Discrete Algorithms - Programming and Collaborative Work: An Experience From the Virtual Classroom Environment

Collaborative learning understands learning as a social process of knowledge construction that goes beyond the individual instance of analysis, conceptualization and appropriation. Discrete Mathematics and Cryptography are two subjects of careers with a systemic and computational profile suitable for the early introduction of programming. With the aim of stimulating student participation and the development of transversal competencies, such as the ability to face a problem, teamwork, programming in a new language, improving oral communication; and in accordance with the line of research in Mathematics Education and training for the improvement of teaching and learning processes in the university classroom, a series of problems were activated in the virtual environment so that students could try to solve them and communicate the results to their peers. The students showed totally adequate resolution qualities, they were timid in their oral communications, but capable of defending the resolution of the problem. That is to say that there is benefit from this type of learning based on the possibilities offered by the new technologies

Interdisciplinariedad: una propuesta de enseñanza de las ciencias (interdisciplinaridade: uma proposta para o ensino de ciências)

La visión del trabajo científico ha cambiado, se asume una posición más amplia, los trabajos ya no son individuales tornándose difusas las fronteras de las disciplinas. Para llevarlos a cabo es necesaria la interdisciplinariedad, lo que requiere cambiar la modalidad tradicional de trabajo, la conformación de equipos y un lenguaje común. Despertar vocación por el estudio de las Ciencias implica cambiar su enseñanza. Es crear en los alumnos un espíritu inquisidor, constructor, participativo, capaz de resolver problemas, alentando la constitución de grupos de trabajo interdisciplinarios. Para conseguirlo es necesario desarrollar estrategias que tengan por objeto revalorizar y resignificar el estudio de las Ciencias. El presente trabajo es un informe de avance de una propuesta pedagógica para promover acciones concretas en el aula de la escuela media desde la Universidad, que posibilite cambios en las metodologías y en los conocimientos aplicados de las áreas de la Ciencia, a través del "diálogo entre ellas". La forma de trabajo propuesta requiere de tácticas que permitan facilitar los procesos de aprendizaje que mejoren las acciones educativas. No es fácil llevar a cabo un trabajo de este tipo, su éxito no está asegurado y exige que se cumplan condiciones que pueden conducir a dificultades. Una de ellas, detectada en esta investigación, es la falta de formación de los docentes, tanto del nivel secundario como universitario, en la modalidad "interdisciplinaria". La misma es una nueva concepción de trabajo y de enseñanza de las Ciencias. La experiencia realizada resultó positiva. Con este trabajo se iniciaron acciones que integran áreas, currículos y espacios educativos. Permitió la realización de prácticas de laboratorio de estudiantes de nivel secundario en el ámbito universitario para que puedan conocer otro modo de hacer Ciencias, sentando un precedente de modalidad educativa en la zona de influencia de la Universidad Nacional del Litoral

Main clinical features in patients at their first psychiatric admission to Italian acute hospital psychiatric wards. The PERSEO study

BACKGROUND: Few data are available on subjects presenting to acute wards for the first time with psychotic symptoms. The aims of this paper are (i) to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients at their first psychiatric admission (FPA), including socio-demographic features, risk factors, life habits, modalities of onset, psychiatric diagnoses and treatments before admission; (ii) to assess the aggressive behavior and the clinical management of FPA patients in Italian acute hospital psychiatric wards, called SPDCs (Servizio Psichiatrico Diagnosi e Cura = psychiatric service for diagnosis and management). METHOD: Cross-sectional observational multi-center study involving 62 Italian SPDCs (PERSEO – Psychiatric EmeRgency Study and EpidemiOlogy). RESULTS: 253 FPA aged <= 40 were identified among 2521 patients admitted to Italian SPDCs over the 5-month study period. About half of FPA patients showed an aggressive behavior as defined by a Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS) score greater than 0 Vs 46% of non-FPA patients (p = 0.3651). The most common was verbal aggression, while about 20% of FPA patients actually engaged in physical aggression against other people. 74% of FPA patients had no diagnosis at admission, while 40% had received a previous psychopharmacological treatment, mainly benzodiazepines and antidepressants. During SPDC stay, diagnosis was established in 96% of FPA patients and a pharmacological therapy was prescribed to 95% of them, mainly benzodiazepines, antipsychotics and mood stabilizers. CONCLUSION: Subjects presenting at their first psychiatric ward admission have often not undergone previous adequate psychiatric assessment and diagnostic procedures. The first hospital admission allows diagnosis and psychopharmacological treatment to be established. In our population, aggressive behaviors were rather frequent, although most commonly verbal. Psychiatric symptoms, as evaluated by psychiatrists and patients, improved significantly from admission to discharge both for FPA and non-FPA patients

Clinical features and therapeutic management of patients admitted to Italian acute hospital psychiatric units: the PERSEO (psychiatric emergency study and epidemiology) survey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The PERSEO study (psychiatric emergency study and epidemiology) is a naturalistic, observational clinical survey in Italian acute hospital psychiatric units, called SPDCs (Servizio Psichiatrico Diagnosi e Cura; in English, the psychiatric service for diagnosis and management). The aims of this paper are: (i) to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients, including sociodemographic features, risk factors, life habits and psychiatric diagnoses; and (ii) to assess the clinical management, subjective wellbeing and attitudes toward medications.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 62 SPDCs distributed throughout Italy participated in the study and 2521 patients were enrolled over the 5-month study period.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Almost half of patients (46%) showed an aggressive behaviour at admission to ward, but they engaged more commonly in verbal aggression (38%), than in aggression toward other people (20%). A total of 78% of patients had a psychiatric diagnosis at admission, most frequently schizophrenia (36%), followed by depression (16%) and personality disorders (14%), and no relevant changes in the diagnoses pattern were observed during hospital stay. Benzodiazepines were the most commonly prescribed drugs, regardless of diagnosis, at all time points. Overall, up to 83% of patients were treated with neuroleptic drugs and up to 27% received more than one neuroleptic either during hospital stay or at discharge. Atypical and conventional antipsychotics were equally prescribed for schizophrenia (59 vs 65% during stay and 59 vs 60% at discharge), while atypical drugs were preferred in schizoaffective psychoses (72 vs 49% during stay and 70 vs 46% at discharge) and depression (41 vs 32% during stay and 44 vs 25% at discharge). Atypical neuroleptics were slightly preferred to conventional ones at hospital discharge (52 vs 44%). Polypharmacy was in general widely used. Patient attitudes toward medications were on average positive and self-reported compliance increased during hospital stay.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Results confirm the widespread use of antipsychotics and the increasing trend in atypical drugs prescription, in both psychiatric in- and outpatients.</p

Helicobacter pylori and type 1 diabetes mellitus in children

Background: Helicobacter pylori is a recognized gastroduodenal pathogen and H. pylori infection is one of the most common bacterial infections, usually acquired during childhood. However, diabetes mellitus is characterized by an increased susceptibility to infections. Methods: We compared the prevalence of H. pylori infection as well as cytotoxin- associated gene A - CagA - and vacuolating cytotoxin gene A- VacA - positivity in 103 children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus and in 236 nondiabetic children. We used a novel Recombinant ImmunoBlot Assay- Strip (RIBA SIA) with individual band for whole H. pylori lysate and recombinant CagA and VacA. Results: H. pylori-positive subjects, both diabetics and controls, were significantly older than negative subjects. In the whole group of diabetic patients the prevalence of each of the three reactivities was higher than in control subjects, reaching significance only for lysate. Only diabetic patients over 12 years of age, with a longer disease duration, had a higher prevalence of positive cases, although not significantly so. Conclusions: In the first few years of disease, diabetic children do not differ from the nondiabetic population. Subsequently they show an H. pylori seroprevalence tendentially higher than that of controls of the same age. Therefore, H. pylori infection acquired in childhood and lasting several years, could be one of the causes of chronic atrophic gastritis, which is more frequent in longstanding diabetes mellitus