Project-based learning: Perceived differences on the acquisition of skills by university students

El presente estudio explora el rendimiento académico y los niveles de satisfacción percibida, tanto en discentes como docentes, ante cambios metodológicos en las estrategias pedagógicas implementadas en el aula. Se ha seleccionado de forma aleatoria de una muestra de 97 alumnos a 30, que han formado el grupo experimental, los 67 restantes han participado como grupo control. El grupo experimental se ha caracterizado por resultados más elevados e incluso un rendimiento más homogéneo en comparación con el grupo control, en el que observamos resultados académicos más diversos y un promedio más bajo en sus calificaciones. Por otra parte, el grado de satisfacción con el desarrollo de la asignatura para el grupo experimental es elevado, mientras que las puntuaciones del grupo control presentan una tendencia central. Estos resultados aportan evidencia empírica a la hipótesis de que métodos pedagógicos participativos mejoran tanto el rendimiento como la satisfacción del alumnado.This study explores academic performance and perceived satisfaction levels, in both learners and teachers, towards methodological changes in teaching strategies implemented in the classroom. Method: We randomly selected 30 students from a sample of 97, to create the experimental group. The remaining 67 have participated as control group. Results: The experimental group was characterized by higher results and an even more consistent performance compared to the control group, in which we observed most diverse academic results and a lower grade point average. Moreover, the degree of satisfaction with the development of the subject matter in the experimental group is high, while these levels in the control group show a central tendency. Conclusion: These results provide empirical evidence to the hypothesis that participatory teaching methods improve both performance and satisfaction in students

The Resilience in a worker with labor related permanent motor loss, aimed at social and labor reincorporation - A Case report.

Introducción: la resiliencia son las fortalezas internas de la mente y el carácter, tanto innatos como desarrollados, que le permiten al ser humano responder bien a la adversidad, incluidas las capacidades para prevenir condiciones relacionadas con el estrés, como depresión o ansiedad o su recurrencia, recuperarse más rápido y optimizar el estado mental y el funcionamiento en las diversas áreas de la vida. Objetivo: identificar los factores de los procesos de resiliencia en un trabajador con discapacidad motora permanente. Materiales y métodos: a través de un caso clínico se realizó la evaluación de los posibles factores de resiliencia, ausentes o presentes basados en la revisión de literatura científica. Se realizó un estudio del tema con artículos médicos identificados a través de bases de datos. Se describió cuadro clínico de un paciente que presentó perdida de la mano dominante, y que además tenía pocas herramientas psicosociales, condición que dificultó su proceso de rehabilitación. Se identificaron en la historia clínica los factores resilientes y no resilientes en el paciente y su impacto para el proceso de rehabilitación y reincorporación socio laboral. Conclusión: la ausencia de factores de resiliencia determina el avance de los procesos de rehabilitación, así como la importancia de detectarlos tempranamente, para incluirlos como objetivos a desarrollar en el plan de manejo del paciente.Introduction: resilience is the internal strengths of the mind and character, both innate and developing, that allow the human being to respond well to adversity, including the capacities to prevent conditions related to stress, such as depression or anxiety or their recurrence , recover faster and optimize mental state and functioning in various areas of life. Objective: to identify the factors of the resilience processes in a worker with permanent motor disability. Materials and methods: through a clinical case, the evaluation of the possible absent or present resilience factors was carried out based on the review of scientific literature. A study of the subject was carried out with medical articles identified through databases. A clinical picture of a patient was described who presented loss of the dominant hand, and who also had few psychosocial tools, a condition that made his rehabilitation process difficult. Resilient and non-resilient factors in the patient and their impact on the rehabilitation process and socio-occupational reincorporation were identified in the clinical history. Conclusion: the absence of resilience factors determines the progress of the rehabilitation processes, as well as the importance of detecting them early, to include them as objectives to be developed in the patient's management plan.2020-12-07 11:15:01: Script de automatizacion de embargos. Correo recibido: Dra Patricia Pimentel Vie 4/12/2020 11:02 PM Cordial saludo. la presente es para solicitar “embargo” de nuestro trabajo de grado por 2 años titulado: La resiliencia en un trabajador con discapacidad motora permanente de origen laboral, y su reincorporación a la vida laboral - Estudio de un caso. Nombre completo: Patricia Isabel Pimentel Navarro Cédula: 45.536.223 Celular: 3188015475 Correo de la universidad: [email protected] Correo alterno: [email protected] Nombre completo: Paula Fernanda Ramírez Gonzaléz Cédula: 52.996.684 Celular: 3183797285 Correo de la universidad: [email protected] Correo alterno [email protected] gracias - Respuesta: Repositorio Institucional EdocUR Lun 7/12/2020 11:09 AM Respetadas Doctoras Patricia Pimental y Paula Ramirez, reciban un cordial saludo, Hemos realizado la publicación de su documento: La resiliencia en un trabajador con discapacidad motora permanente de origen laboral, y su reincorporación a la vida laboral - Estudio de un caso clínico., el cual puede consultar en el siguiente enlace: https://repository.urosario.edu.co/handle/10336/30675 De acuerdo con su solicitud, el documento ha quedado embargado por 2 años hasta el (2022-12-07) en concordancia con las Políticas de Acceso Abierto de la Universidad. Si usted desea dejarlo con acceso abierto antes de finalizar dicho periodo o si por el contrario desea extender el embargo al finalizar este tiempo, puede enviar un correo a esta misma dirección realizando la solicitud. Tenga en cuenta que los documentos en acceso abierto propician una mayor visibilidad de su producción académica. Quedamos atentos a cualquier inquietud o sugerencia.2022-12-07 01:01:01: Script de automatizacion de embargos. info:eu-repo/date/embargoEnd/2022-12-0

Protein misfolding and clearance in the pathogenesis of a new infantile onset ataxia caused by mutations in PRDX3

Pathogenesis; Ataxia; MutationsPatogénesis; Ataxia; MutacionesPatogènesi; Atàxia; MutacionsPeroxiredoxin 3 (PRDX3) encodes a mitochondrial antioxidant protein, which is essential for the control of reactive oxygen species homeostasis. So far, PRDX3 mutations are involved in mild-to-moderate progressive juvenile onset cerebellar ataxia. We aimed to unravel the molecular bases underlying the disease in an infant suffering from cerebellar ataxia that started at 19 months old and presented severe cerebellar atrophy and peripheral neuropathy early in the course of disease. By whole exome sequencing, we identified a novel homozygous mutation, PRDX3 p.D163E, which impaired the mitochondrial ROS defense system. In mouse primary cortical neurons, the exogenous expression of PRDX3 p.D163E was reduced and triggered alterations in neurite morphology and in mitochondria. Mitochondrial computational parameters showed that p.D163E led to serious mitochondrial alterations. In transfected HeLa cells expressing the mutation, mitochondria accumulation was detected by correlative light electron microscopy. Mitochondrial morphology showed severe changes, including extremely damaged outer and inner membranes with a notable cristae disorganization. Moreover, spherical structures compatible with lipid droplets were identified, which can be associated with a generalized response to stress and can be involved in the removal of unfolded proteins. In the patient’s fibroblasts, PRDX3 expression was nearly absent. The biochemical analysis suggested that the mutation p.D163E would result in an unstable structure tending to form aggregates that trigger unfolded protein responses via mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum. Altogether, our findings broaden the clinical spectrum of the recently described PRDX3-associated neurodegeneration and provide new insight into the pathological mechanisms underlying this new form of cerebellar ataxia.The Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII)—Subdirección General de Evaluación y Fomento de la Investigación within the framework of the National R + D + I Plan co-funded with European Regional Development Funds (ERDF) (grants PI18/00147 and PI21/00103 to C.E.); the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (grant SAF2017-89020-R to P.F.); the Fundació La Marató TV3 (grants 20143130 and 20143131 to B.P.-D. and C.E.) and the Generalitat Valenciana (grant PROMETEO/2018/135 to C.E.). Part of the equipment employed in this work was funded by Generalitat Valenciana and co-financed with ERDF (OP ERDF of Comunitat Valenciana 2014-2020). P.F. and A.R.-P. are supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (grants RyC-2014-16410 to P.F. and PRE2018-083562 to A.R.-P.)

Amphiphilic-like carbon dots as antitumoral drug vehicles and phototherapeutical agents

The work was financially supported by the Spanish institutions Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades (PGC2018-098770-B-I00 and CTQ2017-86125-P) and Junta de Andalucia (ProgramaOperativo FEDER 2014-2020, grants B-FQM-141-UGR18, A1-FQM-341-UGR-18, C-FQM-497-UGR18).Water-insoluble carbon dots are recognized as promising materials, although their applications in nanomedicine are rarely explored, despite their lipophilic character and foreseen compatibility with biological membranes. In this article, we exploit the anhydride functionalization of carbon dots obtained by thermolysis of citric acid to synthesize amphiphilic-like carbon dots (LCDs) by reaction with alkyl amines. A differential feature of this approach is that the hydrophobicity of LCDs is a balance between the ionization of the carboxylic groups resulting from the reaction and the hydrophobicity from the grafted amines. The alkyl chains allow LCDs to entrap hydrophobic molecules and the ionization of the carboxylic groups increases the hydrosolubility, permitting the transfer between organic and aqueous phases. The biomedical interest of these features is illustrated by analyzing the application of LCDs as carriers of the drug campothecin and their evaluation on a battery of cancer cell lines, as well as the transformation of LCDs into a phototherapeutic agent by the formation of a complex with IR780 dye. Results demonstrate that LCDs behave as nanocarriers in a manner that resembles other supramolecular hosts with two differential features: (i) the length of the alkyl chains determines the size of the hosted guest, and (ii) the hydrosolubility of the complex can be modulated by pH.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovacion y Universidades PGC2018-098770-B-I00 CTQ2017-86125-PJunta de Andalucia B-FQM-141-UGR18 A1-FQM-341-UGR-18 C-FQM-497-UGR1

Antibiotic resistance genes in phage particles isolated from human feces and induced from clinical bacterial isolates

Phage particles have emerged as elements with the potential to mobilize antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in different environments, including the intestinal habitat. The aim of this study was to determine the occurrence of ARGs in phage particles present in fecal matter and induced from strains isolated from feces. Nine ARGs (blaTEM, blaCTX-M-1-group, blaCTX-M-9-group, blaOXA-48, qnrA, qnrS, mecA, sul1 and armA) were quantified by qPCR in the phage DNA fractions of 150 fecal samples obtained from healthy individuals. These subjects had not received antibiotic treatment or travelled abroad in the three months prior to the sample collection. On the suspicion that the detected particles originated from bacterial flora, 82 Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates possessing at least one identified ARG (blaTEM, blaCTX-M-1-group, blaCTX-M-9-group, armA, qnrA, qnrS, and sul1) were isolated and their capacity to produce phage particles carrying these ARGs after induction was evaluated. Seventy-two percent of samples were positive for at least one ARG, with blaTEM and blaCTX-M-9-group being the most prevalent and abundant. Fifty-one isolates (62%) showed an increase in the number of copies of the respective ARG in the phage fraction after induction, with blaTEM, blaCTX-M-1-group, blaCTX-M-9-group and sul1 being the most abundant. Phages induced from the isolates were further purified and visualized using microscopy and their DNA showed ARG levels of up to 10(10) gene copies/ml. This study highlights the abundance of phage particles harboring ARGs and indicates that bacterial strains in the intestinal habitat could be sources of these particles

Liquid-gate 2D material-on-insulator transistors for sensing applications

This research investigates the use of 2D materials (specifically graphene) as active channel in liquid-gate transistors used as detectors of biological targets on functionalized surfaces. However, before these sensors can be effectively used, it is crucial to establish a reliable sensing platform within two-dimensional materials as active channels, and to evaluate the fabrication, lithography, and reliability of these devices. In this study, we analyzed the inter-device variability and reliability of the transistors, as well as the potential factors that may exacerbate these issues under operative conditions. We performed structural characterization to confirm the quality of the materials, followed by photolithography and processing to create liquid-gate sensors. We then conducted electrical evaluations of the devices, which revealed significant reliability issues and inter-device variability. To address these problems, we propose the use of an intergate-coupling effect that utilizes both front- and back-gates simultaneously. Our findings have important implications for the design and optimization of 2D materials-based liquid-gate sensors for biological applications.European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the MSC grant No 895322Spanish and Andalusian Programs DTS20/00038P18-RT-4826, PYC-020-RE-023UGRA-TIC-628-UGR20PID2020- 119668GB-I00. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Granada / CBU

Electrical Impedance of Surface Modified Porous Titanium Implants with Femtosecond Laser

The chemical composition and surface topography of titanium implants are essential to improve implant osseointegration. The present work studies a non-invasive alternative of electrical impedance spectroscopy for the characterization of the macroporosity inherent to the manufacturing process and the effect of the surface treatment with femtosecond laser of titanium discs. Osteoblasts cell culture growths on the titanium surfaces of the laser-treated discs were also studied with this method. The measurements obtained showed that the femtosecond laser treatment of the samples and cell culture produced a significant increase (around 50%) in the absolute value of the electrical impedance module, which could be characterized in a wide range of frequencies (being more relevant at 500 MHz). Results have revealed the potential of this measurement technique, in terms of advantages, in comparison to tiresome and expensive techniques, allowing semi-quantitatively relating impedance measurements to porosity content, as well as detecting the effect of surface modification, generated by laser treatment and cell culture.Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain grant PID2019-109371GB-I00Junta de Andalucía–FEDER (Spain) Project US-1259771Junta de Andalucía-Proyecto de Excelencia (Spain) P18-FR-203

KITD816V mutation in blood for the diagnostic screening of systemic mastocytosis and mast cell activation syndromes

[Background]: Current diagnostic algorithms for systemic mastocytosis (SM) rely on the detection of KITD816V in blood to trigger subsequent bone marrow (BM) investigations. [Methods]: Here, we correlated the KITD816V mutational status of paired blood and BM samples from 368 adults diagnosed with mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) and mastocytosis and determined the potential utility of investigating KITD816V in genomic DNA from blood-purified myeloid cell populations to increase diagnostic sensitivity. In a subset of 69 patients, we further evaluated the kinetics of the KITD816V cell burden during follow-up and its association with disease outcome. [Results]: Our results showed a high correlation (P < .0001) between the KITD816V mutation burden in blood and BM (74% concordant samples), but with a lower mean of KITD816V-mutated cells in blood (P = .0004) and a high rate of discordant BM+/blood− samples particularly among clonal MCAS (73%) and BM mastocytosis (51%), but also in cutaneous mastocytosis (9%), indolent SM (15%), and well-differentiated variants of indolent SM (7%). Purification of different compartments of blood-derived myeloid cells was done in 28 patients who were BM mast cell (MC)+/blood− for KITD816V, revealing KITD816V-mutated eosinophils (56%), basophils (25%), neutrophils (29%), and/or monocytes (31%) in most (61%) patients. Prognostically, the presence of ≥3.5% KITD816V-mutated cells (P < .0001) and an unstable KITD816V mutation cell burden (P < .0001) in blood and/or BM were both associated with a significantly shortened progression-free survival (PFS). [Conclusions]: These results confirm the high specificity but limited sensitivity of KITD816V analysis in whole blood for the diagnostic screening of SM and other primary MCAS, which might be overcome by assessing the mutation in blood-purified myeloid cell populations.This work was supported by grants from the Fundación Española de Mastocitosis (Madrid, Spain; grant number: FEM2021-SAM) and Blueprint Medicines Corporation (Cambridge, MA). PNN was supported by a grant of Government of Castilla y León (Orden EDU 875 2021), Spain; co-financed with the European Social Fund (BDNS (Identif.): 540787). We also thank the Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) and European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) for the grant (EQC2019-005419-P) within the Subprograma Estatal de Infraestructuras de Investigación y Equipamiento Científico Técnico de 2019

Pathogenesis of Staphylococcus epidermidis in prosthetic joint infections : can identification of virulence genes differentiate between infecting and commensal strains?

Background: Staphylococcus epidermidis is a commensal of human skin flora and a frequent causative micro-organism in prosthetic joint infections (PJIs). To date, no single marker has been identified to distinguish infecting strains from commensal S. epidermidis populations. Aim: To find possible genetic markers to distinguish between the two populations. Methods: Fifty S. epidermidis strains from patients with PJIs were analysed, 50 from the skin of healthy individuals (commensal strains) and 17 from the surgical field of patients undergoing primary arthroplasty. In these three groups the antimicrobial susceptibility profile, sequence type, biofilm formation, and virulence factors were studied. Strains from the surgical field have not been compared previously with strains from the other two groups. Findings: S. epidermidis strains from PJI patients were significantly more antibiotic resistant than commensal strains and surgical field strains. A wide variety of sequence types was found in commensal and surgical field strains. The predominant sequence type was ST2 and it was only present in PJI strains (44%). Differences in biofilm production did not differ between populations. Virulence genes sdrF and bhp, the complete ica operon, and the insertion sequence IS256 were significantly predominant in PJI strains. By contrast, embp and hld genes and the arginine catabolic mobile element (ACME) were more prevalent in commensal strains. Surgical field strains could be a valid control group to discriminate between infecting and commensal strains. Conclusion: A combination of characteristic features can differentiate between infecting and commensal S. epidermidis strains in PJI, whereas a single marker cannot

Altered innate immune profile in blood of systemic mastocytosis patients

[Background]: Mast cells (MC) from systemic mastocytosis (SM) patients release MC mediators that lead to an altered microenvironment with potential consequences on innate immune cells, such as monocytes and dendritic cells (DC). Here we investigated the distribution and functional behaviour of different populations of blood monocytes and DC among distinct diagnostic subtypes of SM. [Methods]: Overall, we studied 115 SM patients - 45 bone marrow mastocytosis (BMM), 61 indolent SM (ISM), 9 aggressive SM (ASM)- and 32 healthy donors (HD). Spontaneous and in vitro-stimulated cytokine production by blood monocytes, and their plasma levels, together with the distribution of different subsets of blood monocytes and DCs, were investigated. [Results]: SM patients showed increased plasma levels and spontaneous production by blood monocytes of IL1β, IL6, IL8, TNFα and IL10, associated with an exhausted ability of LPS + IFNγ-stimulated blood monocytes to produce IL1β and TGFβ. SM (particularly ISM) patients also showed decreased counts of total monocytes, at the expense of intermediate monocytes and non-classical monocytes. Interestingly, while ISM and ASM patients had decreased numbers of plasmacytoid DC and myeloid DC (and their major subsets) in blood, an expansion of AXL+ DC was specifically encountered in BMM cases. [Conclusion]: These results demonstrate an altered distribution of blood monocytes and DC subsets in SM associated with constitutive activation of functionally impaired blood monocytes and increased plasma levels of a wide variety of inflammatory cytokines, reflecting broad activation of the innate immune response in mastocytosis.This study has been funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII) (grant number PI19/01166; and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer [CIBERONC] programme, grant number CB16/12/00400) and co-funded by the European Union (EU). We thank the support of the Spanish National DNA Bank Carlos III (www.bancoadn.org; biobank ID B.0000716; supported by ISCIII and co-founded by EU [grant number PT20/00085]) for providing plasma samples. APP was supported by a grant of the Government of Castilla y León (Orden EDU/556/2019), Spain; co-financed with the “European Regional Development Fund” (BDNS, Identif.:422058). We thank the support of the Spanish Association of Mastocytosis and Related Diseases