Symptomatic plant viroid infections in phytopathogenic fungi: a request for a critical reassessment

Serra, P.; Carbonell, A.; Navarro, B.; Gago Zachert, S.; Li, S.; Di Serio, F.; Flores Pedauye, R. (2020). Symptomatic plant viroid infections in phytopathogenic fungi: a request for a critical reassessment. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (Online). 117(19):10126-10128. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1922249117S10126101281171

Role of RNA silencing in plant-viroid interactions and in viroid pathogenesis

[EN] Viroids are small, single-stranded, non-protein coding and circular RNAs able to infect host plants in the absence of any helper virus. They may elicit symptoms in their hosts, but the underlying molecular pathways are only partially known. Here we address the role of post-transcriptional RNA silencing in plant-viroid-interplay, with major emphasis on the involvement of this sequence-specific RNA degradation mechanism in both plant antiviroid defence and viroid pathogenesis. This review is a tribute to the memory of Dr. Ricardo Flores, who largely contributed to elucidate this and other molecular mechanisms involved in plant-viroid interactions.The authors of this manuscript, former PhD students, post-doctoral fellows and colleagues of Dr. Ricardo Flores, would like to dedicate this review to his memory. Among many other achievement during his scientific career, Ricardo was responsible for major advances in efforts to dissect the molecular mechanisms underlying viroid pathogenesis. An exemplary and dedicated scientist, excellent mentor, and a treasured friend, Ricardo will be deeply missed.Di Serio, F.; Owens, RA.; Navarro, B.; Serra, P.; Martínez De Alba, AE.; Delgado Villar, SG.; Carbonell, A.... (2023). Role of RNA silencing in plant-viroid interactions and in viroid pathogenesis. Virus Research. 323:1-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virusres.2022.1989641632

La influencia del autoconcepto en el rendimiento académico en estudiantes universitarios

ABSTRACTThere are some researches that confirm the positive relationship between self-concept and academic achievement, usually of the academic self‐concept dimension and almost always in non‐university students. In this work we were looking for confirming the influence of self-concept in the academic achievement of the university students. In order to do it we worked with a sample of 1298 students from the three universities located in the city of Valencia (Spain): the University of Valencia, the Polytechnic University of Valencia and the Catholic University of Valencia. The first two were public universities and the third one was private. We assessed the self‐concept by means of the AF5 questionnaire, which gives scores of five types of self-concept: academic/labour, emotional, family self‐concept, physical and social. We also took data from the academic achievement of university students by using the mean score of grades of five compulsory subjects of the academic year in which the research was conducted. From these scores we carried out correlations between self‐concept scores and grades, and also linear multiple regression analysis that showed a moderate relationship between three of the five types of self-concept that assesses the questionnaire (academic, physical and family self‐concept) and academic achievement. We also conducted hierarchical cluster analysis (k-means) with self-concept scores, finding three groups of students, one of them with a good profile of self-concept and the other two with a weaker profile. The first one had better grades, although di‐ fferences between the three groups were not significant in ANOVA. These results help us to realize the importance of supporting, as teachers, the development of a good self‐concept in our university students. Additionally, they complement the results of other studies that have examined other constructs and its impact on the academic achievement of university students.RESUMEN Existen algunas investigaciones que confirman la relación positiva existente entre autoconcepto y rendimiento académico, generalmente de la dimensión autoconcepto académico y casi siempre en estudiantes no universitarios. En este trabajo se busca confirmar la influencia del autoconcepto en el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes universitarios. Para ello trabajamos con una muestra de 1298 estudiantes de las tres universidades de la ciudad de Valencia (España): Universidad de Valencia, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia y Universidad Católica de Valencia. Las dos primeras eran universidades públicas y la tercera lo era privada. Evaluamos el autoconcepto mediante el cuestionario AF5, que permite obtener puntuaciones de cinco tipos de autoconcepto: académico/laboral, emocional, familiar, físico y social. También tomamos datos del rendimiento obteniendo la media de cinco asignaturas troncales y obligatorias del curso en que se realizó la investigación. A partir de estas puntuaciones llevamos a cabo correlaciones entre puntuaciones de autoconcepto y calificaciones, y también análisis de regresión lineal que reflejaron una relación moderada entre tres de los cinco tipos de autoconcepto que evalúa el cuestionario (académico, familiar y físico) y el rendimiento. También realizamos análisis jerárquico de conglomerados (k‐medias) con las puntuaciones de autoconcepto, encontrando tres grupos de estudiantes, uno con buen perfil de autoconcepto y dos con peor perfil. El grupo con buen perfil tenía mejores calificaciones, aunque las diferencias existentes entre los tres grupos no llegaron a ser significativas en el ANOVA realizado. Estos resultados ayudan a tomar conciencia de la importancia de apoyar, como profesores, el desarrollo de un buen autoconcepto en nuestros estudiantes universitarios. Además complementan los resultados de otras investigaciones que han analizado otros constructos y su incidencia en el rendimiento de estos estudiantesABSTRACT There are some researches that confirm the positive relationship between self-concept and academic achievement, usually of the academic self‐concept dimension and almost always in non‐university students. In this work we were looking for confirming the influence of self-concept in the academic achievement of the university students. In order to do it we worked with a sample of 1298 students from the three universities located in the city of Valencia (Spain): the University of Valencia, the Polytechnic University of Valencia and the Catholic University of Valencia. The first two were public universities and the third one was private. We assessed the self‐concept by means of the AF5 questionnaire, which gives scores of five types of self-concept: academic/labour, emotional, family self‐concept, physical and social. We also took data from the academic achievement of university students by using the mean score of grades of five compulsory subjects of the academic year in which the research was conducted. From these scores we carried out correlations between self‐concept scores and grades, and also linear multiple regression analysis that showed a moderate relationship between three of the five types of self-concept that assesses the questionnaire (academic, physical and family self‐concept) and academic achievement. We also conducted hierarchical cluster analysis (k-means) with self-concept scores, finding three groups of students, one of them with a good profile of self-concept and the other two with a weaker profile. The first one had better grades, although di‐ fferences between the three groups were not significant in ANOVA. These results help us to realize the importance of supporting, as teachers, the development of a good self‐concept in our university students. Additionally, they complement the results of other studies that have examined other constructs and its impact on the academic achievement of university students

The influence of self-concept on academic achievement in university students

Existen algunas investigaciones que confirman la relación positiva existente entre autoconcepto y rendimiento académico, generalmente de la dimensión autoconcepto académico y casi siempre en es‑tudiantes no universitarios. En este trabajo se busca confirmar la influencia del autoconcepto en el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes universitarios. Para ello trabajamos con una muestra de 1298 estudiantes de las tres universidades de la ciudad de Valencia (España): Universidad de Valencia, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia y Universidad Católica de Valencia. Las dos primeras eran universidades públicas y la tercera lo era privada. Evaluamos el autoconcepto mediante el cuestionario AF5, que permite obtener puntuaciones de cinco tipos de autoconcepto: académico/laboral, emocional, familiar, físico y social. También tomamos datos del rendimiento obteniendo la media de cinco asignaturas troncales y obligatorias del curso en que se realizó la investigación. A partir de estas puntuaciones llevamos a cabo correlaciones entre puntuaciones de autoconcepto y calificaciones, y también análisis de regresión lineal que reflejaron una relación moderada entre tres de los cinco tipos de autoconcepto que evalúa el cuestionario (académico, familiar y físico) y el rendimiento. También realizamos análisis jerárquico de conglomerados (k‑medias) con las puntuaciones de autoconcepto, encontrando tres grupos de estudiantes, uno con buen perfil de autoconcepto y dos con peor perfil. El grupo con buen perfil tenía mejores calificaciones, aunque las diferencias existentes entre los tres grupos no llegaron a ser significativas en el ANOVA realizado. Estos resultados ayudan a tomar conciencia de la importancia de apoyar, como profesores, el desarrollo de un buen autoconcepto en nuestros estudiantes universitarios. Además complementan los resultados de otras investigaciones que han analizado otros constructos y su incidencia en el rendimiento de estos estudiantes.There are some researches that confirm the positive relationship between self-concept and academic achievement, usually of the academic self‑concept dimension and almost always in non‑university students. In this work we were looking for confirming the influence of self-concept in the academic achievement of the university students. In order to do it we worked with a sample of 1298 students from the three universities located in the city of Valencia (Spain): the University of Valencia, the Polytechnic University of Valencia and the Catholic University of Valencia. The first two were public universities and the third one was private. We assessed the self‑concept by means of the AF5 ques‑tionnaire, which gives scores of five types of self-concept: academic/labour, emotional, family self‑concept, physical and social. We also took data from the academic achievement of university students by using the mean score of grades of five compulsory subjects of the academic year in which the research was conducted. From these scores we carried out correlations between self‑concept scores and grades, and also linear multiple regression analysis that showed a moderate relationship between three of the five types of self-concept that assesses the questionnaire (academic, physical and family self‑concept) and academic achievement. We also conducted hierarchical cluster analysis (k -means) with self-concept scores, finding three groups of students, one of them with a good profile of self-concept and the other two with a weaker profile. The first one had better grades, although differences between the three groups were not significant in ANOVA. These results help us to realize the importance of supporting, as teachers, the development of a good self‑concept in our university students. Additionally, they complement the results of other studies that have examined other cons‑tructs and its impact on the academic achievement of university students.Educació

The evolution of the ventilatory ratio is a prognostic factor in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 ARDS patients

Background: Mortality due to COVID-19 is high, especially in patients requiring mechanical ventilation. The purpose of the study is to investigate associations between mortality and variables measured during the first three days of mechanical ventilation in patients with COVID-19 intubated at ICU admission. Methods: Multicenter, observational, cohort study includes consecutive patients with COVID-19 admitted to 44 Spanish ICUs between February 25 and July 31, 2020, who required intubation at ICU admission and mechanical ventilation for more than three days. We collected demographic and clinical data prior to admission; information about clinical evolution at days 1 and 3 of mechanical ventilation; and outcomes. Results: Of the 2,095 patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU, 1,118 (53.3%) were intubated at day 1 and remained under mechanical ventilation at day three. From days 1 to 3, PaO2/FiO2 increased from 115.6 [80.0-171.2] to 180.0 [135.4-227.9] mmHg and the ventilatory ratio from 1.73 [1.33-2.25] to 1.96 [1.61-2.40]. In-hospital mortality was 38.7%. A higher increase between ICU admission and day 3 in the ventilatory ratio (OR 1.04 [CI 1.01-1.07], p = 0.030) and creatinine levels (OR 1.05 [CI 1.01-1.09], p = 0.005) and a lower increase in platelet counts (OR 0.96 [CI 0.93-1.00], p = 0.037) were independently associated with a higher risk of death. No association between mortality and the PaO2/FiO2 variation was observed (OR 0.99 [CI 0.95 to 1.02], p = 0.47). Conclusions: Higher ventilatory ratio and its increase at day 3 is associated with mortality in patients with COVID-19 receiving mechanical ventilation at ICU admission. No association was found in the PaO2/FiO2 variation

Clustering COVID-19 ARDS patients through the first days of ICU admission. An analysis of the CIBERESUCICOVID Cohort

Background Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) can be classified into sub-phenotypes according to different inflammatory/clinical status. Prognostic enrichment was achieved by grouping patients into hypoinflammatory or hyperinflammatory sub-phenotypes, even though the time of analysis may change the classification according to treatment response or disease evolution. We aimed to evaluate when patients can be clustered in more than 1 group, and how they may change the clustering of patients using data of baseline or day 3, and the prognosis of patients according to their evolution by changing or not the cluster.Methods Multicenter, observational prospective, and retrospective study of patients admitted due to ARDS related to COVID-19 infection in Spain. Patients were grouped according to a clustering mixed-type data algorithm (k-prototypes) using continuous and categorical readily available variables at baseline and day 3.Results Of 6205 patients, 3743 (60%) were included in the study. According to silhouette analysis, patients were grouped in two clusters. At baseline, 1402 (37%) patients were included in cluster 1 and 2341(63%) in cluster 2. On day 3, 1557(42%) patients were included in cluster 1 and 2086 (57%) in cluster 2. The patients included in cluster 2 were older and more frequently hypertensive and had a higher prevalence of shock, organ dysfunction, inflammatory biomarkers, and worst respiratory indexes at both time points. The 90-day mortality was higher in cluster 2 at both clustering processes (43.8% [n = 1025] versus 27.3% [n = 383] at baseline, and 49% [n = 1023] versus 20.6% [n = 321] on day 3). Four hundred and fifty-eight (33%) patients clustered in the first group were clustered in the second group on day 3. In contrast, 638 (27%) patients clustered in the second group were clustered in the first group on day 3.Conclusions During the first days, patients can be clustered into two groups and the process of clustering patients may change as they continue to evolve. This means that despite a vast majority of patients remaining in the same cluster, a minority reaching 33% of patients analyzed may be re-categorized into different clusters based on their progress. Such changes can significantly impact their prognosis

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Actitudes ante el aprendizaje y rendimiento académico en los estudiantes universitarios

El objetivo de este trabajo es analizar la incidencia de las actitudes hacia el aprendizaje en el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes universitarios. Para ello diseñamos el cuestionario CEVAPU (Cuestionario de evaluación de las actitudes hacia el aprendizaje de los estudiantes universitarios). Validamos el instrumento con dos muestras de alumnos de las universidades de la ciudad de Valencia (545 estudiantes en la primera y 1127 en la segunda). Con la segunda muestra llevamos a cabo correlaciones que reflejan relación entre actitudes hacia el aprendizaje y rendimiento académico. También llevamos a cabo análisis jerárquico de conglomerados utilizando el procedimiento de k-medias, encontrando cuatro grupos de estudiantes con diverso perfil de actitudes: uno con buen perfil actitudinal, dos con perfil actitudinal no tan bueno y un cuarto grupo con un perfil débil. Posteriormente examinamos las diferencias en las calificaciones entre los grupos establecidos en función de su perfil actitudinal, encontrando diferencias significativas a favor del grupo con perfil actitudinal más positivo

Revista española de orientación y psicopedagogía

Resumen tomado de la publicación. Con el apoyo económico del departamento MIDE de la UNED. Incluye anexo con el cuestionario utilizado para la realización del estudioExisten algunas investigaciones que confirman la relación positiva existente entre autoconcepto y rendimiento académico, generalmente de la dimensión autoconcepto académico y casi siempre en estudiantes no universitarios. En este trabajo se busca confirmar la influencia del autoconcepto en el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes universitarios. Para ello trabajamos con una muestra de 1298 estudiantes de las tres universidades de la ciudad de Valencia (España): Universidad de Valencia, Universidad Politécnica de Valencia y Universidad Católica de Valencia. Las dos primeras eran universidades públicas y la tercera lo era privada. Evaluamos el autoconcepto mediante el cuestionario AF5, que permite obtener puntuaciones de cinco tipos de autoconcepto: académico-laboral, emocional, familiar, físico y social. También tomamos datos del rendimiento obteniendo la media de cinco asignaturas troncales y obligatorias del curso en que se realizó la investigación. A partir de estas puntuaciones llevamos a cabo correlaciones entre puntuaciones de autoconcepto y calificaciones, y también análisis de regresión lineal que reflejaron una relación moderada entre tres de los cinco tipos de autoconcepto que evalúa el cuestionario (académico, familiar y físico) y el rendimiento. También realizamos análisis jerárquico de conglomerados (k-medias) con las puntuaciones de autoconcepto, encontrando tres grupos de estudiantes, uno con buen perfil de autoconcepto y dos con peor perfil. El grupo con buen perfil tenía mejores calificaciones, aunque las diferencias existentes entre los tres grupos no llegaron a ser significativas en el ANOVA realizado. Estos resultados ayudan a tomar conciencia de la importancia de apoyar, como profesores, el desarrollo de un buen autoconcepto en nuestros estudiantes universitarios. Además complementan los resultados de otras investigaciones que han analizado otros constructos y su incidencia en el rendimiento de estos estudiantes.There are some researches that confirm the positive relationship between self-concept and academic achievement, usually of the academic self-concept dimension and almost always in non-university students. In this work we were looking for confirming the influence of self-concept in the academic achievement of the university students. In order to do it we worked with a sample of 1298 students from the three universities located in the city of Valencia (Spain): the University of Valencia, the Polytechnic University of Valencia and the Catholic University of Valencia. The first two were public universities and the third one was private. We assessed the self-concept by means of the AF5 questionnaire, which gives scores of five types of self-concept: academic-labour, emotional, family self concept, physical and social. We also took data from the academic achievement of university students by using the mean score of grades of five compulsory subjects of the academic year in which the research was conducted. From these scores we carried out correlations between self-concept scores and grades, and also linear multiple regression analysis that showed a moderate relationship between three of the five types of self-concept that assesses the questionnaire (academic, physical and family self-concept) and academic achievement. We also conducted hierarchical cluster analysis (k means) with self-concept scores, finding three groups of students, one of them with a good profile of self-concept and the other two with a weaker profile. The first one had better grades, although differences between the three groups were not significant in ANOVA. These results help us to realize the importance of supporting, as teachers, the development of a good self-concept in our university students. Additionally, they complement the results of other studies that have examined other constructs and its impact on the academic achievement of university students.MadridBiblioteca de Educación del Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte; Calle San Agustín, 5 - 3 Planta; 28014 Madrid; Tel. +34917748000; [email protected]

Role of RNA silencing in plant-viroid interactions and in viroid pathogenesis

Viroids are small, single-stranded, non-protein coding and circular RNAs able to infect host plants in the absence of any helper virus. They may elicit symptoms in their hosts, but the underlying molecular pathways are only partially known. Here we address the role of post-transcriptional RNA silencing in plant-viroid-interplay, with major emphasis on the involvement of this sequence-specific RNA degradation mechanism in both plant antiviroid defence and viroid pathogenesis. This review is a tribute to the memory of Dr. Ricardo Flores, who largely contributed to elucidate this and other molecular mechanisms involved in plant-viroid interactions.Peer reviewe