías y de imágenes editando videos. Además esta actividad sirve como elemento motivador para los futuros maestros y maestras, impulsa la integración de las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación en su competencia profesional, y además, sirven como aprendizaje de estas herramientas como instrumento de evaluación y autoevaluación

Identifying conserved polychaete molecular markers of metal exposure: comparative analyses using the Alitta virens (Annelida, Lophotrochozoa) transcriptome

Polychaetes are vital for evaluating the effects of toxic metals in marine systems, and sensitive molecular biomarkers should be integral to monitoring efforts. However, the few polychaete markers that exist are inconsistent, even within the same species, failing to identify gene expression changes in metal-exposed animals incurring clear metabolic costs. Comparing previously characterised polychaete metal-responsive genes with those of another carefully selected species could identify biomarkers applicable across polychaetes. The ragworm Alitta virens (Sars, 1835) is particularly suited for such comparisons due to its dominance of fully saline coastal areas, widespread distribution, large biomass, and its phylogenetic position relative to other polychaete ‘omic’ resources. A transcriptome atlas for A. virens was generated and an RNASeq-qPCR screening approach was used to characterise the response to chronic exposures of environmentally relevant concentrations of copper and zinc in controlled mesocosms. Genes presenting dramatic expression changes in A. virens were compared with known metal-responsive genes in other polychaetes to identify new possible biomarkers and assess those currently used. This revealed some current markers should probably be abandoned (e.g. Atox1), while others, such as GST-Omega, should be used with caution, as different polychaete species appear to upregulate distinct GST-Omega orthologues. In addition, the comparisons give some indication of genes that are induced by metal exposure across phylogenetically divergent polychaetes, including a suite of haemoglobin subunits and linker chains that could play conserved roles in metal-stress response. Although such newly identified markers need further characterisation, they offer alternatives to current markers that are plainly insufficient

Pediatric Cushing disease: disparities in disease severity and outcomes in the Hispanic and African-American populations.

BackgroundLittle is known about the contribution of racial and socioeconomic disparities to severity and outcomes in children with Cushing disease (CD).MethodsA total of 129 children with CD, 45 Hispanic/Latino or African-American (HI/AA) and 84 non-Hispanic White (non-HW), were included in this study. A 10-point index for rating severity (CD severity) incorporated the degree of hypercortisolemia, glucose tolerance, hypertension, anthropomorphic measurements, disease duration, and tumor characteristics. Race, ethnicity, age, gender, local obesity prevalence, estimated median income, and access to care were assessed in regression analyses of CD severity.ResultsThe mean CD severity in the HI/AA group was worse than that in the non-HW group (4.9±2.0 vs. 4.1±1.9, P=0.023); driving factors included higher cortisol levels and larger tumor size. Multiple regression models confirmed that race (P=0.027) and older age (P=0.014) were the most important predictors of worse CD severity. When followed up a median of 2.3 years after surgery, the relative risk for persistent CD combined with recurrence was 2.8 times higher in the HI/AA group compared with that in the non-HW group (95% confidence interval: 1.2-6.5).ConclusionOur data show that the driving forces for the discrepancy in severity of CD are older age and race/ethnicity. Importantly, the risk for persistent and recurrent CD was higher in minority children

Off-target stoichiometric binding identified from toxicogenomics explains why some species are more sensitive than others to a widely used neonicotinoid

Neonicotinoids are currently licensed for use in 120 countries, making accurate nontarget species sensitivity predictions critical. Unfortunately, such predictions are fraught with uncertainty, as sensitivity is extrapolated from only a few test species and neonicotinoid sensitivities can differ greatly between closely related taxa. Combining classical toxicology with de novo toxicogenomics could greatly improve sensitivity predictions and identify unexpectedly susceptible species. We show that there is a >30-fold differential species sensitivity (DSS) for the neonicotinoid imidacloprid between five earthworm species, a critical nontarget taxon. This variation could not be explained by differential toxicokinetics. Furthermore, comparing key motif expression in subunit genes of the classical nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) target predicts only minor differences in the ligand binding domains (LBDs). In contrast, predicted dissimilarities in LBDs do occur in the highly expressed but nonclassical targets, acetylcholine binding proteins (AChBPs). Critically, the predicted AChBP divergence is capable of explaining DSS. We propose that high expression levels of putative nonsynaptic AChBPs with high imidacloprid affinities reduce imidacloprid binding to critical nAChRs involved in vital synaptic neurotransmission. This study provides a clear example of how pragmatic interrogation of key motif expression in complex multisubunit receptors can predict observed DSS, thereby informing sensitivity predictions for essential nontarget species

Lignocellulose degradation mechanisms across the Tree of Life.

Organisms use diverse mechanisms involving multiple complementary enzymes, particularly glycoside hydrolases (GHs), to deconstruct lignocellulose. Lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) produced by bacteria and fungi facilitate deconstruction as does the Fenton chemistry of brown-rot fungi. Lignin depolymerisation is achieved by white-rot fungi and certain bacteria, using peroxidases and laccases. Meta-omics is now revealing the complexity of prokaryotic degradative activity in lignocellulose-rich environments. Protists from termite guts and some oomycetes produce multiple lignocellulolytic enzymes. Lignocellulose-consuming animals secrete some GHs, but most harbour a diverse enzyme-secreting gut microflora in a mutualism that is particularly complex in termites. Shipworms however, house GH-secreting and LPMO-secreting bacteria separate from the site of digestion and the isopod Limnoria relies on endogenous enzymes alone. The omics revolution is identifying many novel enzymes and paradigms for biomass deconstruction, but more emphasis on function is required, particularly for enzyme cocktails, in which LPMOs may play an important role.The work of the teams at York, Portsmouth and Cambridge on development of ideas expressed in this review was supported by grants from BBSRC (BB/H531543/1, BB/L001926/1, BB/1018492/1, BB/K020358/1). The workshop was supported by a US Partnering grant from BBSRC (BB/G016208/1) to Cragg and a BBSRC/FAPESP grant to Bruce (BB/1018492/1). Watts was supported by Marie Curie FP7-RG 276948. Goodell acknowledges support from USDA Hatch Project S-1041 VA-136288. Distel acknowledges support from NSF Award IOS1442759 and NIH Award Number U19 TW008163. Beckham thanks the US Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office for funding. We appreciated the hospitality of the Linnean Society in allowing us to meet in inspirational surroundings under portraits of Linnaeus, Darwin and Wallace.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Elsevier via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpa.2015.10.01

Adult Patients with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Have Elevated Blood Pressure but Otherwise a Normal Cardiovascular Risk Profile

Contains fulltext : 96615.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)OBJECTIVE: Treatment with glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids has changed congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) from a fatal to a chronic lifelong disease. Long-term treatment, in particular the chronic (over-)treatment with glucocorticoids, may have an adverse effect on the cardiovascular risk profile in adult CAH patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cardiovascular risk profile of adult CAH patients. DESIGN: Case-control study. PATIENTS AND MEASUREMENTS: In this case-control study the cardiovascular risk profile of 27 adult CAH patients and 27 controls, matched for age, sex and body mass index was evaluated by measuring ambulatory 24-hour blood pressure, insulin sensitivity (HOMA-IR), lipid profiles, albuminuria and circulating cardiovascular risk markers (PAI-1, tPA, uPA, tPA/PAI-1 complex, hsCRP, adiponectin, IL-6, IL-18 and leptin). RESULTS: 24-Hour systolic (126.3 mmHg+/-15.5 vs 124.8 mmHg+/-15.1 in controls, P = 0.019) and diastolic (76.4 mmHg+/-12.7 vs 73.5 mmHg+/-12.4 in controls, P<0.001) blood pressure was significantly elevated in CAH patients compared to the control population. CAH patients had higher HDL cholesterol levels (P<0.01), lower hsCRP levels (P = 0.03) and there was a trend toward elevated adiponectin levels compared to controls. Other cardiovascular risk factors were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Adult CAH patients have higher ambulatory blood pressure compared to healthy matched controls. Other cardiovascular risk markers did not differ, while HDL-cholesterol, hsCRP and adiponectin levels tended to be more favorable

Pituitary tumor transforming gene-1 haplotypes and risk of pituitary adenoma: a case-control study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It has been suggested that pituitary adenoma results from accumulation of multiple genetic and/or epigenetic aberrations, which may be identified through association studies. As pituitary tumor transforming gene-1 (<it>PTTG1</it>)/securin plays a critical role in promoting genomic instability in pituitary neoplasia, the present study explored the association of <it>PTTG1 </it>haplotypes with the risk of pituitary adenoma.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We genotyped five <it>PTTG1 </it>haplotype-tagging SNPs (htSNP) by PCR-RFLP assays in a case-control study, which included 280 Han Chinese patients diagnosed with pituitary adenoma and 280 age-, gender- and geographically matched Han Chinese controls. Haplotypes were reconstructed according to the genotyping data and linkage disequilibrium status of the htSNPs.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>No significant differences in allele and genotype frequencies of the htSNPs were observed between pituitary adenoma patients and controls, indicating that none of the individual <it>PTTG1 </it>SNPs examined in this study is associated with the risk of pituitary adenoma. In addition, no significant association was detected between the reconstructed <it>PTTG1 </it>haplotypes and pituitary adenoma cases or the controls.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Though no significant association was found between <it>PTTG1 </it>haplotypes and the risk of pituitary adenoma, this is the first report on the association of individual <it>PTTG1 </it>SNPs or <it>PTTG1 </it>haplotypes with the risk of pituitary adenoma based on a solid study; it will provide an important reference for future studies on the association between genetic alterations in <it>PTTG1 </it>and the risk of pituitary adenoma or other tumors.</p

Recent advances in understanding Cushing disease: resistance to glucocorticoid negative feedback and somatic USP8 mutations

Cushing’s disease is a rare disease with a characteristic phenotype due to significant hypercortisolism driven by over-secretion of adrenocorticotropic hormone and to high morbidity and mortality if untreated. It is caused by a corticotroph adenoma of the pituitary, but the exact mechanisms leading to tumorigenesis are not clear. Recent advances in molecular biology such as the discovery of somatic mutations of the ubiquitin-specific peptidase 8 (USP8) gene allow new insights into the pathogenesis, which could be translated into exciting and much-needed therapeutic applications