Implicación del estudiante de postgrado en el proceso de evaluación de su aprendizaje

Podeu consultar la Vuitena trobada de professorat de Ciències de la Salut completa a: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/66524La asignatura "Fonaments d’Immunología" del Máster Oficial Interuniversitario URV-UB en Nutrición y Metabolismo es cursada anualmente por unos 20-30 estudiantes. El hecho de tratarse de un grupo reducido permite implementar metodologías que ayuden a promover un aprendizaje más significativo y, entre ellas, la implicación del estudiante en el proceso de evaluación de los conocimientos adquiridos. El objetivo de la presente innovación consistió precisamente en implicar al estudiante en el diseño de una de las propias pruebas de evaluación así como de valorar los trabajos de sus compañeros y el suyo propio. Concretamente, los estudiantes del curso 2014/15 tenían que escoger una técnica inmunológica, lo que les permitía aplicar los conocimientos impartidos en el curso, y desarrollarla en parejas en forma de presentación. Además se les solicitó que elaboraran preguntas test sobre el contenido trabajado. La puntuación de la prueba de evaluación consistió en la valoración de la presentación y en una prueba escrita tipo test sobre todas las exposiciones realizadas. Para calificar las presentaciones, cada estudiante valoró las de los compañeros (corrección por iguales) y la suya propia (autoevaluación) mediante una rúbrica de tres categorías, idéntica a la que utilizó el profesor. Por otra parte, el equipo docente seleccionó varias preguntas de los estudiantes. Las mejores fueron utilizadas para la prueba tipo test, mientras que las de menor claridad, fueron comentadas en clase para aprender de sus errores o problemas de ambigüedad. Se obtuvieron indicadores cualitativos sobre la estrategia docente mediante una encuesta de opinión. Éstos indican que los estudiantes han adquirido consciencia de la importancia de las rúbricas para una evaluación objetiva y de la dificultad en la elaboración de preguntas test, así como del aprendizaje adquirido durante su preparación. Por otra parte, los estudiantes se han mostrado muy satisfechos con la utilidad e interés suscitado, así como de la experiencia globalmente (puntuaciones superiores a 8,5 sobre 10 en todos los casos)

Second International Congress on Chocolate and Cocoa in Medicine Held in Barcelona, Spain, 25-26th September 2015.

In order to further our understanding of, and disseminate the latest findings on the healthy properties of cocoa and chocolate, the International Society of Chocolate and Cocoa in Medicine (ISCHOM) was founded in 2010 in Florence (http://ischom.com/ischom/). This Society aims to gather information and become a forum of discussion and debate on cocoa and chocolate, not only among researchers from around the world, but also to introduce the science involved and the latest findings to the public. Cultural and educational promotion of the benefits of cocoa and chocolate on human health is another of the Society's major concerns. Finally, ISCHOM provides information on developing healthy habits regarding the inclusion of cocoa and chocolate in our diet. In this context, after the first congress in Florence in 2014, ISCHOM held its second meeting in Barcelona, Spain, on 25 and 26 September 2015 (https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/117409/263536/). By means of these annual meetings, the Society pursues the constant sharing and updating of current knowledge concerning the health properties of cocoa and chocolate. The event not only brings together international researchers, but also diverse companies in order to strengthen the knowledge in this field. About 90 delegates from 12 different countries attended the Society's second congress. It was organized into five scientific sessions with two lectures each. The sessions that took place in Barcelona were focused on different topics in order to shed some light on a wide range of valuable effects of chocolate and cocoa on our health. Some of the issues discussed were the role of chocolate and cocoa as cardioprotective agents and its health claims, their effects on metabolism and their own metabolism; the possible role of cocoa as a preventive therapy for diabetes and allergies; its influence on microbiota; and the beneficial effects of cocoa on the nervous system. The opening session outlined the scientific thought on this matter spiced with wit. The congress also included a special session focused on heritage and innovation in chocolate that delighted the audience. Furthermore, two discussion sessions of oral communications also took place. The first session related to assessing the intake of cocoa and its effect, the relationship between cocoa flavanols, cognitive performance and cerebral blood flow; and the effect of other bioactive compounds of cocoa, methylxanthines such as theobromine, and their outcomes on rat lymphoid tissues were ascertained. The second oral communication discussion session concerned the assessment of the antioxidant capacity and polyphenol content of different varieties of cocoa, how cocoa intake improves hepatic lipid metabolism in rats, and how flavanols present in cocoa may confer benefits by diminishing brain damage caused by strokes in mice. In addition, the poster session was exhibited during the entire congress showing state-of-the-art research about chocolate and cocoa in medicine for all the attendants

Disección transcripcional del Locus GH del genoma humano

El locus de la hormona del crecimiento humano (hGH) presenta variaciones en los niveles de expre- sión en algunos de sus componentes hasta en tres órdenes de magnitud. Este estudio comparó deleciones (140 a 3,100 pb) y la fuerza de transcrip- ción de todos los promotores del locus con un gen reportero (hGH-N) mediante expresión transitoria. Los promotores largos tuvieron mayor expresión, paradójicamente hGH-V fue uno de los más acti- vos. Se detectaron tres elementos promotores ne- gativos y se evaluó la activación transcripcional di- ferencial para los diferentes promotores, mediante su respuesta a la acción de hormonas y cotransfec- ción de vectores expresores de factores transcripcionales

Development and validation of a food frequency questionnaire to assess cocoa consumption in university students

Poster presented at the ISCHOM 2nd International Congress on Chocolate and Cocoa in Medicine (International Society of Chocolate and Cocoa in Medicine), 25-26 September 2015, Barcelona

A new food frequency questionnaire to assess chocolate and cocoa consumption

Objective: Cocoa has been highlighted as a food with potential benefits to human health because of its polyphenol content. However, few studies show the contribution of cocoa and chocolate products in polyphenol intake. The aim of this work was to develop a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for evaluating the intake of food products containing cocoa (C-FFQ).Methods: A sample of 50 university students was recruited to complete the 90-item questionnaire, a validated questionnaire (called here European Food Safety Authority [EFSA]-Q) as well as a 24-hour dietary recall (24 HDR). Spearman correlation test, Bland-Altman plots, and quintile classification analysis were conducted together with the Wilcoxon test and descriptive statistics.Results: Significant correlations between the C-FFQ and the EFSA-Q for the most common cocoa/chocolate products were observed (P < 0.05), as well as between data from the C-FFQ and 24 HDR (P < 0.05). However, a number of cocoa/chocolate products frequently consumed by the participants were detected by the C-FFQ and 24 HDR which were not included in the EFSA-Q. According to the C-FFQ, chocolate bars were the main source of cocoa in university students, but dairy products also provided an important amount of cocoa.Conclusion: The developed C-FFQ questionnaire can be considered as a valid option for assessing the consumption frequency of cocoa/chocolate-derived products, thereby allowing the evaluation of cocoa polyphenol intake in further studies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A new Food Frequency Questionnaire to assess chocolate and cocoa consumption

Objective Cocoa has been highlighted as a food with potential benefits to human health because of its polyphenol content. However, few studies show the contribution of cocoa and chocolate products in polyphenol intake. The aim of this work was to develop a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) for evaluating the intake of food products containing cocoa (C-FFQ). Methods A sample of 50 university students was recruited to complete the 90-item questionnaire, a validated questionnaire (called here European Food Safety Authority [EFSA]-Q) as well as a 24-hour dietary recall (24 HDR). Spearman correlation test, Bland-Altman plots, and quintile classification analysis were conducted together with the Wilcoxon test and descriptive statistics. Results Significant correlations between the C-FFQ and the EFSA-Q for the most common cocoa/chocolate products were observed (P < 0.05), as well as between data from the C-FFQ and 24 HDR (P < 0.05). However, a number of cocoa/chocolate products frequently consumed by the participants were detected by the C-FFQ and 24 HDR which were not included in the EFSA-Q. According to the C-FFQ, chocolate bars were the main source of cocoa in university students, but dairy products also provided an important amount of cocoa. Conclusion The developed C-FFQ questionnaire can be considered as a valid option for assessing the consumption frequency of cocoa/chocolate-derived products, thereby allowing the evaluation of cocoa polyphenol intake in further studies

In vitro and in vivo effects of lutein against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity

This is peer reviewed version of the following article Experimental and Toxicologic Pathology 68.4 (2016): 197-204, which has been published in final form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.etp.2016.01.003Introduction: Cisplatin is a commonly prescribed drug that produces ototoxicity as a side effect. Lutein is a carotenoid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties previously tested for eye, heart and skin diseases but not evaluated to date in ear diseases. Aim: To evaluate the protective effects of lutein on HEI-OC1 auditory cell line and in a Wistar rat model of cisplatin ototoxicity. Materials and Methods: In vitro study: Culture HEI-OC1 cells were exposed to lutein (2.5-100 μM) and to 25 μM cisplatin for 24 h. In vivo study: Twenty eight female Wistar rats were randomized into three groups. Group A (n = 8) received intratympanic lutein (0.03 mL) (1 mg/mL) in the right ear and saline solution in the left one to determine the toxicity of lutein. Group B (n = 8) received also intraperitoneal cisplatin (10 mg/kg) to test the efficacy of lutein against cisplatin ototoxicity. Group C (n = 12) received intratympanic lutein (0.03 mL) (1 mg/mL) to quantify lutein in cochlear fluids (30 min, 1 h and 5 days after treatment). Hearing function was evaluated by means of Auditory Steady-State Responses before the procedure and 5 days after (groups A and B). Morphological changes were studied by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Results: In vitro study: Lutein significantly reduced the cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity in the HEI-OC1 cells when they were pre-treated with lutein concentrations of 60 and 80 μM. In vivo study: Intratympanic lutein (1 mg/mL) application showed no ototoxic effects. However it did not achieve protective effect against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in Wistar rats. Conclusions: Although lutein has shown beneficial effects in other pathologies, the present study only obtained protection against cisplatin ototoxicity in culture cells, but not in the in vivo model. The large molecule size, the low dose administered, and restriction to diffusion in the inner ear could account for this negative result.Research supported by a Spanish FIS Grant EI 11/00742

In Silico analysis of protein neoplastic biomarkers for cervix and uterine cancer

Comunicaciones a congreso

Informe final del projecte 2015PID-UB/040: Millora de la capacitat comunicativa: adaptació del registre al tipus de receptor

Projecte: 2015PID-UB/040L’objectiu del present projecte se centra en millorar la capacitat comunicativa del futur professional mitjançant el treball i la reflexió sobre el llenguatge a utilitzar per a dirigir-se a un professional del mateix àmbit o bé a un receptor no especialitzat (per exemple, un pacient). En el context de l'assignatura de “Fonaments d’Immunologia” del Màster URV-UB de Nutrició i Metabolisme, els estudiants han seleccionat un tema i treballat en equip els seus continguts. Els estudiants l’han presentat a classe emprant dos tipus de registre i detectant la terminologia adient en cada cas. L’avaluació de les presentacions s’ha realitzat, a més de pel professor, mitjançant correcció per iguals i autoavaluació. A més, per tal de dinamitzar les classes, els estudiants han realitzat a classe qüestionaris en línia amb els propis dispositius mòbils i han obtingut una retroacció immediata a través del seu dispositiu (utilitzant la plataforma Socrative). Aquestes estratègies docents han estat valorades pels estudiants per a conèixer el grau d’interès i d’aprofitament.Es preveia que els estudiants realitzessin una activitat formativa d’aquest tipus per aprendre no només els continguts del temari sinó que també la importància del tipus de llenguatge emprat en la comunicació. Els resultats assolits es corresponen amb els previstos inicialment ja que tant els indicadors quantitatius com qualitatius del projecte reflecteixen l’aprenentatge assolit i l’àmplia acceptació de l’activitat

Short-form measures of diabetes-related emotional distress: The Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale (PAID)-5 and PAID-1

Aims/hypothesis: We wanted to identify a five-item short form of the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale and a single-item measure for rapid screening of diabetes-related emotional distress. Methods: Using an existing database of 1,153 patients with diabetes, we conducted a principal-components analysis to identify a set of five items and then conducted a reliability analysis and validity checks. From those five items, we identified the item with the strongest psychometric properties as a one-item screening tool. Results: We identified a reliable and valid short version of the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale (PAID) comprising five of the emotional-distress questions of the full PAID items (PAID-5, with items 3, 6, 12, 16, 19). The PAID-5 has satisfactory sensitivity (94%) and specificity (89%) for recognition of diabetes-related emotional distress. We also identified a one-item screening tool, the PAID-1 (Question 12: Worrying about the future and the possibility of serious complications), which has concurrent sensitivity and specificity of about 80% for the recognition of diabetes-related emotional distress. Conclusions/ interpretation: The PAID-5 and PAID-1 appear to be psychometrically robust short-form measures of diabetes-related emotional distress.Centro de Endocrinología Experimental y Aplicad