La salud de la información científica

La información sobre Ciencia y Medicina ejerce una singular atracción. Este artículo, tras explicar lo que debe entenderse por alfabetización científica y comprensión de la Ciencia por la ciudadanía, presenta una visión actual del tema desde tres puntos clave: las fuentes de información científica, con especial incidencia en el proceso de revisión de originales en revistas científicas; el trabajo de los transmisores de esa información, sobre todo en la Prensa escrita; y, finalmente, la vinculación del Periodismo sobre ciencia con el público al que se dirige.Zientzia eta Medikuntzari buruzko informazioak erakarpen berezia du. Artikulu honetan, zientzia alfabetatzeaz eta Zientzia ulertzeaz herritarrek zer aditu behar duten azaldu ondoren, gaiaren egungo ikuspegia aurkezten da funtsezko hiru puntuotatik ikusia: zientzia informazioaren iturriak, zientzia aldizkarietako originalak berriro aztertzeko prozesua bereziki nabarmentzen dela; informazio horren berri emaileen lana,batez ere idatzizko Prentsan; eta, azkenik, zientziari buruzko Kazetaritzaren eta beraren helburua den publikoaren arteko lotura.L'information sur la Science et la Médecine exerce une attraction singulière. Cet article, après l'ex-plication de ce que l'on doit comprendre par alphabétisation scientifique et compréhension de la Sciencepar l'ensemble de la population, présente une vision actuelle du sujet à partir de trois points clés: les sources d'information scientifique, avec une incidence spéciale sur le processus de révision des originaux dans les revues scientifiques; le travail des transmetteurs de cette information, surtout dans la Presse écrite; et, finalement, le lien du Journalisme sur la science avec le public au quel il s'adresse.Information on science and medicine exercises a singular attraction. This article, after explaining what is to be understood as scientific literacy and comprehension of science by the citizenry, introduces the current vision of the topic from three key issues: the sources of scientific information, with special incidence on the process of revision of originals in scientific journals; the work of the transmitters of such information, especially in the written press; and, finally,the links of science journalism with the public to which it is directed

Aplicaciones de las TICs en el Laboratorio de Física : Análisis de una experiencia con aplicación de sensores de fuerza y posición

El empleo de herramientas informáticas requiere de un trabajo integral de diseño, implementación y evaluación de las estrategias de enseñanza. En el presente trabajo se realiza la evaluación de una experiencia didáctica en la que se aplicaron nuevas tecnologías en el contexto del laboratorio de física. La misma tiene como eje el uso de sensores de posición y fuerza como medio de adquisición de datos y su análisis por medio de programas de computación. Los resultados obtenidos se triangulan a través de una encuesta a alumnos, de los informes de trabajos prácticos presentados por los mismos y de la observación participante de los docentes. El desarrollo de este trabajo se realizó en el primer ciclo de una Facultad de Ingeniería y la temática corresponde a la conservación de cantidad de movimiento y a las fuerzas impulsivas.Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Aplicaciones de las TICs en el Laboratorio de Física : Análisis de una experiencia con aplicación de sensores de fuerza y posición

El empleo de herramientas informáticas requiere de un trabajo integral de diseño, implementación y evaluación de las estrategias de enseñanza. En el presente trabajo se realiza la evaluación de una experiencia didáctica en la que se aplicaron nuevas tecnologías en el contexto del laboratorio de física. La misma tiene como eje el uso de sensores de posición y fuerza como medio de adquisición de datos y su análisis por medio de programas de computación. Los resultados obtenidos se triangulan a través de una encuesta a alumnos, de los informes de trabajos prácticos presentados por los mismos y de la observación participante de los docentes. El desarrollo de este trabajo se realizó en el primer ciclo de una Facultad de Ingeniería y la temática corresponde a la conservación de cantidad de movimiento y a las fuerzas impulsivas.Red de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Design, methods and demographic findings of the DEMINVALL survey: a population-based study of Dementia in Valladolid, Northwestern Spain

Producción CientíficaThis article describes the rationale and design of a population-based survey of dementia in Valladolid (northwestern Spain). The main aim of the study was to assess the epidemiology of dementia and its subtypes. Prevalence of anosognosia in dementia patients, nutritional status, diet characteristics, and determinants of non-diagnosed dementia in the community were studied. The main sociodemographic, educational, and general health status characteristics of the study population are described. Methods: Cross-over and cohort, population-based study. A two-phase door-to-door study was performed. Both urban and rural environments were included. In phase 1 (February 2009 – February 2010) 28 trained physicians examined a population of 2,989 subjects (age: ≥ 65 years). The seven-minute screen neurocognitive battery was used. In phase 2 (May 2009 – May 2010) 4 neurologists, 1 geriatrician, and 3 neuropsychologists confirmed the diagnosis of dementia and subtype in patients screened positive by a structured neurological evaluation. Specific instruments to assess anosognosia, the nutritional status and diet characteristics were used. Of the initial sample, 2,170 subjects were evaluated (57% female, mean age 76.5 ± 7.8, 5.2% institutionalized), whose characteristics are described. 227 persons were excluded for various reasons. Among those eligible were 592 non-responders. The attrition bias of non-responders was lower in rural areas. 241 screened positive (11.1%). Discussion: The survey will explore some clinical, social and health related life-style variables of dementia. The population size and the diversification of social and educational backgrounds will contribute to a better knowledge of dementia in our environment. Keywords: Dementia prevalence, Epidemiology, Undiagnosed dementia, Population-based survey, Seven-minute screen, Anosognosia, Nutritional assessmen

Accounting for visual field abnormalities when using eye-tracking to diagnose reading problems in neurological degeneration

State-of-the-art eye trackers provide valuable information for diagnosing reading problems by measuring and interpreting people’s gaze paths as they read through text. Abnormal conditions such as visual field defects, however, can seriously confound most of today’s existing methods for interpreting reading gaze patterns. Our objective was to research how visual field defects impact reading gaze path patterns, so the effects of such neurological pathologies can be explicitly incorporated into more comprehensive reading diagnosis methodologies. A cross-sectional, non-randomized, pilot clinical study including 45 patients with various neurologic disorders and 30 normal controls was designed. Participants underwent ophthalmologic/neuropsychologic and eye-tracker examinations using two reading tests of words and numbers. The results showed that the use of the eye tracker showed that patients with brain damage and an altered visual field require more time to complete a reading-text test by fixating a greater number of times (p < 0.001); with longer fixations (p = 0.03); and a greater number of saccades in these patients (p = 0.04). Our study showed objective differences in eye movement characteristics in patients with neurological diseases and an altered visual field who complained of reading difficulties. These findings should be considered as a bias factor and deserve further investigation

Chromatin regulation by Histone H4 acetylation at Lysine 16 during cell death and differentiation in the myeloid compartment

Histone H4 acetylation at Lysine 16 (H4K16ac) is a key epigenetic mark involved in gene regulation, DNA repair and chromatin remodeling, and though it is known to be essential for embryonic development, its role during adult life is still poorly understood. Here we show that this lysine is massively hyperacetylated in peripheral neutrophils. Genome-wide mapping of H4K16ac in terminally differentiated blood cells, along with functional experiments, supported a role for this histone post-translational modification in the regulation of cell differentiation and apoptosis in the hematopoietic system. Furthermore, in neutrophils, H4K16ac was enriched at specific DNA repeats. These DNA regions presented an accessible chromatin conformation and were associated with the cleavage sites that generate the 50 kb DNA fragments during the first stages of programmed cell death. Our results thus suggest that H4K16ac plays a dual role in myeloid cells as it not only regulates differentiation and apoptosis, but it also exhibits a non-canonical structural role in poising chromatin for cleavage at an early stage of neutrophil cell death

Tiempo y Espacio

Es un ejemplar de la Revista de Ciencias sociales de Octubre de 1990Los objetivos son crear un ambiente de diálogo entre el profesorado de Ciencias sociales y ofrecer una información científico-didáctica que redunde en la formación de los docentes (mediante la difusión de proyectos de investigación, teorías, opiniones, etc). El contenido comienza por una aproximación a la Historia moderna y contemporánea en los últimos 50 años; sigue por las materias de Geografía, Historia y Arte en la E.S.O; el modelo constructivista en las Ciencias sociales; reflexiones sobre la Historia en el Diseño curricular Base y la investigación colaborativa. Concluye con el tratamiento de la Historia en la prensa; las fuentes orales y la Historia reciente de España; y una serie de reseñas y convocatorias..MadridES

Prevalence of dementia and subtypes in Valladolid, northwestern Spain: the DEMINVALL study.

OBJECTIVE:To describe the prevalence of dementia and subtypes in a general elderly population in northwestern Spain and to analyze the influence of socio-demographic factors. METHODS:Cross-sectional, two-phase, door-to-door, population-based study. A total of 870 individuals from a rural region and 2,119 individuals from an urban region of Valladolid, Spain, were involved. The seven-minute screen neurocognitive battery was used in the screening phase. A control group was included. RESULTS:A total of 2,170 individuals aged 65 to 104 years (57% women) were assessed. There were 184 subjects diagnosed with dementia. The crude prevalence was 8.5% (95% CI: 7.3-9.7). Age- and sex-adjusted prevalence was 5.5 (95% CI: 4.5-6.5). Main subtypes of dementia were: Alzheimer's disease (AD) 77.7%, Lewy Body disease, 7.6% and vascular dementia (VD) 5.9%. Crude prevalences were 6.6% (AD), 0.6% (Lewy Body disease), and 0.5% (VD). Dementia was associated with age (OR 1.14 for 1-year increase in age), female sex (OR 1.79) and the absence of formal education (OR 2.53 compared to subjects with primary education or more). CONCLUSION:The prevalence of dementia in the study population was lower than the most recent estimates for Western Europe. There was a high proportion of AD among all dementia cases and very low prevalence of VD. Old age, female sex, and low education level were independent risk factors for dementia and AD