Análise e utilização de blogs como recurso didático em biologia no ensino médio

Este trabalho situa-se na linha de pesquisa em Informática na Educação, abordando especificamente a análise, utilização e exploração de Blogs como ferramenta de apoio no processo ensino-aprendizagem na disciplina de Biologia do Curso de Ensino Médio. A partir da exploração de Blogs o aluno poderá pesquisar, analisar, refletir e buscar soluções para resolver problemas ao mesmo tempo em que se apropria das tecnologias digitais. Este estudo tem como objetivo investigar as possibilidades de uso pedagógico dos Blogs como recurso de aprendizagem no ensino da Biologia, o qual necessita respaldar-se em materiais concretos, atividades práticas e, em recursos tecnológicos que potencializem a compreensão das aulas teóricas. Uma das dificuldades para a compreensão deste componente curricular é seu conteúdo ser amplamente inserido no mundo microscópio, que dificulta a compreensão do estudante, se não houver um trabalho docente esclarecedor. Utilizou-se, como ambiente de aprendizagem, a tecnologia dos Blogs. Para isso, apresenta-se, inicialmente, o conceito de Blog, suas características, possibilidades de utilização na educação e, principalmente, como ferramenta de apoio à construção dos conhecimentos de Biologia. Com a finalidade de verificar a ocorrência dessas interações nos blogs foram examinados alguns blogs voltados especificamente na área de Biologia, através de análise qualitativa dos conteúdos nele existentes, analisando as características e suas contribuições no processo aprendizagem. Os resultados evidenciaram a possibilidade real de utilização de Blogs de Biologia no processo de ensino e aprendizagem e propõem o uso crítico e criativo dessa tecnologia. Cabe ao professor estar sempre atualizado, capacitado a utilizar os blogs adequadamente. Os blogs são vistos como um recurso tecnológico que enriquece as aulas, tornando-as mais atrativas, despertando a curiosidade, o interesse dos alunos e atendendo os objetivos reais do conteúdo

Impact of radiotherapy and sequencing of systemic therapy on survival outcomes in melanoma patients with previously untreated brain metastasis: a multicenter DeCOG study on 450 patients from the prospective skin cancer registry ADOREG

BACKGROUND: Despite of various therapeutic strategies, treatment of patients with melanoma brain metastasis (MBM) still is a major challenge. This study aimed at investigating the impact of type and sequence of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) and targeted therapy (TT), radiotherapy, and surgery on the survival outcome of patients with MBM. METHOD: We assessed data of 450 patients collected within the prospective multicenter real-world skin cancer registry ADOREG who were diagnosed with MBM before start of the first non-adjuvant systemic therapy. Study endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: Of 450 MBM patients, 175 (38.9%) received CTLA-4+PD-1 ICB, 161 (35.8%) PD-1 ICB, and 114 (25.3%) BRAF+MEK TT as first-line treatment. Additional to systemic therapy, 67.3% of the patients received radiotherapy (stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS); conventional radiotherapy (CRT)) and 24.4% had surgery of MBM. 199 patients (42.2%) received a second-line systemic therapy. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed the application of radiotherapy (HR for SRS: 0.213, 95% CI 0.094 to 0.485, p1 cm: 1.977, 95% CI 1.117 to 3.500, p=0.019), age (HR for age >65 years: 1.802, 95% CI 1.016 to 3.197, p=0.044), and ECOG performance status (HR for ECOG ≥2: HR: 2.615, 95% CI 1.024 to 6.676, p=0.044) as independent prognostic factors of OS on first-line therapy. The type of first-line therapy (ICB vs TT) was not independently prognostic. As second-line therapy BRAF+MEK showed the best survival outcome compared with ICB and other therapies (HR for CTLA-4+PD-1 compared with BRAF+MEK: 13.964, 95% CI 3.6 to 54.4, p<0.001; for PD-1 vs BRAF+MEK: 4.587 95% CI 1.3 to 16.8, p=0.022 for OS). Regarding therapy sequencing, patients treated with ICB as first-line therapy and BRAF+MEK as second-line therapy showed an improved OS (HR for CTLA-4+PD-1 followed by BRAF+MEK: 0.370, 95% CI 0.157 to 0.934, p=0.035; HR for PD-1 followed by BRAF+MEK: 0.290, 95% CI 0.092 to 0.918, p=0.035) compared with patients starting with BRAF+MEK in first-line therapy. There was no significant survival difference when comparing first-line therapy with CTLA-4+PD-1 ICB with PD-1 ICB. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with MBM, the addition of radiotherapy resulted in a favorable OS on systemic therapy. In BRAF-mutated MBM patients, ICB as first-line therapy and BRAF+MEK as second-line therapy were associated with a significantly prolonged OS

Brain metastasis and survival outcomes after first-line therapy in metastatic melanoma: a multicenter DeCOG study on 1704 patients from the prospective skin cancer registry ADOREG

Background Despite the availability of effective systemic therapies, a significant number of advanced melanoma patients develops brain metastases. This study investigated differences in incidence and time to diagnosis of brain metastasis and survival outcomes dependent on the type of first-line therapy.Methods Patients with metastatic, non-resectable melanoma (AJCCv8 stage IIIC–V) without brain metastasis at start of first-line therapy (1L-therapy) were identified from the prospective multicenter real-world skin cancer registry ADOREG. Study endpoints were incidence of brain metastasis, brain metastasis-free survival (BMFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS).Results Of 1704 patients, 916 were BRAF wild-type (BRAFwt) and 788 were BRAF V600 mutant (BRAFmut). Median follow-up time after start of 1L-therapy was 40.4 months. BRAFwt patients received 1L-therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) against CTLA-4+PD-1 (n=281) or PD-1 (n=544). In BRAFmut patients, 1L-therapy was ICI in 415 patients (CTLA-4+PD-1, n=108; PD-1, n=264), and BRAF+MEK targeted therapy (TT) in 373 patients. After 24 months, 1L-therapy with BRAF+MEK resulted in a higher incidence of brain metastasis compared with PD-1±CTLA-4 (BRAF+MEK, 30.3%; CTLA-4+PD-1, 22.2%; PD-1, 14.0%). In multivariate analysis, BRAFmut patients developed brain metastases earlier on 1L-therapy with BRAF+MEK than with PD-1±CTLA-4 (CTLA-4+PD-1: HR 0.560, 95% CI 0.332 to 0.945, p=0.030; PD-1: HR 0.575, 95% CI 0.372 to 0.888, p=0.013). Type of 1L-therapy, tumor stage, and age were independent prognostic factors for BMFS in BRAFmut patients. In BRAFwt patients, tumor stage was independently associated with longer BMFS; ECOG Performance status (ECOG-PS), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and tumor stage with OS. CTLA-4+PD-1 did not result in better BMFS, PFS, or OS than PD-1 in BRAFwt patients. For BRAFmut patients, multivariate Cox regression revealed ECOG-PS, type of 1L-therapy, tumor stage, and LDH as independent prognostic factors for PFS and OS. 1L-therapy with CTLA-4+PD-1 led to longer OS than PD-1 (HR 1.97, 95% CI 1.122 to 3.455, p=0.018) or BRAF+MEK (HR 2.41, 95% CI 1.432 to 4.054, p=0.001), without PD-1 being superior to BRAF+MEK.Conclusions In BRAFmut patients 1L-therapy with PD-1±CTLA-4 ICI resulted in a delayed and less frequent development of brain metastasis compared with BRAF+MEK TT. 1L-therapy with CTLA-4+PD-1 showed superior OS compared with PD-1 and BRAF+MEK. In BRAFwt patients, no differences in brain metastasis and survival outcomes were detected for CTLA-4+PD-1 compared with PD-1

Learning to live together: mutualism between self-splicing introns and their hosts

Group I and II introns can be considered as molecular parasites that interrupt protein-coding and structural RNA genes in all domains of life. They function as self-splicing ribozymes and thereby limit the phenotypic costs associated with disruption of a host gene while they act as mobile DNA elements to promote their spread within and between genomes. Once considered purely selfish DNA elements, they now seem, in the light of recent work on the molecular mechanisms regulating bacterial and phage group I and II intron dynamics, to show evidence of co-evolution with their hosts. These previously underappreciated relationships serve the co-evolving entities particularly well in times of environmental stress

Análise e utilização de blogs como recurso didático em biologia no ensino médio

Este trabalho situa-se na linha de pesquisa em Informática na Educação, abordando especificamente a análise, utilização e exploração de Blogs como ferramenta de apoio no processo ensino-aprendizagem na disciplina de Biologia do Curso de Ensino Médio. A partir da exploração de Blogs o aluno poderá pesquisar, analisar, refletir e buscar soluções para resolver problemas ao mesmo tempo em que se apropria das tecnologias digitais. Este estudo tem como objetivo investigar as possibilidades de uso pedagógico dos Blogs como recurso de aprendizagem no ensino da Biologia, o qual necessita respaldar-se em materiais concretos, atividades práticas e, em recursos tecnológicos que potencializem a compreensão das aulas teóricas. Uma das dificuldades para a compreensão deste componente curricular é seu conteúdo ser amplamente inserido no mundo microscópio, que dificulta a compreensão do estudante, se não houver um trabalho docente esclarecedor. Utilizou-se, como ambiente de aprendizagem, a tecnologia dos Blogs. Para isso, apresenta-se, inicialmente, o conceito de Blog, suas características, possibilidades de utilização na educação e, principalmente, como ferramenta de apoio à construção dos conhecimentos de Biologia. Com a finalidade de verificar a ocorrência dessas interações nos blogs foram examinados alguns blogs voltados especificamente na área de Biologia, através de análise qualitativa dos conteúdos nele existentes, analisando as características e suas contribuições no processo aprendizagem. Os resultados evidenciaram a possibilidade real de utilização de Blogs de Biologia no processo de ensino e aprendizagem e propõem o uso crítico e criativo dessa tecnologia. Cabe ao professor estar sempre atualizado, capacitado a utilizar os blogs adequadamente. Os blogs são vistos como um recurso tecnológico que enriquece as aulas, tornando-as mais atrativas, despertando a curiosidade, o interesse dos alunos e atendendo os objetivos reais do conteúdo

Simulation-based training of junior doctors in handling critically ill patients facilitates the transition to clinical practice: an interview study

Abstract Background Junior doctors lack confidence and competence in handling the critically ill patient including diagnostic skills, decision-making and team working with other health care professionals. Simulation-based training on managing emergency situations can have substantial effects on satisfaction and learning. However, there are indications of problems when applying learned skills to practice. Our aim was to identify first-year doctors’ perceptions, reflections and experiences on transfer of skills to a clinical setting after simulation-based training in handling critically ill patients. Methods We used a qualitative approach and conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with a sample of twenty first-year doctors six months after a 4-day simulation-based training course in handling critically ill patients. Interviews were transcribed verbatim. A content-analysis approach was used to analyse the data. Results The following main themes were identified from the interviews: preparedness for clinical practice, organisational readiness, use of algorithms, communication, teamwork, situational awareness and decision making. The doctors gave several examples of simulation-based training increasing their preparedness for clinical practice and handling the critically ill patient. The usefulness of algorithms and the appreciation of non-technical skills were highlighted and found to be helpful in managing clinical difficulties. Concern was expressed related to staff willingness and preparedness in using these tools. Conclusions Overall, the simulation-based training seemed to facilitate the transition from being a medical student to become a junior doctor. The doctors experienced an ability to transfer the use of algorithms and non-technical skills trained in the simulated environment to the clinical environment. However, the application of these skills was more difficult if these skills were unfamiliar to the surrounding clinical staff. Trial registration Not applicable

Time Trends over 16 years in Incidence-Rates of Autism Spectrum Disorders across the Lifespan based on Nationwide Danish Register Data

This study investigated time trends and associated factors of incidence rates of diagnosed autism spectrum disorders (ASD) across the lifespan from 1995 to 2010, using data from the Danish Psychiatric Central Research Registry. First time diagnosis of childhood autism, atypical autism, Asperger's syndrome, or pervasive developmental disorder-unspecified (PDD-NOS) were identified, incidence rates were calculated, and data were fitted using non-linear least squares methods. A total of 14.997 patients were identified and incidence rates for ASD increased from 9.0 to 38.6 per 100,000 person years during the 16-year period. The increases were most pronounced in females, adolescents, adults, and patients with Asperger's syndrome and PDD-NOS