Reconstructing Holocene evolution in the archaelogical site of Campo Lameiro (NW Spain): an interdisciplinary approach to geoarchaeology

Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia – Programa FAACUniversidade de Coimbra. Faculdade de Letras. Departamento de GeografiaCâmara Municipal de CoimbraDelt

Calidad docente percibida, motivación y rendimiento académico en estudiantes universitarios

52 p.¿Son de calidad los instrumentos que miden calidad docente? El interés internacional sobre el estudio de la calidad docente en los últimos 90 años ha ido creciendo hasta superar las 2000 publicaciones (Shao, Anderson y Newsome, 2007). La siguiente investigación, tiene como objetivo general la creación y validación de una herramienta de evaluación docente percibida basada en el modelo de Brady y Cronin (Brady y Cronin, 2001; Shih, Martínez, y Garrido, 2011), el cual esquematiza la calidad percibida de un servicio en función de: a) la interacción personal, b) el ambiente físico y c) la calidad del producto. El modelo se complementa con la variable motivación entendida como un conjunto de procesos que involucran la dirección, activación y persistencia de una conducta a través del tiempo además de considerar la taxonomía clásica intrínseca y extrínseca (Pekrun, 1992; Sánchez y Pina, 2011). Con esta variable veremos de qué manera la motivación intrínseca o extrínseca, interfieren en como el alumno universitario evalúa a sus profesores.Para esta investigación se utilizó una muestra de alumnos de dos universidades de la región del Maule, una universidad Privada, Universidad Autónoma de Chile sede Talca y otra estatal, Universidad de Talca. La muestra consta de un total de 418 alumnos, 210 de la institución privada y 208 de la institución estatal.Finalmente, nuestras variables criterio son rendimiento académico, además de la variable involucramiento referido al contexto educativo, lo que finalmente nos permitió obtener resultados positivos entre cada una de las variables de estudio y lograr un instrumento con adecuados índices de fiabilidad y validez.Palabras claves: Calidad Docente, Calidad Percibida, Motivación, Rendimiento Académic

Migración y salud en zonas fronterizas: informe comparativo sobre cinco fronteras seleccionadas

Incluye BibliografíaLa población migrante en Latinoamérica y el Caribe se ha incrementado significativamente desde los años noventa. Una gran parte de esta población, en su mayoría joven y con una participación cada vez más numerosa de mujeres, está sujeta a condiciones de alta vulnerabilidad (Pellegrino, 2003). A la vez, existen grandes vacíos en cuanto a la información disponible sobre dinámicas migratorias, características sociodemográficas y acceso y barreras a los servicios de salud sexual y reproductiva, entre otros, particularmente en las zonas fronterizas.En este marco, la Oficina Regional para América Latina y el Caribe del Fondo de Población de las Naciones Unidas (UNFPA-LACRO) ha identificado la necesidad de realizar una investigación que permita dar cuenta de la situación de los derechos humanos de la población que se moviliza en diferentes zonas de frontera en América Latina, centrándose en las condiciones de salud y en especial la salud sexual y reproductiva de la población migrante en dichas zonas, con enfoque de género y generacional. Para ello, UNFPA-LACRO ha promovido esta investigación que incluye 10 países de la región, y cuyo objetivo es generar y recopilar información sociodemográfica, sobre las migraciones en América Latina, que contribuyan a la toma de decisiones y formulación de políticas públicas que coadyuven al respeto de los derechos humanos de los migrantes, y en especial que incluyan el acceso a servicios básicos de salud y salud sexual y reproductiva y protección contra la violencia, principalmente de la población joven y de las mujeres, todo ello, desde una perspectiva de género e intergeneracional (UNFPA-AECI, 2007). Al respecto, LACRO ha realizado una extensa labor de coordinación con los múltiples actores involucrados en esta iniciativa, asegurando que existan sinergias entre las actividades de la División de Población de la CEPAL (CELADE), las oficinas de UNFPA y la Organización Internacional para las Migraciones (OIM). A nivel de país, esta investigación implicó el diseño y desarrollo de marcos binacionales de acción a partir de reuniones de las oficinas de país del UNFPA con participación de contrapartes de gobierno y sociedad civil de zonas fronterizas.Esta investigación incluye el estudio de cinco casos binacionales, donde la migración de países fronterizos no sólo es particularmente importante, sino que además, define contextos de vulnerabilidad social y demográfica particulares, especialmente en lo que respecta a los derechos humanos y reproductivos. Estos cinco casos de estudio corresponden a los de las migraciones limítrofes entre los siguientes países: 1. Bolivianos a la Argentina; 2. Colombianos al Ecuador; 3. Haitianos a la República Dominicana; 4. Nicaragüenses a Costa Rica y 5. Guatemaltecos a México.Con este estudio se busca tener los insumos necesarios para el diseño de una agenda que identifique las líneas de acción prioritaria y a mediano plazo, como estrategia para la movilización social en torno a los temas de migración y de salud sexual y reproductiva, incluyendo programas de acción y promoción de los derechos de los y las migrantes, y que permita incluir a los distintos actores involucrados (migrantes, organizaciones de la sociedad civil, organismos internacionales, instancias gubernamentales, entre otras)

Stability window and mass-radius relation for magnetized strange quark stars

The stability of magnetized strange quark matter (MSQM) is investigated within the phenomenological MIT bag model, taking into account the variation of the relevant input parameters, namely, the strange quark mass, baryon density, magnetic field and bag parameter. We obtain that the energy per baryon decreases as the magnetic field increases, and its minimum value at vanishing pressure is lower than the value found for SQM. This implies that MSQM is more stable than non-magnetized SQM. Furthermore, the stability window of MSQM is found to be wider than the corresponding one of SQM. The mass-radius relation for magnetized strange quark stars is also derived in this framework.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, 3 table

Removal of bacteria from boar semen using a low-density colloid

P. 272-278Antibiotics are added to semen extenders when preparing commercial semen doses for artificial insemination according to national and international guidelines. However, this addition of antibiotics represents non-therapeutic usage and could be contributing to the development of antibiotic resistance. Colloid centrifugation was shown to reduce the load of bacteria present in boar semen and was capable of removing all bacteria if performed directly after semen collection, albeit with some loss of spermatozoa. The present experiment was conducted with a low density colloid to investigate whether it was possible to separate all of the spermatozoa from seminal plasma i.e. without selection for robust spermatozoa, or whether this would have a detrimental effect on sperm quality. Ejaculates from nine boars were extended in Beltsville Thawing Solution without antibiotics and were transported to the laboratory for Single Layer Centrifugation (SLC) on modified Porcicoll i.e. at a low density (S). A further modification was that a sterile inner tube was included inside some of the 50 mL centrifuge tubes to facilitate harvesting of the sperm pellet (M). Aliquots of all samples (control, S and M) were cultured for bacterial quantification and identification using standard microbiological methods. Sperm quality was evaluated daily. Three of the C and M samples and five of the S samples did not contain any bacteria. Mean bacterial counts for the remaining samples (colony forming units/mL) were as follows: C 259 ± 216; S 30 ± 22; M 33 ± 15 (P < 0.01). Citrobacter spp., Staphylococcus simulans, Klebsiella variicola, Escherichia coli, Myroides odoratimimus, Proteus spp. and Enterococcus faecalis were identified in the control samples. There were marginal differences in sperm quality among treatments, with sperm velocity and linearity being higher in S and M samples than in C at all time points. However, sperm viability, capacitation and acrosome status were marginally better in controls than in S or M on day 0, but these differences disappeared during storage. Conclusions: centrifugation through a low density colloid can remove or reduce bacterial contamination in boar ejaculates without using antibiotics. Furthermore, it is possible to collect boar ejaculates without bacterial contamination by paying strict attention to hygiene.S

A low fractional excretion of Phosphate/Fgf23 ratio is associated with severe abdominal Aortic calcification in stage 3 and 4 kidney disease patients

Background: Vascular calcification (VC) contributes to high mortality rates in chronic kidney disease (CKD). High serum phosphate and FGF23 levels and impaired phosphaturic response to FGF23 may affect VC. Therefore, their relative contribution to abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) was examined in patients CKD stages 3–4. Methods: Potential risk factors for AAC, measured by the Kauppila Index (KI), were studied in 178 patients. Results: In multivariate linear analysis, AAC associated positively with age, male gender, CKD-stage, presence of carotid plaques (CP) and also with FGF23, but negatively with fractional excretion of phosphate (FEP). Intriguingly, FEP increased with similar slopes with elevations in PTH, with reductions in GFR, and also with elevations in FGF23 but the latter only in patients with none (KI = 0) or mild (KI = 1-5) AAC. Lack of a FEP-FGF23 correlation in patients with severe AAC (KI > 5) suggested a role for an impaired phosphaturic response to FGF23 but not to PTH in AAC. Logistic and zero-inflated analysis confirmed the independent association of age, CKD stage, male gender and CP with AAC, and also identified a threshold FEP/FGF23 ratio of 1/3.9, below which the chances for a patient of presenting severe AAC increased by 3-fold. Accordingly, KI remained unchanged as FEP/FGF23 ratios decreased from 1/1 to 1/3.9 but markedly increased in parallel with further reductions in FEP/FGF23 < 1/3.9. Conclusions: In CKD 3–4, an impaired phosphaturic response to FGF23 with FEP/FGF23 < 1/3.9 associates with severe AAC independently of age, gender or CP

Ubiquitination mediates Kv1.3 endocytosis as a mechanism for protein Kinase C-dependent modulation

The voltage-dependent potassium channel Kv1.3 plays essential physiological functions in the immune system. Kv1.3, regulating the membrane potential, facilitates downstream Ca2+ -dependent pathways and becomes concentrated in specific membrane microdomains that serve as signaling platforms. Increased and/or delocalized expression of the channel is observed at the onset of several autoimmune diseases. In this work, we show that adenosine (ADO), which is a potent endogenous modulator, stimulates PKC, thereby causing immunosuppression. PKC activation triggers down-regulation of Kv1.3 by inducing a clathrin-mediated endocytic event that targets the channel to lysosomal-degradative compartments. Therefore, the abundance of Kv1.3 at the cell surface decreases, which is clearly compatible with an effective anti-inflammatory response. This mechanism requires ubiquitination of Kv1.3, catalyzed by the E3 ubiquitin-ligase Nedd4-2. Postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95), a member of the MAGUK family, recruits Kv1.3 into lipid-raft microdomains and protects the channel against ubiquitination and endocytosis. Therefore, the Kv1.3/PSD-95 association fine-tunes the anti-inflammatory response in leukocytes. Because Kv1.3 is a promising multi-therapeutic target against human pathologies, our results have physiological relevance. In addition, this work elucidates the ADO-dependent PKC-mediated molecular mechanism that triggers immunomodulation by targeting Kv1.3 in leukocytes

Influence of the i/d polymorphism of the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene on the outcome of microalbuminuria in essential hypertension

The objective of the present study was to analyze the influence of the I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene on the outcome of microalbuminuria in essential hypertensive patients who were receiving antihypertensive treatment. One hundred thirty-six essential hypertensive patients who were <50 years old and had never previously received treatment with antihypertensive drugs were included in the study. During a 3-year period, patients received nonpharmacological treatment consisting of moderate salt restriction and a low-calorie diet they were obese, with or without a regimen of antihypertensive drugs based on ß-blockers or ACE inhibitors. Hydrochlorothiazide was added when necessary to maintain the blood pressure goal of <135/85 mm Hg. At the beginning of the study and at yearly intervals, systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP, respectively), 24-hour urinary albumin excretion (UAE), renal function, and biochemical profile measurements were made. The insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the ACE gene was determined through the use of polymerase chain reaction. The variables used in the statistical analysis were the measurements at the start of the study and the increase or decrease detected during the follow-up, estimated as individual specific regression line slope values. At baseline, no differences in blood pressure or UAE values were observed among genotypes. Likewise, the genotype or allele frequency was not significantly different between normoalbuminurics and microalbuminurics. After the 3 treatment years, significant reductions in SBP, DBP, and UAE were found (SBP 151.6±17.3 reduced to 137.2±14.3 mm Hg, P<0.001; DBP 96.6±8.9 reduced to 84.5±9.8 mm Hg, P<0.001; UAE 36.7±71.5 reduced to 28.3±78.6 mg/24 h, P<0.05). The slopes of these parameters over time did not differ significantly among genotypes. The slope of SBP was the main factor related to the slope of logUAE (P<0.003). A significant positive correlation coefficient between the SBP and logUAE slopes was observed for the DD patients (r=0.57, P<0.0001) but was absent in patients carrying the I allele (II r=-0.03, P=NS; I/D r=0.01, P=NS). Follow-up studies should be used to achieve a better understanding of the impact of candidate gene polymorphisms on the development of hypertension-induced organ damage. Assessment of the I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene may identify subjects who require a greatly lowered blood pressure to prevent organ damage and to reduce hypertension-associated complications and death.Redon Mas, Josep, [email protected] ; Chaves Martinez, Felipe Javier, [email protected] ; Pascual Izuel, Jose Maria, [email protected]

Bridging the gap: returning genetic results to indigenous communities in Latin America

In response to inequality in access to genomics research, efforts are underway to include underrepresented minorities, but explicit (and enforcing) guidelines are mostly targeted toward the Global North. In this work, we elaborate on the need to return scientific results to indigenous communities, reporting the actions we have taken in a recent genomic study with Mapuche communities in Chile. Our approach acknowledged the social dynamics perpetuating colonial hierarchies. We framed genetic results to empower indigenous knowledge and communities’ history and identities. A fundamental step in our strategy has been sharing the results with the communities before publishing the scientific paper, which allowed us to incorporate community perspectives. We faced the challenge of translating genetic concepts like admixture, emphasizing the distinction between identity and biology. To reach a broad and diverse audience, we disseminated the study results to single community members, cultural representatives, and high schools, highlighting the importance of the history of the region before the European contact. To facilitate results dissemination, we prepared didactic material and a report in Spanish written in non-specialized language, targeting a wider Latin American readership. This work illustrates the benefits of discussing scientific findings with indigenous communities, demonstrating that a collaborative and culturally sensitive approach fosters knowledge sharing and community empowerment and challenges power dynamics in genetic research. Bridging the gap between academia and indigenous communities promotes equity and inclusion in scientific endeavors