Evaluación de actividades de investigación y posgrado. Una experiencia bajo un modelo comprensivo

This article focuses on the development of a proposal for the academic evaluation in higher education. Based on the institutional need of the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC), Mexico, we developed an evaluation mechanism for its academic staff in their research and postgraduate activities, focused on offering feedback to improve academic work. Considering the need to take into account more robust indicators than scientific productivity by itself, we decided to use the comprehensive evaluation model to define the evaluation areas, based on the experience and needs of the community. Through the participation of 579 academics based on an open survey, the categories and indicators to be evaluated were defined, which are intended to reflect the demands of the particular context of the participating academics. We performed an inductive content analysis of the responses obtained; derived from this, we defined an evaluation mechanism that suggests the use of three instruments: Self-assessment guide; interview guide; and, Questionnaire for students. Each instrument was reviewed by experts from the university community to assess its possibility of application in all university areas. As a result, we obtained a proposal for an evaluation mechanism based on collegiality, thus coinciding with the comprehensive perspective, which aims to reflect the diversity of the university community and the complexity involved in carrying out academic activities in the field of postgraduate and research.El presente artículo se centra en el desarrollo de una propuesta para el problema de evaluación académica en educación superior. A partir de la necesidad institucional de la Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (UABC), México, se desarrolló un mecanismo de evaluación para su personal académico en sus actividades de investigación y posgrado, enfocado en ofrecer retroalimentación para la mejora de las labores académicas. Considerando la necesidad de tomar en cuenta indicadores más robustos que la sola productividad científica, se decidió utilizar el modelo de evaluación comprensiva para definir las áreas de evaluación a partir de la experiencia y necesidades de la comunidad universitaria. A través de la participación de 579 académicos a partir de una encuesta abierta, se definieron las categorías por evaluar, mismas que pretenden reflejar las demandas del contexto particular de los académicos participantes. Se realizó un análisis de contenido inductivo de las respuestas obtenidas; derivado de ello se definió un mecanismo de evaluación que sugiere el uso de tres instrumentos: Guía de autoevaluación; Guía de entrevista; y, Cuestionario para estudiantes. Cada instrumento se sujetó a revisión de expertos de la propia comunidad universitaria para valorar su pertinencia de aplicación para las diferentes áreas de conocimiento. Como resultado, se obtuvo una propuesta de mecanismo de evaluación basada en la colegialidad y no en estándares, coincidiendo así con la perspectiva comprensiva, la cual pretende reflejar la diversidad de la comunidad universitaria y la complejidad que implica la realización de actividades académicas en el ámbito del posgrado y la investigación

Caracterización del derrame pleural en el Servicio de Medicina Interna

A descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in order to describe the clinical and epidemiological aspects of pleural effusion in patients seen in the Internal Medicine Department of the Arnaldo Milian Castro Provincial University Hospital in 2010. The universe was composed of 62 patients and the sample of 55 patients, as convenience sampling. The analysis of clinical histories was the key source of data. The clinical and epidemiological variables were defined, as well as the personal background, the etiological factors and therapeutics used. Percentage analysis and Chi square were used. White women predominated, aged 60-69 years, with smoking habit. Dyspnea and pain in the tip of the side were common symptoms. The right chest was the most affected. Small effusions were more frequent; pneumonia caused a greater number of effusions. The X-rays was the most common complementary test indicated at the time of admission. In the ward, after being admitted, the most commonly indicated test were complete blood count and glycemia. Third-generation cephalosporins were prescribed more frequently.Se realizó una investigación de carácter descriptivo transversal con el objetivo de describir los aspectos clínico-epidemiológicos del derrame pleural en pacientes atendidos en el Servicio de Medicina del Hospital Provincial Universitario “Arnaldo Milián Castro” durante el año 2010; el universo estuvo conformado por 62 pacientes y la muestra por 55, según muestreo por conveniencia. El análisis de la historia clínica fue la fuente fundamental de datos; se definieron las variables clínico-epidemiológicas, los antecedentes personales, los factores etiológicos y la terapéutica impuesta y se utilizaron el análisis porcentual y Chi cuadrado. Predominaron las mujeres de la raza banca, de 60-69 años, con el hábito de fumar; la disnea y el dolor en punta de costado fueron síntomas comunes; el hemitórax derecho resultó el más afectado; fueron más frecuentes los derrames pequeños; la neumonía causó mayor número de derrames; el rayo X de tórax fue el complementario más indicado al ingreso y en la sala fueron el hemograma y la glicemia y las cefalosporinas de tercera generación se prescribieron con mayor frecuencia

Ibrutinib in Combination With Rituximab for Indolent Clinical Forms of Mantle Cell Lymphoma (IMCL-2015): A Multicenter, Open-Label, Single-Arm, Phase II Trial

PURPOSE The need for an individualized management of indolent clinical forms in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is increasingly recognized. We hypothesized that a tailored treatment with ibrutinib in combination with rituximab (IR) could obtain significant responses in these patients. METHODS This is a multicenter single-arm, open-label, phase II study with a two-stage design conducted in 12 Spanish GELTAMO sites (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02682641). Previously untreated MCL patients with indolent clinical forms defined by the following criteria were eligible: no disease-related symptoms, nonblastoid variants, Ki-67 < 30%, and largest tumor diameter <= 3 cm. Both leukemic non-nodal and nodal subtypes were recruited. Patients received ibrutinib 560 mg once daily and a total of eight doses of rituximab 375 mg/m(2). Ibrutinib could be discontinued after 2 years in the case of sustained undetectable minimal residual disease (MRD). The primary end point was the complete response (CR) rate achieved after 12 cycles according to Lugano criteria. RESULTS Fifty patients with MCL (male 66%; median age 65 years) were enrolled. After 12 cycles of treatment, 42 (84%; 95% CI, 74 to 94) patients had an overall response, including 40 (80%; 95% CI, 69 to 91) with CR. Moreover, undetectable MRD in peripheral blood was achieved in 87% (95% CI, 77 to 97) of cases. At 2 years, 24 of 35 evaluable patients (69%) could discontinue ibrutinib because of undetectable MRD. Four patients had disease progression; three were non-nodal MCL and carried high genomic complexity and TP53 mutations at enrollment. No unexpected toxicity was seen except one patient with severe aplastic anemia. CONCLUSION Frontline IR combination achieves a high rate of CRs and undetectable MRD in indolent clinical forms of MCL. Discontinuation seems appropriate in cases with undetectable MRD, except for TP53-mutated cases