Desarrollo gradual de las competencias transversales en el grado de farmacia. Metodologías y herramientas de evaluación para el “profesional en formación”

Aim: To set different levels of acquisition of some cross-curricular competencies in the Pharmacy Degree and to design and implement methodologies and tools to allow their development and evaluation along the whole curriculum.Matherial and Method: Different active methodologies have been used, and tasks and evaluation rubrics have been prepared to be applied in the different levels defined for the cross-curricular competencies selected: written communication skills, information seeking, and teamwork. Similarly, a student satisfaction survey has been designed in order to evaluate the implementation of the experience.Results: The results obtained in the core subjects of the 1st and 2nd year of the Pharmacy Degree (Physical Chemistry, Immunology and General Microbiology and Parasitology) for the competences of written communication skills, teamwork and information seeking, in levels 1 and 2, have been very successful in terms of the acquisition of competences and in the suitability of the different tasks and evaluation tools proposed.Conclusions: The tools designed to evaluate these cross-curricular competencies can be adapted to any subject and knowledge field, in addition, they allow the student to be aware of the criteria used for his evaluation. The present work has strengthened the formation and development of teaching groups and has eased the coordination among the different subjects of the Pharmacy Degree.Objetivo: Establecer niveles de dominio de algunas competencias transversales del Grado de Farmacia y diseñar e implementar metodologías y herramientas que permitan su desarrollo y evaluación a lo largo de la Titulación.Material y Método: Se han utilizado metodologías activas, diseñado actividades y elaborado rúbricas de evaluación para utilizar en los distintos niveles definidos para las competencias transversales elegidas: comunicación escrita, búsqueda de información y trabajo en equipo. Se ha elaborado una encuesta de satisfacción, que ha permitido valorar la experiencia realizada.Resultados: Los resultados obtenidos en tres asignaturas de primer y segundo curso de Farmacia (Fisicoquímica, Inmunología y Microbiología y Parasitología General) para las competencias de la comunicación escrita, trabajo en equipo y búsqueda de información, en los niveles de dominio 1 y 2, han sido muy positivos en la adquisición de las competencias y en la adecuación de actividades y herramientas de evaluación.Conclusiones: Las herramientas diseñadas, se pueden adaptar a cualquier materia y área de conocimiento para valorar estas competencias transversales, además, permiten al alumno conocer los criterios con los que va a ser evaluado. El presente trabajo ha potenciado la creación y desarrollo de grupos docentes y favorecido la coordinación entre asignaturas de la titulación

Polyfunctional T cell responses in children in early stages of chronic Trypanosoma cruzi infection contrast with monofunctional responses of long-term infected adults

Background: Adults with chronic Trypanosoma cruzi exhibit a poorly functional T cell compartment, characterized by monofunctional (IFN-γ-only secreting) parasite-specific T cells and increased levels of terminally differentiated T cells. It is possible that persistent infection and/or sustained exposure to parasites antigens may lead to a progressive loss of function of the immune T cells. Methodology/Principal Findings: To test this hypothesis, the quality and magnitude of T. cruzi-specific T cell responses were evaluated in T. cruzi-infected children and compared with long-term T. cruzi-infected adults with no evidence of heart failure. The phenotype of CD4+ T cells was also assessed in T. cruzi-infected children and uninfected controls. Simultaneous secretion of IFN-γ and IL-2 measured by ELISPOT assays in response to T. cruzi antigens was prevalent among T. cruzi-infected children. Flow cytometric analysis of co-expression profiles of CD4+ T cells with the ability to produce IFN-γ, TNF-α, or to express the co-stimulatory molecule CD154 in response to T. cruzi showed polyfunctional T cell responses in most T. cruzi-infected children. Monofunctional T cell responses and an absence of CD4+TNF-α+-secreting T cells were observed in T. cruzi-infected adults. A relatively high degree of activation and differentiation of CD4+ T cells was evident in T. cruzi-infected children. Conclusions/Significance: Our observations are compatible with our initial hypothesis that persistent T. cruzi infection promotes eventual exhaustion of immune system, which might contribute to disease progression in long-term infected subjects.Fil: Albareda, María Cecilia. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: de Rissio, Ana María. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; ArgentinaFil: Tomas, Gonzalo. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; ArgentinaFil: Serjan, Alicia. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos "Juan A. Fernández"; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, María Gabriela. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Viotti, Rodolfo Jorge. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Fichera, Laura Edith. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Esteva, Mónica Inés. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; ArgentinaFil: Potente, Daniel Fernando. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Armenti, Alejandro. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Tarleton, Rick L.. University of Georgia; Estados UnidosFil: Laucella, Susana Adriana. Dirección Nacional de Instituto de Investigación. Administración Nacional de Laboratorio e Instituto de Salud. Instituto Nacional de Parasitología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Nitrogen uptake and internal recycling in Zostera marina exposed to oyster farming: eelgrass potential as a natural biofilter

Oyster farming in estuaries and coastal lagoons frequently overlaps with the distribution of seagrass meadows, yet there are few studies on how this aquaculture practice affects seagrass physiology. We compared in situ nitrogen uptake and the productivity of Zostera marina shoots growing near off-bottom longlines and at a site not affected by oyster farming in San Quintin Bay, a coastal lagoon in Baja California, Mexico. We used benthic chambers to measure leaf NH4 (+) uptake capacities by pulse labeling with (NH4)-N-15 (+) and plant photosynthesis and respiration. The internal N-15 resorption/recycling was measured in shoots 2 weeks after incubations. The natural isotopic composition of eelgrass tissues and vegetative descriptors were also examined. Plants growing at the oyster farming site showed a higher leaf NH4 (+) uptake rate (33.1 mmol NH4 (+) m(-2) day(-1)) relative to those not exposed to oyster cultures (25.6 mmol NH4 (+) m(-2) day(-1)). We calculated that an eelgrass meadow of 15-16 ha (which represents only about 3-4 % of the subtidal eelgrass meadow cover in the western arm of the lagoon) can potentially incorporate the total amount of NH4 (+) excreted by oysters (similar to 5.2 x 10(6) mmol NH4 (+) day(-1)). This highlights the potential of eelgrass to act as a natural biofilter for the NH4 (+) produced by oyster farming. Shoots exposed to oysters were more efficient in re-utilizing the internal N-15 into the growth of new leaf tissues or to translocate it to belowground tissues. Photosynthetic rates were greater in shoots exposed to oysters, which is consistent with higher NH4 (+) uptake and less negative delta C-13 values. Vegetative production (shoot size, leaf growth) was also higher in these shoots. Aboveground/belowground biomass ratio was lower in eelgrass beds not directly influenced by oyster farms, likely related to the higher investment in belowground biomass to incorporate sedimentary nutrients

Analysis of parcel-based image classification methods for monitoring the activities of the Land Bank of Galicia (Spain)

[EN] The abandonment of agricultural plots entails a low economic productivity of the land and a higher vulnerability to wildfires and degradation of affected areas. In this sense, the local government of Galicia is promoting new methodologies based on high-resolution images in order to classify the territory in basic and generic land uses. This procedure will be used to control the sustainable management of plots belonging to the Land Bank. This paper presents an application study for maintaining and updating land use/land cover geospatial databases using parcel-oriented classification. The test is performed over two geographic areas of Galicia, in the northwest of Spain. In this region, forest and shrublands in mountain environments are very heterogeneous with many private unproductive plots, some of which are in a high state of abandonment. The dataset is made of high spatial resolution multispectral imagery, cadastral cartography employed to define the image objects (plots), and field samples used to define evaluation and training samples. A set of descriptive features is computed quantifying different properties of the objects, i.e. spectral, texture, structural, and geometrical. Additionally, the effect on the classification and updating processes of the historical land use as a descriptive feature is tested. Three different classification methodologies are analyzed: linear discriminant analysis, decision trees, and support vector machine. The overall accuracies of the classifications obtained are always above 90 % and support vector machine method is proved to provide the best performance. Forest and shrublands areas are especially undefined, so the discrimination between these two classes is low. The results enable to conclude that the use of automatic parcel-oriented classification techniques for updating tasks of land use/land cover geospatial databases, is effective in the areas tested, particularly when broad and well defined classes are required.The authors appreciate the collaboration and support provided by Xunta de Galicia, Sociedade para o Desenvolvemento Comarcal de Galícia, and Banco de Terras de Galicia. The financial support provided by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación in the framework of the projects CGL2010-19591/BTE and CGL2009-14220 is also acknowledged.Hermosilla, T.; Díaz Manso, J.; Ruiz Fernández, LÁ.; Recio Recio, JA.; Fernández-Sarría, A.; Ferradáns Nogueira, P. (2012). Analysis of parcel-based image classification methods for monitoring the activities of the Land Bank of Galicia (Spain). Applied Geomatics. 4(4):245-255. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12518-012-0087-zS24525544Arikan M (2004) Parcel-based crop mapping through multi-temporal masking classification of landsat 7 images in Karacabey, Turkey. Int Arch Photogramm Remote Sens Spat Inf Sci 35:1085–1090Balaguer A, Ruiz LA, Hermosilla T, Recio JA (2010) Definition of a comprehensive set of texture semivariogram features and their evaluation for object-oriented image classification. Comput Geosci 36(2):231–240Balaguer-Besser A, Hermosilla T, Recio JA, Ruiz LA (2011) Semivariogram calculation optimization for object-oriented image classification. Model Sci Educ Learn 4(7):91–104Blaschke T (2010) Object based image analysis for remote sensing. ISPRS J Photogramm 65(1):2–16Cohen Y, Shoshany M (2000) Integration of remote sensing, GIS and expert knowledge in national knowledge-based crop recognition in Mediterranean environment. 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Servizo de Publicacións e Intercambio Científico, Santiago de Compostela, Spain, pp 31–44Dupas CA (2000) SAR and LANDSAT TM image fusion for land cover classification in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Domain. Int Arch Photogramm Remote Sens XXXIII(Part B1):96–103El Kady M, Mack CB (1992) Remote sensing for crop inventory of Egypt’s old agricultural lands. Int Arch Photogramm Remote Sens 29:176–185Everitt BS, Dunn G (2001) Applied multivariate data analysis, 2nd edn. Edward Arnold, LondonHaralick RM, Shanmugam K, Dinstein I (1973) Texture features for image classification. IEEE Transact Syst Man Cybern 3(6):610–622Hermosilla T, Almonacid J, Fernández-Sarría A, Ruiz LA, Recio JA (2010) Combining features extracted from imagery and lidar data for object-oriented classification of forest areas. Int Arch Photogramm Remote Sens Spat Inf Sci 38(4/C7)Hernández Orallo J, Ramírez Quintana MJ, Ferri Ramírez C (2004) Introducción a la minería de datos. Pearson Educación S.A, MadridHomer C, Huang C, Yang L, Wylie B, Coan M (2004) Development of a 2001 National Land-Cover Database for the United States. Photogramm Eng Remote Sens 70:829–840Huberty CJ (1994) Applied discriminant analysis. Wiley, New YorkLaws KI (1985) Goal-directed texture image segmentation. Appl Artif Intel II, SPIE 548:19–26Ormeci C, Alganci U, Sertel E (2010) Identification of crop areas using SPOT-5 data, FIG Congress 2010 Facing the Challenges—building the capacity. Sydney, Australia, pp 11–16Peled A, Gilichinsky M (2004) GIS-driven analyses of remotely sensed data for quality assessment of existing land cover classification. Int Arch Photogramm Remote Sens Spat Inf Sci 35Peled A, Gilichinsky M (2010) Knowledge-based classification of land cover for the quality assessment of GIS database. Int Arch Photogramm Remote Sens Spat Inf Sci 38:217–222Perveen F, Nagasawa R, Ali S, Husnain (2008) Evaluation of ASTER spectral bands for agricultural land cover mapping using pixel-based and object-based classification approaches. Int Arch Photogramm Remote Sens Spat Inf Sci 37(4-C1)Petit CC, Lambin EF (2002) Impact of data integration technique on historical land-use/land-cover change: comparing historical maps with remote sensing data in the Belgian Ardennes. Landsc Ecol 17:117–132Quinlan JR (1993) C4.5: Programs for machine learning. Kaufmann, San FranciscoRabe A, van der Linden S, Hostert P (2010) imageSVM, Version 2.1. www.hu-geomatics.deRecio JA, Hermosilla T, Ruiz LA, Fernández-Sarría A (2011) Historical land use as a feature for image classification. Photogramm Eng Remote Sens 77(4):377–387Ruiz LA, Fernández-Sarría A, Recio JA (2004) Texture feature extraction for classification of remote sensing data using wavelet decomposition: a comparative study. Int Arch Photogramm Remote Sens Spat Inf Sci 35(B4):1109–1115Ruiz LA, Recio JA, Hermosilla T, Fdez. Sarriá A (2009) Identification of agricultural and land cover database changes using object-oriented classification techniques. 33rd International Symposium on Remote Sensing of Environment, May 4–8, Stresa (Italy)Ruiz LA, Recio JA, Fernández-Sarría A, Hermosilla T (2011) A feature extraction software tool for agricultural object-based image analysis. Comput Electron Agric 76(4):284–296Tansey K, Chambers I, Anstee A, Denniss A, Lamb A (2009) Object-oriented classification of very high resolution airborne imagery for the extraction of hedgerows and field margin cover in agricultural areas. Appl Geogr 29(2):145–157van der Linden S, Rabe A, Wirth F, Suess S, Okujeni A, Hostert P (2010) imageSVM regression, application manual: imageSVM version 2.1. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, GermanyVapnik VN (1998) Statistical learning theory. Wiley, New YorkWalsh SJ, McCleary AL, Mena CF, Shao Y, Tuttle JP, Gonzalez A, Atkinson R (2008) QuickBird and Hyperion data analysis of an invasive plant species in the Galapagos Islands of Ecuador: implications for control and land use management. Remote Sens Environ 112(5):1927–1941Walter V (2004) Object-based classification of remote sensing data for change detection. ISPRS J Photogramm Remote Sens 58:225–238Walter V (2005) Object-based evaluation of lidar and multiespectral data for automatic change detection in GIS databases. Geo-Inf Syst 18:10–15Zaragozí, B, Rabasa, A, Rodríguez-Sala, JJ, Navarro, JT, Belda, A, Ramón, A (2012) Modelling farmland abandonment: A study combining GIS and data mining techniques. Agric Ecosys Environ 155:124–132Zhang S, Liu X (2005) Realization of data mining model for expert classification using multi-scale spatial data. Int Arch Photogramm Remote Sens Spat Inf Sci 26(4/W6):107–11

Phlebotomine sand fly survey in the focus of leishmaniasis in Madrid, Spain (2012-2014): seasonal dynamics, Leishmania infantum infection rates and blood meal preferences

BACKGROUND: An unusual increase of human leishmaniasis cases due to Leishmania infantum is occurring in an urban area of southwestern Madrid, Spain, since 2010. Entomological surveys have shown that Phlebotomus perniciosus is the only potential vector. Direct xenodiagnosis in hares (Lepus granatensis) and rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) collected in the focus area proved that they can transmit parasites to colonized P. perniciosus. Isolates were characterized as L. infantum. The aim of the present work was to conduct a comprehensive study of sand flies in the outbreak area, with special emphasis on P. perniciosus. METHODS: Entomological surveys were done from June to October 2012-2014 in 4 stations located close to the affected area. Twenty sticky traps (ST) and two CDC light traps (LT) were monthly placed during two consecutive days in every station. LT were replaced every morning. Sand fly infection rates were determined by dissecting females collected with LT. Molecular procedures applied to study blood meal preferences and to detect L. infantum were performed for a better understanding of the epidemiology of the outbreak. RESULTS: A total of 45,127 specimens belonging to 4 sand fly species were collected: P. perniciosus (75.34%), Sergentomyia minuta (24.65%), Phlebotomus sergenti (0.005%) and Phlebotomus papatasi (0.005%). No Phlebotomus ariasi were captured. From 3203 P. perniciosus female dissected, 117 were infected with flagellates (3.7%). Furthermore, 13.31% and 7.78% of blood-fed and unfed female sand flies, respectively, were found infected with L. infantum by PCR. The highest rates of infected P. perniciosus were detected at the end of the transmission periods. Regarding to blood meal preferences, hares and rabbits were preferred, although human, cat and dog blood were also found. CONCLUSIONS: This entomological study highlights the exceptional nature of the Leishmania outbreak occurring in southwestern Madrid, Spain. It is confirmed that P. perniciosus is the only vector in the affected area, with high densities and infection rates. Rabbits and hares were the main blood meal sources of this species. These results reinforce the need for an extensive and permanent surveillance in this region, and others of similar characteristics, in order to control the vector and regulate the populations of wild reservoirs.This study was partially sponsored and funded by: Dirección General de Salud Pública, Consejería de Sanidad, Comunidad de Madrid; Colegio de Veterinarios de Madrid; Colegio de Biólogos de Madrid and EU grant FP7-261504 EDENext (http://www.edenext.eu).S

Embryogenic suspensions of adult cork oak: the first step towards mass propagation.

Abstract Protocols have been established to clone adult cork oak trees by somatic embryogenesis using semisolid medium. However, for economically viable mass propagation, embryogenic cultures in liquid medium need to be developed. In this study, suspension cultures were initiated from embryo clusters obtained by secondary embryogenesis on a gelled medium lacking plant growth regulators. After 6 days of culture, these embryo clusters generated high cell density suspensions that also contained small organized structures (embryos and embryogenic clumps). As the culture duration increased, tissue necrosis and fewer embryogenic structures were observed and the establishment of suspension cultures failed. An alternative method was found adequate for initiation of embryogenic suspensions: embryo clusters from gelled medium were briefly shaken in liquid medium and detached cells and embryogenic masses of 41?800 lm were used as inoculum. Maintenance of embryogenic suspensions was achieved using a low-density inoculum (43 mg l-1) by subculturing four embryogenic clumps of 0.8?1.2 mm per 70 ml of medium. Proliferation ability was maintained for almost 1 year through ten consecutive subcultures. The initiation and maintenance protocols first developed for a single genotype were effective when tested on 11 cork oak genotypes

Observation of associated near-side and away-side long-range correlations in √sNN=5.02 TeV proton-lead collisions with the ATLAS detector

Two-particle correlations in relative azimuthal angle (Δϕ) and pseudorapidity (Δη) are measured in √sNN=5.02  TeV p+Pb collisions using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The measurements are performed using approximately 1  μb-1 of data as a function of transverse momentum (pT) and the transverse energy (ΣETPb) summed over 3.1<η<4.9 in the direction of the Pb beam. The correlation function, constructed from charged particles, exhibits a long-range (2<|Δη|<5) “near-side” (Δϕ∼0) correlation that grows rapidly with increasing ΣETPb. A long-range “away-side” (Δϕ∼π) correlation, obtained by subtracting the expected contributions from recoiling dijets and other sources estimated using events with small ΣETPb, is found to match the near-side correlation in magnitude, shape (in Δη and Δϕ) and ΣETPb dependence. The resultant Δϕ correlation is approximately symmetric about π/2, and is consistent with a dominant cos⁡2Δϕ modulation for all ΣETPb ranges and particle pT

Prevalence of anemia and deficiency of iron, folic acid, and zinc in children younger than 2 years of age who use the health services provided by the Mexican Social Security Institute

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In Mexico, as in other developing countries, micronutrient deficiencies are common in infants between 6 and 24 months of age and are an important public health problem. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of anemia and of iron, folic acid, and zinc deficiencies in Mexican children under 2 years of age who use the health care services provided by the Mexican Institute for Social Security (IMSS).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A nationwide survey was conducted with a representative sample of children younger than 2 years of age, beneficiaries, and users of health care services provided by IMSS through its regular regimen (located in urban populations) and its Oportunidades program (services offered in rural areas). A subsample of 4,955 clinically healthy children was studied to determine their micronutrient status. A venous blood sample was drawn to determine hemoglobin, serum ferritin, percent of transferrin saturation, zinc, and folic acid. Descriptive statistics include point estimates and 95% confidence intervals for the sample and projections for the larger population from which the sample was drawn.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Twenty percent of children younger than 2 years of age had anemia, and 27.8% (rural) to 32.6% (urban) had iron deficiency; more than 50% of anemia was not associated with low ferritin concentrations. Iron stores were more depleted as age increased. Low serum zinc and folic acid deficiencies were 28% and 10%, respectively, in the urban areas, and 13% and 8%, respectively, in rural areas. The prevalence of simultaneous iron and zinc deficiencies was 9.2% and 2.7% in urban and rural areas. Children with anemia have higher percentages of folic acid deficiency than children with normal iron status.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Iron and zinc deficiencies constitute the principal micronutrient deficiencies in Mexican children younger than 2 years old who use the health care services provided by IMSS. Anemia not associated with low ferritin values was more prevalent than iron-deficiency anemia. The presence of micronutrient deficiencies at this early age calls for effective preventive public nutrition programs to address them.</p