Filmed clinical cases improved communication skills of student of Pharmacology in Podiatry degree

Solving clinical case by writing-report lacks of students sympathies and interest in many cases. Make a short film is a novelty that really like to the students and may improve their arguing and planning capacities and their communication skills. Aim: To evaluate the impact of presenting and resolving clinical cases through filming a short-film in the communication skills development and in the learning of medicines in Podiatry undergraduate students. Methods: A two-year study in which students were invited to voluntarily form groups (3 students maximum). Each group has to design and film a short-film (8 min maximum) showing a clinical case in which medicines’ use was needed to treat feet pathology. A camera, a mobile-phone's video editor or whatever they may use was allowed. The job of each group was supervised and helped by a teacher. The students were invited to present their work to the rest of the class. After each short-film projection the students were encouraged to ask questions if they wanted to do it. After all the projections the students voluntarily answered a satisfaction survey. Results: Students of Pharmacology of Podiatry Degree, N=101, 55.6% female, 20±1.3 years old were enrolled. 37 short-films showing a clinical case were made. The average time spent by students in making the film was 12.4±8 h. The percentage of students which were satisfied with this way of presentation of the clinical cases was 75.2%. Conclusion: Filmed clinical cases performed by student of Pharmacology of the Podiatry Degree improved their communication skills.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Convocatoria de Ayudas de la Universidad de Málaga a Proyectos de Innovación Educativa, convocatoria 2013-2015, PIE 13-156 en Área de Ciencias de la Salud

The antidepressant effect of hypericum perforatum extract Ze 117 is associated with reduced possibilities of drug interactions than hypericum perforatum extract LI 160.

Hypericum perforatum (HP) is the most extensively investigated medicinal herbs with antidepressant effect. Differences showed by HP extracts in their antidepressant effect and their clinical consequence of HP-drug interactions have been related with HP extract different composition, particularly regarding to their primary ingredients hyperforin and hypericin content. Experimental data and clinical trials have shown that low-hyperforin-content HP has a comparable antidepressant efficacy in the treatment of mild/moderate depression (1) (2). However, hyperforin is responsible for CYP3A4 induction via activation of a nuclear steroid/pregnane and xenobiotic receptor (SXR/PXR) and hypericin is a P-glycoprotein inducing compound (3), which are the main origin of HP-drug interactions. Changes in cytochrome P-450 (CYP-450) activity could modulate the effect of different drugs. Some of the reported interactions are based on findings from in vitro studies but the clinical importance of which remain to be demonstrated. Two different hypericum extracts, Ze 117 and LI 160, which are differently composed, Ze 117 (0.15-0.25% hypericin, 0.5% hyperforin) and LI 160 (0.3% hypericin, 4-6% hyperforin) were checked regarding their antidepressant-like activity vs. classical antidepressants with and without liver CYP 450 enzyme activity modulation by cimetidine. Experimental procedures followed the ECC Directives and were approved by local authorities. Male Wistar rats (n=6 per group, 6 months old, weight 314±25 g, Charles River-Spain) were injected (i.p. once a day) with Ze 117 (20 mg/kg, Zeller AG), LI 160 (20 mg/kg, Lichtwer Pharma AG), imipramine (IMI) (10.9 mg/kg, Novartis SL), fluoxetine (FLU) (5 mg/kg, Lilly and Dista) or saline (SAL), in presence and absence of cimetidine (CIM) (50 mg/kg, Rimsa) during 20 days. The forced swim test (4) was used for the evaluation of the antidepressant-like effect. The opend-field test was used for the evaluation of the motor activity. The total CYP 450 content of the liver was measure using spectrophotometry methods in liver microsomes. Results are expressed as mean±sem and were compared by Student t test and ANOVA test followed by Bonferroni post-test. The drugs antidepressant effect (reduction of the immobility time) ranking order was: i) without cimetidine’s CYP-450 inhibition: IMI 109±33s >Ze 117 163±21s =FLU165±29s >LI 160 201±234s >SAL 224±17s, pLI 160 144±13s >FLU 171±21s >Ze 117 188±10 >SAL 219±20s, pLI 160 >Ze 117 >SAL, p<0.05). LI 160 significantly reduced the liver CYP-450 total content with respect to SAL (-43.3%, p<0.05) while Ze 117 had lower effect (-25.9%, p<0.05). In conclusion, hypericum perforatum extract Ze 117 shows higher antidepressant effect and lower inhibitory effect of the total CYP 450 liver content than hypericum perforatum extract LI 160. Liver CYP 450 inhibition by cimetidine increased the antidepressant of LI 160 but did not modify the antidepressant effect of Ze 117. (1)Fiebich BL, Knörle R, Appel K et al. (2011) Fitoterapia 82(3):474-480. (2)Singer A, Schmidt M, Hauke W et al. (2011) Phytomedicine 18(8-9):739-742. (3)Mannel M. (2004) Drug Saf 27(11):773-797. (4)Castagné V, Moser P, Roux S et al. (2011) Curr Protoc Neurosci 55:8.10A.1-8.10A.14.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Agency Rescues Competition for Credit Assignment Among Predictive Cues from Adverse Learning Conditions

A fundamental assumption of learning theories is that the credit assigned to predictive cues is not simply determined by their probability of reinforcement, but by their ability to compete with other cues present during learning. This assumption has guided behavioral and neural science research for decades, and tremendous empirical and theoretical advances have been made identifying the mechanisms of cue competition. However, when learning conditions are not optimal (e.g., when training is massed), cue competition is attenuated. This failure of the learning system exposes the individual’s vulnerability to form spurious associations in the real world. Here, we uncover that cue competition in rats can be rescued when conditions are suboptimal provided that the individual has agency over the learning experience. Our findings reveal a new effect of agency over learning on credit assignment among predictive cues, and open new avenues of investigation into the underlying mechanisms

Smart Solar Micro-exchangers for Sustainable Mobility of University Camps

Publicado el resumen en: https://www.wmcaus.org/files/WMCAUS2020_Book.pdf. Pendiente de publicación de las contribuciones en IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering.A significant number of universities have several campuses located in urban or rural settings, or with scattered university buildings that require the use of means of transportation. This implies the mobility and potential displacement of a large community of students, professors and researchers. The use of electric bicycles (e-bikes) is an intermediate alternative between the bicycle and electric cars. It can be an important stimulus for the promotion of the decarbonisation of the University Campus, avoiding the traffic congestion and reducing space requirements for parking. This paper presents the smart solar micro-exchanger model managed through a sustainable mobility web platform, applied to the case study of the University of Malaga (Spain). It is a solar charging station for e-bike, whose design is based on the principles of solar architecture (providing great security to e-bike). It managed by a web platform and app that allows the user to make reservations and learn about the savings in CO2 emissions. The system allows performing an aerobic sports activity without sweating problems when you reach the job. The platform also incorporates a database of quiet and safe routes for e-bike users.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Impact of hospitalization on nutritional status in persons aged 65 years and over (NUTRIFRAG Study): Protocol for a prospective observational study

Background: Malnutrition is a recurring problem that has become more relevant in recent years. The aim of this study is to assess the risk of malnutrition and nutritional status on admission and its evolution until discharge in patients aged 65 and over admitted to medical and surgical hospitalization units in hospitals of the Spanish National Health System. Methods: Prospective observational study to be carried out in the medical-surgical hospitalization units of 9 public hospitals between 01/09/2022 and 31/12/2024. Using consecutive sampling, a total of 4077 patients will be included (453 in each hospital). Variables included are related to the care process, functionality, cognition and comorbidity, risk profile, nutritional status and dysphagia; as well as frailty, dietary quality and contextual variables. The incidence of risk of malnutrition, undernutrition and dysphagia during the care process and at discharge will be calculated. The association with risk factors will be studied with logistic regression models and multivariate Cox regression models. In addition, an analysis of participants' satisfaction with food services will be carried out. The study was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee on 30/09/2020, approved for funding on 02/12/2021 and with registration number RBR-5jnbyhk in the Brazilian clinical trials database (ReBEC) for observational studies. Discussion: Some studies address nutritional status or dysphagia in older people in various care settings. However, there is a lack of large sample studies including both processes of the impact of hospitalization. The results of the project will provide information on the incidence and prevalence of both pathologies in the study subjects, their associated factors and their relationship with the average length of stay, mortality and early readmission. In addition, early detection of a problem such as malnutrition related to the disease and/or dysphagia during a hospital stay will favor the action of professionals to resolve both pathologies and improve the health status of patients.This study has been funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) through the project "PI21/00738" and co-funded by the European Union. The funders did not and will not have a role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.S

Immunotherapeutic effects of intratumoral nanoplexed poly I:C

Poly I:C is a powerful immune adjuvant as a result of its agonist activities on TLR-3, MDA5 and RIG-I. BO-112 is a nanoplexed formulation of Poly I:C complexed with polyethylenimine that causes tumor cell apoptosis showing immunogenic cell death features and which upon intratumoral release results in more prominent tumor infiltration by T lymphocytes. Intratumoral treatment with BO-112 of subcutaneous tumors derived from MC38, 4 T1 and B16- F10 leads to remarkable local disease control dependent on type-1 interferon and gamma-interferon. Some degree of control of non-injected tumor lesions following BO-112 intratumoral treatment was found in mice bearing bilateral B16-OVA melanomas, an activity which was enhanced with co-treatment with systemic anti-CD137 and anti-PD-L1 mAbs. More abundant CD8+ T lymphocytes were found in B16-OVA tumor-draining lymph nodes and in the tumor microenvironment following intratumoral BO-112 treatment, with enhanced numbers of tumor antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Genome-wide transcriptome analyses of injected tumor lesions were consistent with a marked upregulation of the type-I interferon pathway. Inspired by these data, intratumorally delivered BO-112 is being tested in cancer patients (NCT02828098)

Association between convalescent plasma treatment and mortality in COVID-19: a collaborative systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials.

Funder: laura and john arnold foundationBACKGROUND: Convalescent plasma has been widely used to treat COVID-19 and is under investigation in numerous randomized clinical trials, but results are publicly available only for a small number of trials. The objective of this study was to assess the benefits of convalescent plasma treatment compared to placebo or no treatment and all-cause mortality in patients with COVID-19, using data from all available randomized clinical trials, including unpublished and ongoing trials (Open Science Framework, https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/GEHFX ). METHODS: In this collaborative systematic review and meta-analysis, clinical trial registries (ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform), the Cochrane COVID-19 register, the LOVE database, and PubMed were searched until April 8, 2021. Investigators of trials registered by March 1, 2021, without published results were contacted via email. Eligible were ongoing, discontinued and completed randomized clinical trials that compared convalescent plasma with placebo or no treatment in COVID-19 patients, regardless of setting or treatment schedule. Aggregated mortality data were extracted from publications or provided by investigators of unpublished trials and combined using the Hartung-Knapp-Sidik-Jonkman random effects model. We investigated the contribution of unpublished trials to the overall evidence. RESULTS: A total of 16,477 patients were included in 33 trials (20 unpublished with 3190 patients, 13 published with 13,287 patients). 32 trials enrolled only hospitalized patients (including 3 with only intensive care unit patients). Risk of bias was low for 29/33 trials. Of 8495 patients who received convalescent plasma, 1997 died (23%), and of 7982 control patients, 1952 died (24%). The combined risk ratio for all-cause mortality was 0.97 (95% confidence interval: 0.92; 1.02) with between-study heterogeneity not beyond chance (I2 = 0%). The RECOVERY trial had 69.8% and the unpublished evidence 25.3% of the weight in the meta-analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Convalescent plasma treatment of patients with COVID-19 did not reduce all-cause mortality. These results provide strong evidence that convalescent plasma treatment for patients with COVID-19 should not be used outside of randomized trials. Evidence synthesis from collaborations among trial investigators can inform both evidence generation and evidence application in patient care