Factores de consolidación y declive de la preocupación por el cambio climático en el discurso editorial de la prensa europea

A pesar de que desde hace ya más de cincuenta años que los organismos internacionales empezaran a advertir seriamente del riesgo que conllevaría el cambio climático para el planeta y de que en 1972 se celebrara la primera Conferencia de las Naciones Unidas sobre el Medio Ambiente Humano (CNUMAH), la preocupación por este problema medioambiental no ha calado en la opinión pública y el discurso mediático hasta hace poco más de una década. La cumbre de Kioto, en 1997, se considera un momento clave en el compromiso internacional contra el cambio climático pues la mayoría de los países acuerdan recortar sus emisiones de gases efecto invernadero y promover energías alternativas. A partir de entonces, tanto ese evento como posteriores citas interestatales y los paneles sobre el cambio climático promovidos por Naciones Unidas han ido alcanzado un eco mayor progresivamente mayor en la prensa de europea. Se trata, por tanto, de un nuevo contenido que se ha ido asentando, no sin reticencias, en la agenda de los medios. Este trabajo analiza el discurso editorial sobre el cambio climático de la prensa europea, en los diarios The Guardian, Le Monde, Frankfurter Allgemeine y El País, como medios de referencia en sus respectivos países, desde la hipótesis de que se trata de cuatro diarios cuya posición editorial es coincidente, en el sentido de que asumen el consenso científico en torno al cambio climático y apoyan el cumplimiento de los objetivos fijados en Kioto. Por tanto, se trata de definir los marcos interpretativos con los que se ha ido formando el discurso editorial sobre este contenido de reciente aparición en los medios con un doble objetivo: realizar un estudio de los enfoques o frames sobre los problemas medioambientales y los actores que intervienen y, en segundo lugar, trazar líneas de continuidad o ruptura entre los valores asociados al cambio climático entre estos países. Se realiza un estudio cronológico para determinar si la presencia de esta temática ha crecido desde 1997 y, en caso contrario, se analizan las causas del su silenciamiento. Se ha utilizado una metodología que combina técnicas cuantitativas y cualitativas de análisis del discurso y se ha seleccionado un periodo de análisis de catorce años, los comprendidos entre las cumbres del clima celebradas en Kioto y Durban (2011). Se trata de una investigación pertinente dado que la mayoría de las realizadas sobre medios y cambio climático (Boykoff y Boykoff 2004, Russell 2008, Nisbet y Mooney 2007; Neverla 2008, Boykoff y Roberts 2007) se han centrado en aspectos relacionados con el tratamiento informativo y técnicas constructivas, adecuación del mensaje científico, etc., pero se ha ignorado el discurso editorial. Esta investigación se ha enmarcado en el proyecto del Plan Nacional del Ministerio de Educación español, titulado: “Comunicación y cambio climático. Estrategias de traslación mediática del consenso científico a la opinión pública” (referencia: CSO2010-19725).Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Herramienta de soporte a la evaluación de la calidad docente de los estudios universitarios

Resumen: El proceso de monitorización y evaluación de un grado o máster oficial se fundamenta en un informe anual ajustado a los requerimientos dictaminados por las agencias externas de calidad docente, ya sean tanto europeas como nacionales, las cuales serán las responsables de evaluar dicha calidad. Teniendo en cuenta que estos informes se realizan a partir de un conjunto de indicadores que se deben recoger a partir de la docencia realizada, se propone la utilización de una herramienta de soporte al colectivo docente para mejorar de forma global la eficiencia del proceso y facilitar la evaluación de la calidad docente. En este artículo, se describe el proceso de evaluación que se utiliza en nuestro departamento y cómo la herramienta de soporte ayuda a optimizar este proceso de evaluación.Abstract: The monitoring process and evaluation of a degree or master is performed by an annual report based on a set of requirements defined by the quality agencies which are responsible to evaluate such quality. Taking into account that these reports are made up by a set of evidences that are gathered during the whole instructional process, we propose the use of a supportive tool. This tool will allow the improvement of the efficiency of the process and will facilitate the quality evaluation. This paper describes the evaluation process employed in our faculty and how the supportive tool helps to optimize the evaluation process

La Agenda 2030 y los objetivos del desarrollo sostenible en las bibliotecas de las universidades publicas españolas

Se analiza la implantación de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible en la planificación estratégica y en las buenas prácticas de las bibliotecas universitarias españolas

Influence of the stainless-steel microstructure on tribological behavior and surface integrity after ball burnishing

Burnishing is a plastic deformation process that reduces roughness while increasing hardness by introducing compressive residual stresses near the surface zone. These improvements will depend mainly on two fundamental variables: the applied load and the friction derived from the tool–surface interaction. Nevertheless, microstructural differences in the materials have not yet been considered within this interaction. This leads to a generalization of the process that can result in the failure of industrial components. Therefore, the aim of this work is to study the microstructural influence of the ball-burnishing process from a tribological perspective. Thus, martensitic and austenitic stainless steels were evaluated in terms of friction and surface integrity. The results show that parameterizing the process according to the tool–surface interaction is critical since improvements depend on friction as a function of the availability of plastic deformation of the crystallographic structures.Peer ReviewedObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::9 - Indústria, Innovació i InfraestructuraPostprint (published version

Comparison of the teaching of digital competences between health science faculties in Andalusia and Catalonia

Introduction: Covid-19 brought great restrictions to face-to-face classes throughout the university system in Spain. In the field of health sciences, face-to-face teaching has been transformed into a virtual format. In most cases, teaching activities could not be prepared or planned, leading to unprecedented challenges for students and teachers, making it clear that some teachers have not developed an optimal level of digital skills. Materials and methods: This descriptive-comparative study aims to analyse the level of digital teaching competence among the university health sciences teaching staff in two Spanish autonomous communities: Andalusia and Catalonia. 561 teachers participated in the study and answered the DigCompEdu check-In questionnaire. Results: The results show how, in general, the level of their professed digital skills is basic, without significant differences between the participating communities. Further, technological mastery appears to be greater than pedagogical mastery with respect to one of the classroom technologies. The lack of technological training is highlighted and there is a discussion of the structuring of personalized learning itineraries by competences. Conclusions: With regard to possible limitations of the research, we could reflect on the different areas for improvement and how comparative studies between future works with similar characteristics should be approached. One of the main weaknesses lies in the types of samples used, since the intentional sampling method indicates that it is not random, therefore, the results found should be considered non-extrapolatable to other areas of knowledgeIntroduction: Covid-19 trajo importantes restricciones a las clases presenciales en todo el sistema universitario español. En ciencias de la salud, la enseñanza presencial se transformó en un formato virtual. En la mayoría de los casos, no ha sido posible planificar las actividades docentes, lo que ha supuesto un reto para alumnado y profesorado, en el que algunos docentes no han desarrollado un nivel óptimo de competencias digitales. Materials and Methods: Este estudio descriptivo-comparativo analiza el nivel de competencia digital docente de los profesores universitarios de ciencias de la salud de dos comunidades autónomas españolas: Andalucía y Cataluña. Participaron 561 profesores que respondieron al cuestionario DigCompEdu check-In. Resultados: Los resultados muestran que, en general, el nivel de competencias digitales impartidas es básico, sin diferencias significativas entre las comunidades participantes. El dominio tecnológico parece ser mayor que el pedagógico con respecto a una de las tecnologías del aula. Se debate sobre la estructuración de los itinerarios de aprendizaje personalizados por competencias. Conclusiones: En cuanto a las posibles limitaciones de la investigación, podríamos reflexionar sobre las diferentes áreas de mejora y cómo se deben abordar los estudios comparativos entre futuros trabajos de similares características. Una de las principales debilidades radica en los tipos de muestras utilizadas, ya que el método de muestreo intencional indica que no es aleatorio, por lo tanto, los resultados encontrados deben considerarse no extrapolables a otras áreas del conocimiento. La incorporación de muestras probabilísticas para cada área a estudiar en futuros estudios permitirá recopilar datos más representativos y extrapolables a nivel mundial

Trends in mortality in septic patients according to the different organ failure during 15 years

Sepsis syndrome; Epidemiologic methods; Septic shockSíndrome séptico; Métodos epidemiológicos; Choque sépticoSíndrome sèptic; Mètodes epidemiològics; Xoc sèpticBackground The incidence of sepsis can be estimated between 250 and 500 cases/100.000 people per year and is responsible for up to 6% of total hospital admissions. Identified as one of the most relevant global health problems, sepsis is the condition that generates the highest costs in the healthcare system. Important changes in the management of septic patients have been included in recent years; however, there is no information about how changes in the management of sepsis-associated organ failure have contributed to reduce mortality. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted from hospital discharge records from the Minimum Basic Data Set Acute-Care Hospitals (CMBD-HA in Catalan language) for the Catalan Health System (CatSalut). CMBD-HA is a mandatory population-based register of admissions to all public and private acute-care hospitals in Catalonia. Sepsis was defined by the presence of infection and at least one organ dysfunction. Patients hospitalized with sepsis were detected, according ICD-9-CM (since 2005 to 2017) and ICD-10-CM (2018 and 2019) codes used to identify acute organ dysfunction and infectious processes. Results Of 11.916.974 discharges from all acute-care hospitals during the study period (2005–2019), 296.554 had sepsis (2.49%). The mean annual sepsis incidence in the population was 264.1 per 100.000 inhabitants/year, and it increased every year, going from 144.5 in 2005 to 410.1 in 2019. Multiorgan failure was present in 21.9% and bacteremia in 26.3% of cases. Renal was the most frequent organ failure (56.8%), followed by cardiovascular (24.2%). Hospital mortality during the study period was 19.5%, but decreases continuously from 25.7% in 2005 to 17.9% in 2019 (p < 0.0001). The most important reduction in mortality was observed in cases with cardiovascular failure (from 47.3% in 2005 to 31.2% in 2019) (p < 0.0001). In the same way, mean mortality related to renal and respiratory failure in sepsis was decreased in last years (p < 0.0001). Conclusions The incidence of sepsis has been increasing in recent years in our country. However, hospital mortality has been significantly reduced. In septic patients, all organ failures except liver have shown a statistically significant reduction on associated mortality, with cardiovascular failure as the most relevant.The study is part of a project that has received a grant from the "Fundació Marató TV3", entitled: "Sepsis Training, Analysis and Feedback (STAF) strategy for the implementation of Sepsis Code" (Id Num: 201836_10)

Safety and pharmacokinetic profile of fixed-dose ivermectin with an innovative 18mg tablet in healthy adult volunteers

Ivermectin is a pivotal drug for the control of onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis, which is increasingly identified as a useful drug for the control of other Neglected Tropical Diseases. Its role in the treatment of soil transmitted helminthiasis through improved efficacy against Trichuris trichiura in combination with other anthelmintics might accelerate the progress towards breaking transmission. Ivermectin is a derivative of Avermectin B1, and consists of an 80:20 mixture of the equipotent homologous 22,23 dehydro B1a and B1b. Pharmacokinetic characteristics and safety profile of ivermectin allow to explore innovative uses to further expand its utilization through mass drug administration campaigns to improve coverage rates. We conducted a phase I clinical trial with 54 healthy adult volunteers who sequentially received 2 experimental treatments using a new 18 mg ivermectin tablet in a fixed-dose strategy of 18 and 36 mg single dose regimens, compared to the standard, weight based 150-200 μg/kg, regimen. Volunteers were recruited in 3 groups based on body weight. Plasma concentrations of ivermectin were measured through HPLC up to 168 hours post treatment. Safety data showed no significant differences between groups and no serious adverse events: headache was the most frequent adverse event in all treatment groups, none of them severe. Pharmacokinetic parameters showed a half-life between 81 and 91 h in the different treatment groups. When comparing the systemic bioavailability (AUC0t and Cmax) of the reference product (WA-ref) with the other two study groups using fixed doses, we observed an overall increase in AUC0t and Cmax for the two experimental treatments of 18 mg and 36 mg. Body mass index (BMI) and weight were associated with t1/2 and V/F, probably reflecting the high liposolubility of IVM with longer retention times proportional to the presence of more adipose tissue. Systemic exposure to ivermectin (AUC0t or Cmax) was not associated with BMI or weight in our study. These findings contribute to further understand the pharmacokinetic characteristics of ivermectin, highlighting its safety across different dosing regimens. They also correlate with known pharmacokinetic parameters showing stable levels of AUC and Cmax across a wide range of body weights, which justifies the strategy of fix dosing from a pharmacokinetic perspective

Lethal congenital contracture syndrome 11: A case report and literature review

Lethal congenital contracture syndrome 11 (LCCS11) is caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous variants in the GLDN gene on chromosome 15q21. GLDN encodes gliomedin, a protein required for the formation of the nodes of Ranvier and development of the human peripheral nervous system. We report a fetus with ultrasound alterations detected at 28 weeks of gestation. The fetus exhibited hydrops, short long bones, fixed limb joints, absent fetal movements, and polyhydramnios. The pregnancy was terminated and postmortem studies confirmed the prenatal findings: distal arthrogryposis, fetal growth restriction, pulmonary hypoplasia, and retrognathia. The fetus had a normal chromosomal microarray analysis. Exome sequencing revealed two novel compound heterozygous variants in the GLDN associated with LCCS11. This manuscript reports this case and performs a literature review of all published LCCS11 cases

Matching an Old Marine Paradigm: Limitless Connectivity in a Deep-Water Fish over a Large Distance

Investigations of population structuring in wild species are fundamental to complete the bigger picture defining their ecological and biological roles in the marine realm, to estimate their recovery capacity triggered by human disturbance and implement more efficient management strategies for fishery resources. The Blackspot Seabream (Pagellus bogaraveo, Br&uuml;nnich 1768) is a commercially valuable deep-water fish highly exploited over past decades. Considering its exploitation status, deepening the knowledge of intraspecific variability, genetic diversity, and differentiation using high-performing molecular markers is considered an important step for a more effective stock assessment and fishery management. With one of the largest efforts conceived of and completed by countries overlooking the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts in recent years, a total of 320 individuals were collected from different fishing grounds in the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean and analysed using 29 microsatellite loci. We applied multiple statistical approaches to investigate the species&rsquo; connectivity and population structure across most of its described distribution area. Considering the incomplete knowledge regarding the migratory behaviour of adults, here we suggest the importance of egg and larval dispersal in sustaining the observed genetic connectivity on such a large geographical scale

Changing Trends in the Global Consumption of Treatments Used in Hospitalized Patients for COVID-19: A Time Series Multicentre Study

Aim: To analyze trends in the prescription of COVID-19 treatments for hospitalized patients during the pandemic. Methods: Multicenter, ecological, time-series study of aggregate data for all adult patients with COVID-19 treated in five acute-care hospitals in Barcelona, Spain, between March 2020 and May 2021. Trends in the monthly prevalence of drugs used against COVID-19 were analyzed by the Mantel-Haenszel test. Results: The participating hospitals admitted 22,277 patients with COVID-19 during the study period, reporting an overall mortality of 10.8%. In the first months of the pandemic, lopinavir/ritonavir and hydroxychloroquine were the most frequently used antivirals, but these fell into disuse and were replaced by remdesivir in July 2020. By contrast, the trend in tocilizumab use varied, first peaking in April and May 2020, declining until January 2021, and showing a discrete upward trend thereafter. Regarding corticosteroid use, we observed a notable upward trend in the use of dexamethasone 6 mg per day from July 2020. Finally, there was a high prevalence of antibiotics use, especially azithromycin, in the first three months, but this decreased thereafter. Conclusions: Treatment for patients hospitalized with COVID-19 evolved with the changing scientific evidence during the pandemic. Initially, multiple drugs were empirically used that subsequently could not demonstrate clinical benefit. In future pandemics, stakeholders should strive to promote the early implementation of adaptive randomized clinical trials