El desarrollo de la competencia social y ciudadana en alumnado de educación secundaria con la metodología del aprendizaje-servicio

En la experiencia de innovación docente que aquí presentamos están implicadas tres instituciones: la Universitat Jaume I de Castellón y dos centros de la localidad de Betxí: el Instituto de Educación Secundaria (IES) y la Escuela Popular de Adultos (EPA). Desde la Universitat Jaume I profesorado especializado en la metodología del Aprendizaje Servicio preparó a docentes y alumnado del instituto, concretamente al grupo que participa de un PCPI (Programa de Cualificación Profesional Inicial) para desarrollar competencias sociales y ciudadanas, al mismo tiempo que se les formaba para aprender contenidos relacionados con la asignatura de Educación Física. El elemento motivador del aprendizaje era el poder aplicar los conocimientos aprendidos prestando un servicio a las mujeres, de edad comprendida entre 70-80 años, que realizaban el segundo curso del primer nivel en la EPA. Este colectivo presenta limitaciones en la movilidad articular y la fuerza. Los jóvenes debían indagar acerca de la temática en cuestión y de los destinatarios del programa y diseñar las sesiones que sería necesario aplicar a las alumnas adultas, durante cuatro meses. La fase de análisis y diseño se llevaba a cabo en horario lectivo, mientras que la intervención se realizaba en horario libre. Presentamos aquí los resultados satisfactorios que este tipo de metodología tiene para todos los participantes.Peer Reviewe

Design and validity of a choice-modeling questionnaire to analyze the feasibility of implementing physical activity on prescription at primary health-care settings

Worldwide health policies are trying to implement physical activity on prescription (PAP) at healthcare settings. However, there is not a proper methodology to analyze PHC organizational staff factors. This study aims to validate two questionnaires to assess the self-perception of nurses and general practitioners to implement PAP at primary healthcare (PHC) settings. The designed choice-modeling Google-form questionnaire was sent to 11 expert nurses and 11 expert sports medicine physicians. Experts evaluated each question on a 1–5 points Likert-type scale according to their expertise. Aiken’s V coefficient values =0.75 were used to validate separately each question using the Visual Basic-6.0 software. A total of 10 sports medicine physicians and 10 nurses with 28.4 ± 5.1 y and 16.3 ± 11.8 y of PAP experience, respectively, validated the questionnaire. One expert in each group was not considered for offering 3 ± SD answers in =2 questions respect to the mean of the rest of experts. Final Aiken’s V coefficient values were 0.89 (0.77–1.00) for the nurses’ questionnaire and 0.84 (0.77–0.95) for the physicians’ one. The questionnaires designed to assess the PAP self-perception of PHC nurses and physicians were validated. This methodology could be used to analyze PHC organizational staff factors in order to achieve an efficient PAP implementation in other PHC contexts

Metal abundances and kinematics of quasar absorbers.- I. Absorption systems toward J2233-606

The metal line profiles of different ions observed in high HI column density systems [N(HI) > 10^{16} cm^{-2}] in quasar spectra can be used to constrain the ionization structure and kinematic characteristics of the absorbers. For these purposes, a modified Monte Carlo Inversion (MCI) procedure was applied to the study of three absorption systems in the spectrum of the HDF-South quasar J2233-606 obtained with the UVES spectrograph at the VLT/Kueyen telescope. The MCI does not confirm variations of metal abundances within separate systems which were discussed in the literature. Instead, we found that an assumption of a homogeneous metal content and a unique photoionizing background is sufficient to describe the observed complex metal profiles. It was also found that the linear size L and the line-of-sight velocity dispersion sigma_v measured within the absorbers obey a scaling relation, namely, sigma_v increases with increasing L, and that metal abundance is inversely proportional to the linear size of the system: the highest metallicity was measured in the system with the smallest L.Comment: 10 pages, 7 ps figures, accepted to A&

Escolab: investigadores en el papel de divulgadores

EscoLab (http://www.escolab.cat) es una iniciativa del ICUB e IMEB del Ayuntamiento de Barcelona que brinda la oportunidad a jóvenes de interactuar con investigadores, conocer sus proyectos y participar en actividades a través de la visita sus centros de trabajo. Este estudio, realizado con la colaboración del ODC de la UAB, analiza la experiencia que ofrece Escolab para los investigadores participantes. En general, consideran que el programa funciona con éxito porque perciben que los jóvenes aprenden, se motivan, y mejoran la imagen que tienen de la ciencia. Los investigadoresdisfrutan devolviendo su conocimiento a la sociedad pero también reconocen sus limitaciones profesionales en materia de divulgación científica por lo que solicitan asesoría. Los resultados obtenidos permiten mejorar el impacto y calidad de las actividades de divulgación de EscoLab

Niemann-Pick disease type-B: a unique case report with compound heterozygosity and complicated lipid management

BACKGROUND: Niemann-Pick disease (NPD) is a rare autosomal recessive hereditary disease characterized by deficient activity of acid sphingomyelinase. CASE PRESENTATION: We present a case of NPD type B with a unique compound heterozygosity for SMPD1 (NM_000543.4:c.[84delC];[96G¿>¿A]) in which both mutations that induce an early stop codon are located before the second in-frame initiation codon. The clinical presentation of the patient is compatible with NPD type B. She was initially diagnosed of Gaucher Disease, but her altered lipid profile led to a clinical suspicion of NPD. Combined high doses of atorvastatin and ezetimibe were given to treat the severe hypercholesterolemia. CONCLUSIONS: The pharmacological management of the lipid profile in these patients is important. A unique compound mutation in SMPD1 gene is described

The bright optical afterglow of the long GRB 001007

We present optical follow up observations of the long GRB 001007 between 6.14 hours and ~468 days after the event. An unusually bright optical afterglow (OA) was seen to decline following a steep power law decay with index alpha = -2.03 +/- 0.11, possibly indicating a break in the light curve at t - to < 3.5 days, as found in other bursts. Upper limits imposed by the LOTIS alerting system 6.14 hours after the gamma ray event provide tentative (1.2 sigma) evidence for a break in the optical light curve. The spectral index beta of the OA yields -1.24 +/- 0.57. These values may be explained both by several fireball jet models and by the cannonball model. Fireball spherical expansion models are not favoured. Late epoch deep imaging revealed the presence of a complex host galaxy system, composed of at least two objects located 1.2" (1.7 sigma) and 1.9" (2.7 sigma) from the afterglow position.Comment: 7 pages, 5 figures, published in A&

Physical Activity Adherence Related to Body Composition and Physical Fitness in Spanish Older Adults: 8 Years-Longitudinal EXERNET-Study

Introduction: The multiple benefits of physical activity (PA) compared to the current lack of adherence to this behavior in older people makes it necessary to identify the factors related to its long-term dropout, therefore, the aim of this study was: (i) to study the evolution of behavior change for PA through stages of change (SoC) after 8 years and, to identify the associated factors related to the worsening of SoC for PA. Methods: A total of 714 Spanish older adults (>65 years) participated in the Longitudinal elderly EXERNET study 8 years follow-up. SoC for PA from Transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM), body composition BMI, fat mass, lean mass, waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference (HC)] and physical fitness (EXERNET battery fitness tests) were recorded. A multivariate binary logistic regression model was used to identify the potential predictive factors of worsening SoC for PA. Results: Three hundred and sixty participants (50.4%) worsening their SoC for PA after 8 years. Predictors factors associated with worsening of SoC were: HC (OR = 1.022; 95% CI: 1.001, 1.044), Lower body strength (OR = 0.940; 95% CI: 0.887, 0.997) and aerobic endurance at the 6 min-walk test (OR = 0.997; 95% CI: 0.995, 0.999). Conclusion: This study highlights that we need to identify adults with high HC, lower body strength and lower aerobic endurance to design a tailored PA program. Identifying the determinants of losing adherence to PA will help in the creation, design, and evaluation of exercise programs with the goal of reducing older adults’ drop-outs rates. Copyright © 2022 Jiménez-Zazo, Hernández-Martínez, Romero-Blanco, Cabanillas, Pérez-Gómez, Ara, Casajús, Vicente-Rodríguez, Gesteiro, González-Gross and Aznar

Scientific and local ecological knowledge, shaping perceptions towards protected areas and related ecosystem services

Context Most protected areas are managed based on objectives related to scientific ecological knowledge of species and ecosystems. However, a core principle of sustainability science is that understanding and including local ecological knowledge, perceptions of ecosystem service provision and landscape vulnerability will improve sustainability and resilience of social-ecological systems. Here, we take up these assumptions in the context of protected areas to provide insight on the effectiveness of nature protection goals, particularly in highly human-influenced landscapes. Objectives We examined how residents' ecological knowledge systems, comprised of both local and scientific, mediated the relationship between their characteristics and a set of variables that represented perceptions of ecosystem services, landscape change, human-nature relationships, and impacts. Methods We administered a face-to-face survey to local residents in the Sierra de Guadarrama protected areas, Spain. We used bi- and multi-variate analysis, including partial least squares path modeling to test our hypotheses. Results Ecological knowledge systems were highly correlated and were instrumental in predicting perceptions of water-related ecosystem services, landscape change, increasing outdoors activities, and human-nature relationships. Engagement with nature, socio-demographics, trip characteristics, and a rural-urban gradient explained a high degree of variation in ecological knowledge. Bundles of perceived ecosystem services and impacts, in relation to ecological knowledge, emerged as social representation on how residents relate to, understand, and perceive landscapes. Conclusions Our findings provide insight into the interactions between ecological knowledge systems and their role in shaping perceptions of local communities about protected areas. These results are expected to inform protected area management and landscape sustainability.Peer reviewe