Acute Effect of Cognitive Compromise during Physical Exercise on Self-Regulation in Early Childhood Education

Self-regulation (SR) in pre-schoolers is a strong predictor of different aspects of mental health and wellbeing. However, SR only recently has been examined concerning physical activity and its effects on cognitive performance. In the present study, 49 preschool children aged 4–5 years were submitted to classroom movement breaks (CMBs) of 15-min with different degrees of difficulty. Before beginning the intervention, SR (i.e., head, toes, knees and shoulders test, HTKS) and skill levels were assessed for tasks demand adjustment to individual resources and the counterbalanced assignment of the participants to the groups. Similarly, after the intervention, the performance on the HTKS was re-evaluated. There was a general intervention effect on the SR of pre-schoolers, regardless of the difficulty level of the task [F (3) = 11.683, p-value < 0.001, η2p = 0.438]. Nevertheless, it seems that only when CMBs stimulate the children cognitively with optimal difficulty, is it possible to obtain benefits. We recommend providing teachers with professional support when implementing physical activity breaks in their daily program to generate an individualized level of cognitive load that would allow children to reach the optimal challenge point.This research was supported by grants (DEP2017-8987-R) from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Secretaría de Estado de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación; Convocatoria 2017 de Proyectos I + D, de Retos a la Sociedad; Spain)

La adquisición de competencias transversales y docentes con proyectos de aprendizaje tutorado integrados en una WebQuest en el Grado de Infantil

Introducción: el uso de las tecnologías de la información y de la comunicación (TIC) para la adquisición de competencias transversales y docentes en la enseñanza superior, aunque habitual en algunas áreas, ha sido poco estudiado en la formación inicial del profesorado de infantil. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la percepción de los estudiantes sobre el uso de una metodología de proyectos de aprendizaje tutorado (PAT) integrada en una WebQuest (WQ) para facilitar la adquisición de competencias transversales y docentes de Educación Física en la formación inicial de maestros. Metodología: se aplicó un diseño de investigación cuasiexperimental con grupo control, test y postest en una asignatura de Educación Física del Grado de Infantil. A fin de recoger la información, se utilizó una escala validada para la autopercepción de competencias docentes de los estudiantes. La muestra, formada por 129 estudiantes de la Facultad de Educación, estaba dividida en dos grupos. Ambos recibieron la misma metodología PAT. Un grupo lo hizo a través de una WQ, mientras el otro grupo no utilizó ninguna metodología en red. Resultados y discusión: los resultados indicaron que el uso de WQ favoreció una mayor percepción de alumnado en la adquisición de competencias transversales. También se hallaron diferencias significativas entre los dos grupos en el aprendizaje de competencias docentes. Conclusiones: se constató que WQ después de su aplicación generó un impacto positivo en el alumnado en lo relativo a la adquisición de sus competencias laborales

Inactivation of the Sinorhizobium fredii HH103 rhcJ gene abolishes nodulation outer proteins (Nops) secretion and decreases the symbiotic capacity with soybean

It has been postulated that nodulation outer proteins (Nops) avoid effective nodulation of Sinorhizobium fredii USDA257 to nodulate with American soybeans. S. fredii HH103 naturally nodulates with both Asiatic (non-commercial) and American (commercial) soybeans. Inactivation of the S. fredii HH103 gene rhcJ, which belongs to the tts (type III secretion) cluster, abolished Nop secretion and decreased its symbiotic capacity with the two varieties of soybeans. S. fredii strains HH103 and USDA257, that only nodulates with Asian soybeans, showed different SDS-PAGE Nop profiles, indicating that these strains secrete different sets of Nops. In coinoculation experiments, the presence of strain USDA257 provoked a clear reduction of the nodulation ability of strain HH103 with the American soybean cultivar Williams. These results suggest that S. fredii Nops can act as either detrimental or beneficial symbiotic factors in a strain-cultivar-dependent manner. Differences in the flavonoid-mediated expression of rhcJ with respect to nodA were also detected. In addition, one of the Nops secreted by strain HH103 was identified as NopA. [Int Microbiol 2006; 9(2):125-133

Relative Age Effect and Biological Maturation on Inhibitory Control of Motor Response in Basketball

In the context of sports, relative age effect (RAE) generates transitional differences on maturational development non-linear at chronological age. This leads to a lack of selection opportunities in sport teams during pubertal stage. Biological maturation (BM) is the main modulator of these drastic changes in maturation, which affect sport performance. 34 young male basketball players [Mage= 10,94 (±1,51) years] are evaluated on inhibitory control of motor response through the computerized Go/no-go task. The study uses two BM indices: “maturity offset” and “percentage of adult height”. Results found significant differences on cognitive performance between two different chronological age groups (under10 / top10 years old.). Top10 players show a lower response time (RT) and accuracy adjusted response time than under10. However, the study does not find RAE (birth semester) on cognition. Percentage of adult height predicts both RT and accuracy adjusted RT performance in the entire sample, while maturity offset also did it, but only in the greater chronological age group (top10). Sports field research should consider BM control to explain RAE, and the influence on executive functions, that are crucial for interactive sport performance

La mujer investigadora en pizarra blanca

Trabajo presentado en La noche europea de l@s investigador@s (Mujeres y hombres que hacen ciencia para ti), celebrado online el 27 de noviembre de 2020. Coordina: Eduardo Villalobo.Contar en vídeo cómo es la labor de una científica, debe ayudar a visibilizar al colectivo, a crear conciencia de género, y hacer, en definitiva, una sociedad más igualitaria. Finalmente, se pretende también promover el estudio de las STEM entre las niñas.Las campañas institucionales de la Ciencia tienen, a veces, un sesgo de género poco comprensible y que no ayuda en absoluto a crear una conciencia de igualdad. Detrás de un apellido de un científico/a, que es como se suele citar la Ciencia, se suele visualizar la imagen de un hombre y no la de una mujer. Esta iniciativa quiere romper con el sesgo de género, a través de una herramienta amena: un video corto de pizarra blanca.Financiación: Unidad para la Igualdad de la Universidad de Sevilla

Preparation and Characterization of New Liposomes. Bactericidal Activity of Cefepime Encapsulated into Cationic Liposomes

Cefepime is an antibiotic with a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. However, this antibiotic has several side effects and a high degradation rate. For this reason, the preparation and characterization of new liposomes that are able to encapsulate this antibiotic seem to be an important research line in the pharmaceutical industry. Anionic and cationic liposomes were prepared and characterized. All cationic structures contained the same cationic surfactant, N,N,N-triethyl-N-(12-naphthoxydodecyl)ammonium. Results showed a better encapsulation-efficiency percentage (EE%) of cefepime in liposomes with phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol than with 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE). The presence of cholesterol and the quantity of egg-yolk phospholipid in the liposome increased the encapsulation percentage. The bactericidal activity against Escherichia coli of cefepime loaded into liposomes with phosphatidylcholine was measured. The inhibitory zone in an agar plate for free cefepime was similar to that obtained for loaded cefepime. The growth-rate constant of E. coli culture was also measured in working conditions. The liposome without any antibiotic exerted no influence in such a rate constant. All obtained results suggest that PC:CH:12NBr liposomes are biocompatible nanocarriers of cefepime that can be used in bacterial infections against Escherichia coli with high inhibitory activity

La inactivación del gen rhcJ de Sinorhizobium fredii HH103 elimina la secreción de las proteínas externas de nodulación (Nops) y disminuye la capacidad de simbiosis con la soja

Se ha propuesto que las proteínas externas de nodulación (Nops) impiden la nodulación efectiva de Sinorhizobium fredii USDA257 con las sojas americanas. S. fredii HH103 nodula de forma natural tanto conlas sojas asiáticas (no comercializadas) como con las americanas (comercializadas). La inactivación del gen rhcJ de HH103, que pertenece a la agrupación génica tts (secreción de tipo III), anuló la secreción de Nops y redujo la capacidad simbiótica de esta bacteria con las dos variedades de soja. Las cepas HH103 y USDA257 de S. fredii, que sólo nodula sojas asiáticas, mostraron perfiles SDS-PAGE diferentes de Nop, lo cual sugiere que estas cepas podrían secretar distintos conjuntos de Nops. Cuando las cepas USDA257 y HH103 fueron inoculadas conjuntamente, la capacidad de nodulación de esta última cepa con el cultivar americano Williams de soja se redujo significativamente. Estos resultados indican que las Nops secretadas por S. fredii pueden actuar como factores simbióticos tanto positivos como negativos dependiendo de la cepa-cultivar rizobiana. Se detectaron también diferencias entre la expresión mediada por flavonoides del gen rhcJ y del nodA. Además, una de las Nops secretadas por la cepa HH103 fue identificada como NopA.It has been postulated that nodulation outer proteins (Nops) avoid effective nodulation of Sinorhizobium fredii USDA257 to nodulate with American soybeans. S. fredii HH103 naturally nodulates with both Asiatic (non-commercial) and American (commercial) soybeans. Inactivation of the S. fredii HH103 gene rhcJ, which belongs to the tts (type III secretion) cluster, abolished Nop secretion and decreased its symbiotic capacity with the two varieties of soybeans. S. fredii strains HH103 and USDA257, that only nodulates with Asian soybeans, showed different SDS-PAGE Nop profiles, indicating that these strains secrete different sets of Nops. In coinoculation experiments, the presence of strain USDA257 provoked a clear reduction of the nodulation ability of strain HH103 with the American soybean cultivar Williams. These results suggest that S. fredii Nops can act as either detrimental or beneficial symbiotic factors in a strain-cultivar-dependent manner. Differences in the flavonoid-mediated expression of rhcJ with respect to nodA were also detected. In addition, one of the Nops secreted by strain HH103 was identified as NopA.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación BIO2011-30229-C02-0

NolR Regulates Diverse Symbiotic Signals of Sinorhizobium fredii HH103

We have investigated in Sinorhizobium fredii HH103-1 (=HH103 Strr ) the influence of the nolR gene on the production of three different bacterial symbiotic signals: Nod factors, signal responsive (SR) proteins, and exopolysaccharide (EPS). The presence of multiple copies of nolR (in plasmid pMUS675) repressed the transcription of all the flavonoid-inducible genes analyzed: nodA, nodD1, nolO, nolX, noeL, rhcJ, hesB, and y4pF. Inactivation of nolR (mutant SVQ517) or its overexpression (presence of pMUS675) altered the amount of Nod factors detected. Mutant SVQ517 produced Nod factors carrying N-methyl residues at the nonreducing N-acetyl-glucosamine, which never have been detected in S. fredii HH103. Plasmid pMUS675 increased the amounts of EPS produced by HH103-1 and SVQ517. The flavonoid genistein repressed EPS production of HH103-1 and SVQ517 but the presence of pMUS675 reduced this repression. The presence of plasmid pMUS675 clearly decreased the secretion of SR proteins. Inactivation, or overexpression, of nolR decreased the capacity of HH103 to nodulate Glycine max. However, HH103-1 and SVQ517 carrying plasmid pMUS675 showed enhanced nodulation capacity with Vigna unguiculata. The nolR gene was positively identified in all S. fredii strains investigated, S. xinjiangense CCBAU110, and S. saheli USDA4102. Apparently, S. teranga USDA4101 does not contain this gene.Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología (CICYT), Gobierno de España BIO99-0614-C03 y BOS2002-04164-C03-0