Ouabain-insensitive, Na-ATPase activity in pure suspensions of rat kidney proximal tubules

AbstractThe present work was undertaken to evaluate the distribution of the Na-ATPase activity in the different components of the rat kidney cortex. Suspensions of glomeruli, proximal and distal tubules were prepared following a collagenase digestion of outermost kidney cortex slices and a separation on a Percoll gradient. It was found that the Na-ATPase activity is higher in the fraction enriched in proximal tubules. The fraction enriched in glomeruli and in distal tubules show also a Na-ATPase activity, but it is lower

EL DESARROLLO DE LA COMPETENCIA MATEMÁTICA MEDIANTE PROBLEMAS CON APLICACIONES DE LAS FUNCIONES

El proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje de la Matemática es objeto de múltiples investigaciones motivadas fundamentalmente por las dificultades de los estudiantes en el aprendizaje de los contenidos matemáticos. En Cuba se reordenan los contenidos de la asignatura y se perfeccionan sus métodos, pero el cambio fundamental radica en que la formulación y solución de problemas se convierte en el eje central de trabajo con sus contenidos y debe hacer evidente las implicaciones de la matemática en la vida. Este artículo tiene como objetivo proponer problemas con aplicaciones de las funciones exponenciales y logarítmicas que potencien el desarrollo de la competencia matemática en estudiantes de preuniversitario. La investigación se realiza con un enfoque predominantemente cuantitativo. Se utilizan el análisis de documentos, la observación, la encuesta, la entrevista, el criterio de especialistas y el experimento, con un diseño pre experimental de tipo O1 X O2 y una muestra de 30 estudiantes de undécimo grado. Como resultado se obtuvo problemas acordes a las exigencias del perfeccionamiento del proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje de la Matemática, que permiten desarrollar el tema de funciones exponenciales y logarítmicas con otro enfoque, contribuyendo a la competencia matemática. Los problemas fueron valorados satisfactoriamente por especialistas y las transformaciones corroboradas.The teaching and learning process of Mathematics is the object of multiple investigations mainly motivated by the students' difficulties in learning mathematical content. In Cuba, its contents are reordered, and its methods are improved. However, the fundamental change is that formulation, and problem-solving becomes the central axis of the work with mathematical contents and should make evident the implications of Mathematics in life. This article aims at proposing problems with applications of numerical and logarithmic functions that enhance the development of pre-university students' mathematical competence. This research is carried out with a predominantly quantitative approach. The methods used are the analysis of documents, the observation, the survey, the interview, the specialists' criteria, and the experiment, a pre-experimental design of the O1 X O2 type, and 30 students of eleventh grade.  As a result, problems were obtained by the demands of the improvement of the teaching-learning process of Mathematics, which allow developing the subject of exponential and logarithmic functions with another approach, contributing to mathematical competence. Specialists satisfactorily assessed the problems, and the transformations confirmed. &nbsp

THE DEVELOPMENT OF MATHEMATICAL COMPETENCE THROUGH PROBLEMS WITH APPLICATION OF THE FUNCTIONS

The teaching and learning process of Mathematics is the object of multiple investigations mainly motivated by the students' difficulties in learning mathematical content. In Cuba, its contents are reordered, and its methods are improved. However, the fundamental change is that formulation, and problem-solving becomes the central axis of the work with mathematical contents and should make evident the implications of Mathematics in life. This article aims at proposing problems with applications of numerical and logarithmic functions that enhance the development of pre-university students' mathematical competence. This research is carried out with a predominantly quantitative approach. The methods used are the analysis of documents, the observation, the survey, the interview, the specialists' criteria, and the experiment, a pre-experimental design of the O1 X O2 type, and 30 students of eleventh grade.  As a result, problems were obtained by the demands of the improvement of the teaching-learning process of Mathematics, which allow developing the subject of exponential and logarithmic functions with another approach, contributing to mathematical competence. Specialists satisfactorily assessed the problems, and the transformations confirmed.  El proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje de la Matemática es objeto de múltiples investigaciones motivadas fundamentalmente por las dificultades de los estudiantes en el aprendizaje de los contenidos matemáticos. En Cuba se reordenan los contenidos de la asignatura y se perfeccionan sus métodos, pero el cambio fundamental radica en que la formulación y solución de problemas se convierte en el eje central de trabajo con sus contenidos y debe hacer evidente las implicaciones de la matemática en la vida. Este artículo tiene como objetivo proponer problemas con aplicaciones de las funciones exponenciales y logarítmicas que potencien el desarrollo de la competencia matemática en estudiantes de preuniversitario. La investigación se realiza con un enfoque predominantemente cuantitativo. Se utilizan el análisis de documentos, la observación, la encuesta, la entrevista, el criterio de especialistas y el experimento, con un diseño pre experimental de tipo O1 X O2 y una muestra de 30 estudiantes de undécimo grado. Como resultado se obtuvo problemas acordes a las exigencias del perfeccionamiento del proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje de la Matemática, que permiten desarrollar el tema de funciones exponenciales y logarítmicas con otro enfoque, contribuyendo a la competencia matemática. Los problemas fueron valorados satisfactoriamente por especialistas y las transformaciones corroboradas

Profesionalización de la formación de la cultura general integral en la carrera de Medicina

Introduction: from the program of “La historia me absolverá” (History will absolve me), until today, the cultural development of people has been a priority of the Cuban Revolution. The university in Cuba has been renewed and professionalized in a way that it directly tributes to the development of a comprehensive culture. However, it still lacks from definitions with a professional vision of it, from the integration of the university training processes, in this case the studies of the Medical Sciences. Objective: to define the professionalization process for the training of a comprehensive culture contextualized to the pedagogical process of the medical science studies. Method: analysis and synthesis, to define the professionalization of a comprehensive culture and the documentary analysis, to review the speeches of Fidel Castro and the model of the professional of medical sciences. Results: the definition of the professionalization to train a comprehensive culture contextualized to the medical studies, dimensioned in the professional, formative and the psychosocial point of view, in correspondence with the professional model, the integration of the formative processes, as well as the cognitive -affective development of the medical students. Conclusions: the insertion of a comprehensive culture in the university context, demonstrates its necessary professionalization, from the scientific specialization and the cultural extension, with the purpose of improving the actions in the future graduates.    Introducción: desde el programa de La historia me absolverá, hasta hoy, ha sido una prioridad de la Revolución Cubana el desarrollo cultural del pueblo. La universidad cubana se ha ido renovando y profesionalizando, de manera que tribute directamente a la cultura general integral. Sin embargo, aún se adolece de definiciones con una visión profesionalizada de la misma, desde la integración de los procesos formativos universitarios, en este caso, de la carrera de Medicina. Objetivo: definir el proceso profesionalización de la formación de la cultura general integral, contextualizada al proceso pedagógico de la carrera de Medicina. Método: análisis y síntesis, para definir profesionalización de la formación de la cultura general integral y el análisis documental, para la revisión de discursos de Fidel Castro y el modelo del profesional de la carrera de Medicina. Resultados: se logra la definición de profesionalización de la formación de la cultura general integral, contextualizada a la carrera de Medicina, dimensionada en lo profesional, lo formativo y lo psicosocial, desde la correspondencia con el modelo del profesional, la integración de procesos formativos, y la potenciación del desarrollo cognitivo y afectivo del educando. Conclusiones: La inserción de cultura general integral en el contexto universitario, demuestran su necesaria profesionalización, desde la especialización científica particular y la ampliación cultural, para el perfeccionamiento de los modos de actuación en los futuros egresados.

Professionalism for the development of a comprehensive culture in the students of Medical Sciences

Introduction: from the program of “La historia me absolverá” (History will absolve me), until today, the cultural development of people has been a priority of the Cuban Revolution. The university in Cuba has been renewed and professionalized in a way that it directly tributes to the development of a comprehensive culture. However, it still lacks from definitions with a professional vision of it, from the integration of the university training processes, in this case the studies of the Medical Sciences.   Objective: to define the professionalization process for the training of a comprehensive culture contextualized to the pedagogical process of the medical science studies.   Method: analysis and synthesis, to define the professionalization of a comprehensive culture and the documentary analysis, to review the speeches of Fidel Castro and the model of the professional of medical sciences.   Results: the definition of the professionalization to train a comprehensive culture contextualized to the medical studies, dimensioned in the professional, formative and the psychosocial point of view, in correspondence with the professional model, the integration of the formative processes, as well as the cognitive -affective development of the medical students.   Conclusions: the insertion of a comprehensive culture in the university context, demonstrates its necessary professionalization, from the scientific specialization and the cultural extension, with the purpose of improving the actions in the future graduates

¿Cómo potenciar desde la enseñanza-aprendizaje del contenido estadístico la motivación profesional del estudiante de Medicina?

Introducción: En la carrera de Medicina se evidencia desmotivación por parte del estudiante hacía la enseñanza-aprendizaje del contenido estadístico. Esa situación incide negativamente en la motivación profesional de los mismos porque repercute en la calidad de la prestación de los servicios en salud. Objetivo: Estimular la motivación profesional del estudiante de Medicina desde el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje del contenido estadístico. Material y Métodos:Se realizó una intervención pedagógica entre los meses de septiembre de 2015 a julio de 2016, en la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Camagüey. Para ello, se seleccionó de manera directa, una muestra integrada por 105 estudiantes, a quienes se les aplicó una entrevista individual y la técnica de la composición; posteriormente se trabajó con ellos empleando diversas actividades y al final se aplicó una encuesta. La información obtenida se procesó de forma automatizada y se utilizaron medidas de resumen para estadística descriptiva. Resultados: Se observó el avance positivo en la percepción estudiantil acerca de la importancia y necesidad del aprendizaje del contenido estadístico para la futura profesión; así como el interés en su uso en las diversas áreas o campos de actuación profesional. Conclusiones: La aplicación de actividades integradoras que vinculan el contenido estadístico con la labor asistencial, gerencial e investigativa de la profesión médica favorece la potenciación de la motivación profesional en los estudiantes de Medicina.Palabras claves: Motivación, motivación profesional, estudiantes de Medicina, enseñanza-aprendizaje, contenido estadístico, Estadística.</p

Identification of woolliness response genes in peach fruit after post-harvest treatments

Woolliness is a physiological disorder of peaches and nectarines that becomes apparent when fruit are ripened after prolonged periods of cold storage. This disorder is of commercial importance since shipping of peaches to distant markets and storage before selling require low temperature. However, knowledge about the molecular basis of peach woolliness is still incomplete. To address this issue, a nylon macroarray containing 847 non-redundant expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from a ripe peach fruit cDNA library was developed and used. Gene expression changes of peach fruit (Prunus persica cv. O'Henry) ripened for 7 d at 21 °C (juicy fruit) were compared with those of fruit stored for 15 d at 4 °C and then ripened for 7 d at 21 °C (woolly fruit). A total of 106 genes were found to be differentially expressed between juicy and woolly fruit. Data analysis indicated that the activity of most of these genes (>90%) was repressed in the woolly fruit. In cold-stored peaches (cv. O'Henry), the expression level of selected genes (cobra, endopolygalacturonase, cinnamoyl-CoA-reductase, and rab11) was lower than in the juicy fruit, and it remained low in woolly peaches after ripening, a pattern that was conserved in woolly fruit from two other commercial cultivars (cv. Flamekist and cv. Elegant Lady). In addition, the results of this study indicate that molecular changes during fruit woolliness involve changes in the expression of genes associated with cell wall metabolism and endomembrane trafficking. Overall, the results reported here provide an initial characterization of the transcriptome activity of peach fruit under different post-harvest treatments

Treatment with tocilizumab or corticosteroids for COVID-19 patients with hyperinflammatory state: a multicentre cohort study (SAM-COVID-19)

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the association between tocilizumab or corticosteroids and the risk of intubation or death in patients with coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) with a hyperinflammatory state according to clinical and laboratory parameters. Methods: A cohort study was performed in 60 Spanish hospitals including 778 patients with COVID-19 and clinical and laboratory data indicative of a hyperinflammatory state. Treatment was mainly with tocilizumab, an intermediate-high dose of corticosteroids (IHDC), a pulse dose of corticosteroids (PDC), combination therapy, or no treatment. Primary outcome was intubation or death; follow-up was 21 days. Propensity score-adjusted estimations using Cox regression (logistic regression if needed) were calculated. Propensity scores were used as confounders, matching variables and for the inverse probability of treatment weights (IPTWs). Results: In all, 88, 117, 78 and 151 patients treated with tocilizumab, IHDC, PDC, and combination therapy, respectively, were compared with 344 untreated patients. The primary endpoint occurred in 10 (11.4%), 27 (23.1%), 12 (15.4%), 40 (25.6%) and 69 (21.1%), respectively. The IPTW-based hazard ratios (odds ratio for combination therapy) for the primary endpoint were 0.32 (95%CI 0.22-0.47; p < 0.001) for tocilizumab, 0.82 (0.71-1.30; p 0.82) for IHDC, 0.61 (0.43-0.86; p 0.006) for PDC, and 1.17 (0.86-1.58; p 0.30) for combination therapy. Other applications of the propensity score provided similar results, but were not significant for PDC. Tocilizumab was also associated with lower hazard of death alone in IPTW analysis (0.07; 0.02-0.17; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Tocilizumab might be useful in COVID-19 patients with a hyperinflammatory state and should be prioritized for randomized trials in this situatio

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries