Periodontitis is associated with subclinical cerebral and carotid atherosclerosis in hypertensive patients: A cross‑sectional study

Objective: To examine the relationship between periodontitis and subclinical intracranial atherosclerosis. The association of periodontitis with preclinical markers of atherosclerosis in other vascular territories was also explored. Material and methods: This was a cross-sectional study where 97 elderly subjects with a previous history of hypertension received an ultrasonographic evaluation to assess subclinical atherosclerosis in different vascular territories: (1) cerebral [pulsatility (PI) and resistance index (RI) of the middle cerebral artery], (2) carotid [intima-media thickness (IMT)], and (3) peripheral [ankle-brachial index (ABI)]. Additionally, participants underwent a full-mouth periodontal assessment together with blood sample collection to determine levels of inflammatory biomarkers (leukocytes, fibrinogen, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate), lipid fractions (total cholesterol and high- and low-density lipoprotein), and glucose. Results: Sixty-one individuals had periodontitis. Compared to subjects without periodontitis, those with periodontitis showed higher values of PI (1.24 ± 0.29 vs 1.01 ± 0.16), RI (0.70 ± 0.14 vs 0.60 ± 0.06), and IMT (0.94 ± 0.15 vs 0.79 ± 0.15) (all p < 0.001). No statistically significant differences were found neither for ABI or for other clinical and biochemical parameters. An independent association was found between periodontitis and increased intracranial atherosclerosis (ORadjusted = 10.16; 95% CI: 3.14-32.90, p < 0.001) and to a lesser extent with thicker carotid IMT (ORadjusted = 4.10; 95% CI: 1.61-10.48, p = 0.003). Conclusions: Periodontitis is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in both intracranial and carotid arteries in elderly subjects with hypertension. Clinical relevance: The association of periodontitis with intracranial atherosclerosis implies that periodontitis patients might have greater chances to develop ischemic stroke in the futureOpen Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. This study was partially supported by grants from the Xunta de Galicia (TS: IN607A2018/3 and TS: IN607D 2020/09), Spanish Ministry of Science (TS: RTI2018-102165-B-I00 and RTC2019-007373-1), Institute of Health Carlos III (PI22/00938), and RICOR-ICTUS Network (RD21/0006/003). Furthermore, this study was also supported by grants from the Interreg Atlantic Area (TS: EAPA_791/2018_ NeuroATLANTIC project), Interreg V-A España Portugal (POCTEP) (TS: 0624_2IQBIONEURO_6_E), and the European Regional Development Fund. YL is supported by a Sara Borrell fellowship (CD22/00051), and TS (CPII17/00027) and FC (CPII19/00020) are recipients of Miguel Servet contracts, all of them funded by the Institute of Health Carlos IIIS

Presence of Bacterial DNA in Thrombotic Material of Patients with Myocardial Infarction

[Abstract] Infectious agents have been suggested to be involved in etiopathogenesis of Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). However, the relationship between bacterial infection and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has not yet been completely clarified. The objective of this study is to detect bacterial DNA in thrombotic material of patients with ACS with ST-segment elevation (STEMI) treated with Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PPCI). We studied 109 consecutive patients with STEMI, who underwent thrombus aspiration and arterial peripheral blood sampling. Testing for bacterial DNA was performed by probe-based real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). 12 probes and primers were used for the detection of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Chlamydia pneumoniae, viridans group streptococci, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Tannarella forsythia, Treponema denticola, Helycobacter pylori, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Staphylococus aureus, Prevotella intermedia and Streptococcus mutans. Thus, DNA of four species of bacteria was detected in 10 of the 109 patients studied. The most frequent species was viridans group streptococci (6 patients, 5.5%), followed by Staphylococus aureus (2 patients, 1.8%). Moreover, a patient had DNA of Porphyromonas gingivalis (0.9%); and another patient had DNA of Prevotella intermedia (0.9%). Bacterial DNA was not detected in peripheral blood of any of our patients. In conclusion, DNA of four species of endodontic and periodontal bacteria was detected in thrombotic material of 10 STEMI patients. Bacterial DNA was not detected in the peripheral blood of patients with bacterial DNA in their thrombotic material. Bacteria could be latently present in plaques and might play a role in plaque instability and thrombus formation leading to ACS

Contribution of cardio-vascular risk factors to depressive status in the PREDIMED-PLUS Trial. A cross-sectional and a 2-year longitudinal study

Background Cardio-vascular disease and depression are thought to be closely related, due to shared risk factors. The aim of the study was to determine the association between cardio-vascular risk (CVR) factors and depressive status in a population (55-75 years) with metabolic syndrome (MetS) from the PREDIMED-Plus trial. Methods and findings Participants were classified into three groups of CVR according to the Framingham-based REGICOR function: (1) low (LR), (2) medium (MR) or (3) high/very high (HR). The Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) was used to assess depressive symptoms at baseline and after 2 years. The association between CVR and depressive status at baseline (n = 6545), and their changes after 2 years (n = 4566) were evaluated through multivariable regression models (logistic and linear models). HR women showed higher odds of depressive status than LR [OR (95% CI) = 1.78 (1.26, 2.50)]. MR and HR participants with total cholesterol <160 mg/mL showed higher odds of depression than LR [OR (95% CI) = 1.77 (1.13, 2.77) and 2.83 (1.25, 6.42) respectively)] but those with total cholesterol ¿280 mg/mL showed lower odds of depression than LR [OR (95% CI) = 0.26 (0.07, 0.98) and 0.23 (0.05, 0.95), respectively]. All participants decreased their BDI-II score after 2 years, being the decrease smaller in MR and HR diabetic compared to LR [adjusted mean±SE = -0.52±0.20, -0.41 ±0.27 and -1.25±0.31 respectively). MR and HR participants with total cholesterol between 240-279 mg/mL showed greater decreases in the BDI-II score compared to LR (adjusted mean±SE = -0.83±0.37, -0.77±0.64 and 0.97±0.52 respectively). Conclusions Improving cardiovascular health could prevent the onset of depression in the elderly. Diabetes and total cholesterol in individuals at high CVR, may play a specific role in the precise response.The PREDIMED-Plus trial was supported by the European Research Council through a grant to MAM (Advanced Research Grant 2013-2018; 340918). The project was also supported by the official funding agency for biomedical research of the Spanish Government (ISCIII) through the Fondo de Investigación para la Salud (FIS), which is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (four coordinated FIS projects), who awarded grants to JS and JV (PI13/00673, PI13/00492, PI13/00272, PI13/01123, PI13/00462, PI13/00233, PI13/02184, PI13/00728, PI13/01090, PI13/01056, PI14/01722, PI14/00636, PI14/00618, PI14/00696, PI14/01206, PI14/01919, PI14/00853, PI14/01374, PI16/00473, PI16/00662, PI16/01873, PI16/01094, PI16/00501, PI16/00533, PI16/00381, PI16/00366, PI16/01522, PI16/01120, PI17/00764, PI17/01183, PI17/00855, PI17/01347, PI17/00525, PI17/01827, PI17/00532, PI17/00215, PI17/01441, PI17/00508, PI17/01732 and PI17/00926). The International Nut&Dried Fruit Council-FESNAD also provided funding through a grant to MAM (201302), and Recercaixa also awarded a grant to JS (2013ACUP00194). The Department of Health, Generalitat de Cataluña by the calls 'Acció instrumental de programes de recerca orientats en lámbit de la recercaila innovació en salut' and 'Pla estrategic de recerca i innovació en salut (PERIS),' also awarded a grant to FF (SLT006/17/00246). This research was also partially funded by: Consejería de Salud de la Junta de Andalucía (PI0458/2013, PS0358/2016, PI0137/2018); Generalitat Valenciana (PROMETEO/2017/017); SEMERGEN, CIBEROBN, FEDER and ISCIII (CB06/03); EU-H2020 Grants (Eat2beNICE/h2020-sfs-2016-2, ref.728018; PRIME/h2020-SC1-BHC-2018-2020, ref: 847879)

The Effect of Physical Activity and High Body Mass Index on Health-Related Quality of Life in Individuals with Metabolic Syndrome

[EN] The main objective of this study was to examine the relationship between the level of physical activity (PA) and the degree of obesity with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in individuals with metabolic syndrome (MetS) who participated in the Predimed-Plus study. A total of 6875 subjects between 55 and 75 years of age with MetS were selected and randomized in 23 Spanish centers. Subjects were classified according to categories of body mass index (BMI). PA was measured with the validated Registre Gironi del Cor (REGICOR) questionnaire and subjects were classified according to their PA level (light, moderate, vigorous) and the HRQoL was measured with the validated short-form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire. By using the ANOVA model, we found a positive and statistically significant association between the level of PA and the HRQoL (aggregated physical and mental dimensions p < 0.001), but a negative association with higher BMI in aggregated physical dimensions p < 0.001. Furthermore, women obtained lower scores compared with men, more five points in all fields of SF-36. Therefore, it is essential to promote PA and body weight control from primary care consultations to improve HRQoL, paying special attention to the differences that sex incurs.SIThe Predimed-Plus trial was supported by the Spanish government’s official funding agency for biomedical research, ISCIII, through the Fondo de Investigación para la Salud (FIS), which is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (three coordinated FIS projects led by Jordi Salas-Salvadó and Josep Vidal, including the following projects: PI13/00673, PI13/00492, PI13/00272, PI13/01123, PI13/00462, PI13/00233, PI13/02184, PI13/00728, PI13/01090, PI13/01056, PI14/01722, PI14/0147, PI14/00636, PI14/00972, PI14/00618, PI14/00696, PI14/01206, PI14/01919, PI14/00853, PI14/01374, PI16/00473, PI16/00662, PI16/01873, PI16/01094, PI16/00501, PI16/00533, PI16/00381, PI16/00366, PI16/01522, PI16/01120, PI17/00764, PI17/01183, PI17/00855, PI17/01347, PI17/00525, PI17/01827, PI17/00532, PI17/00215, PI17/01441, PI17/00508, PI17/01732, PI17/00926, PI19/00957, PI19/00386, PI19/00309, PI19/01032, PI19/00576, PI19/00017, PI19/01226, PI19/00781, PI19/01560, PI19/01,332), the Special Action Project entitled: Implementación y evaluación de una intervención intensiva sobre la actividad física Cohorte PREDIMED-PLUS grant to Jordi Salas-Salvadó, the European Research Council (Advanced Research Grant 2013–2018; 340918) grant to Miguel Ángel Martínez-Gonzalez, the Recercaixa grant to Jordi Salas-Salvadó (2013ACUP00194), grants from the Consejería de Salud de la Junta de Andalucía (PI0458/2013; PS0358/2016; PI0137/2018), the PROMETEO/2017/017 grant from the Generalitat Valenciana, the SEMERGEN grant and FEDER funds (CB06/03 and CB12/03), Olga Castaner is funded by the JR17/00,022 grant, ISCIII. Christopher Papandreou is supported by a postdoctoral fellowship granted by the Autonomous Government of Catalonia (PERIS 2016–2020 Incorporació de Científics i Tecnòlegs, SLT002/0016/00,428). María Rosa Bernal-Lopez was supported by “Miguel Servet Type I” program (CP15/00028) from the ISCIII-Madrid (Spain), cofinanced by the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional-FEDER, Ignacio M.Giménez-Alba is supported by a FPU predoctoral contract (reference FPU18/01703) from the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Spain

Relevance of gastrointestinal manifestations in a large Spanish cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: what do we know?

SLE can affect any part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. GI symptoms are reported to occur in >50% of SLE patients. To describe the GI manifestations of SLE in the RELESSER (Registry of SLE Patients of the Spanish Society of Rheumatology) cohort and to determine whether these are associated with a more severe disease, damage accrual and a worse prognosis. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide, retrospective, multicentre, cross-sectional cohort study of 3658 SLE patients who fulfil =4 ACR-97 criteria. Data on demographics, disease characteristics, activity (SLEDAI-2K or BILAG), damage (SLICC/ACR/DI) and therapies were collected. Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared between lupus patients with and without GI damage to establish whether GI damage is associated with a more severe disease. RESULTS: From 3654 lupus patients, 3.7% developed GI damage. Patients in this group (group 1) were older, they had longer disease duration, and were more likely to have vasculitis, renal disease and serositis than patients without GI damage (group 2). Hospitalizations and mortality were significantly higher in group 1. Patients in group 1 had higher modified SDI (SLICC Damage Index). The presence of oral ulcers reduced the risk of developing damage in 33% of patients. CONCLUSION: Having GI damage is associated with a worse prognosis. Patients on a high dose of glucocorticoids are at higher risk of developing GI damage which reinforces the strategy of minimizing glucocorticoids. Oral ulcers appear to decrease the risk of GI damage. © The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology

Asistencia virtual para apoyo de profesores en nuestra página web

El desarrollo de la inteligencia artificial ofrece metodologías innovadoras. El asistente virtual puede resultar de gran utilidad para un contacto y formación permanente, y es una realidad en creciente expansión en el ámbito empresarial. Este proyecto de innovación se apoya en cuestiones de desarrollo tecnológico de nuestra realidad social, cada vez más inmersa en un mundo de ciencia, tecnología e ingeniería, que se va extendiendo rápidamente al resto de disciplinas científicas. El principal objetivo del proyecto es incorporar de forma beneficiosa la tecnología y utilizarla al servicio del aprendizaje. En un entorno de aprendizaje que requiere capacidad de juicio y de pensamiento crítico para la de toma de decisiones, es importante hacer partícipes a los profesores en la búsqueda de sus necesidades no resueltas y la adopción de posibles soluciones, utilizando la tecnología más moderna. Además, también en una sociedad que avanza a una velocidad imparable en el ámbito digital, facilitar el acceso a información de forma global, beneficia no sólo a los alumnos, sino también a los profesores, y aporta valor añadido a la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Tras la experiencia del confinamiento en la etapa Covid19 y el teletrabajo la asistencia virtual es una necesidad. La originalidad del Proyecto estriba precisamente en el planteamiento de la incorporación de la asistencia virtual e inteligencia artificial para la asistencia y apoyo a los profesores. En el ámbito europeo es cada vez mayor la preocupación por el uso y aplicaciones de la tecnología. Por ello, en primer lugar, es importante detectar las necesidades reales de los profesores, las lagunas de información y las dificultades para encontrarla, habilitando encuestas y grupos de trabajo, y profundizar sobre las cuestiones de interés a juicio de todos los implicados

Effect of an Intensive Weight-Loss Lifestyle Intervention on Kidney Function: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: Large randomized trials testing the effect of a multifactorial weight-loss lifestyle intervention including Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) on renal function are lacking. Here, we evaluated the 1-year efficacy of an intensive weight-loss intervention with an energy-reduced MedDiet (erMedDiet) plus increased physical activity (PA) on renal function. Methods: Randomized controlled "PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea-Plus"(PREDIMED-Plus) trial is conducted in 23 Spanish centers comprising 208 primary care clinics. Overweight/obese (n = 6,719) adults aged 55-75 years with metabolic syndrome were randomly assigned (1:1) to an intensive weight-loss lifestyle intervention with an erMedDiet, PA promotion, and behavioral support (intervention) or usual-care advice to adhere to an energy-unrestricted MedDiet (control) between September 2013 and December 2016. The primary outcome was 1-year change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (EGFR). Secondary outcomes were changes in urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), incidence of moderately/severely impaired EGFR (<60 mL/min/1.73 m2) and micro-to macroalbuminuria (UACR ≥30 mg/g), and reversion of moderately (45 to <60 mL/min/1.73 m2) to mildly impaired GFR (60 to <90 mL/min/1.73 m2) or micro-to macroalbuminuria. Results: After 1 year, EGFR declined by 0.66 and 1.25 mL/min/1.73 m2 in the intervention and control groups, respectively (mean difference, 0.58 mL/min/1.73 m2; 95% CI: 0.15-1.02). There were no between-group differences in mean UACR or micro-to macroalbuminuria changes. Moderately/severely impaired EGFR incidence and reversion of moderately to mildly impaired GFR were 40% lower (HR 0.60; 0.44-0.82) and 92% higher (HR 1.92; 1.35-2.73), respectively, in the intervention group. Conclusions: The PREDIMED-Plus lifestyle intervention approach may preserve renal function and delay CKD progression in overweight/obese adults.This work was supported by the official Spanish Institutions for funding scientific biomedical research, CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN) and Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), through the Fondo de Investigación para la Salud (FIS), which is cofunded by the European Regional Development Fund (5 coordinated FIS projects leaded by J.S.-S and J.V., including the following projects: PI13/00673, PI13/00492, PI13/00272, PI13/01123, PI13/00462, PI13/00233, PI13/02184, PI13/00728, PI13/01090, PI13/01056, PI14/01722, PI14/00636, PI14/00618, PI14/00696, PI14/01206, PI14/01919, PI14/00853, PI14/01374, PI14/00972, PI14/00728, PI14/01471, PI16/00473, PI16/00662, PI16/01873, PI16/01094, PI16/00501, PI16/00533, PI16/00381, PI16/00366, PI16/01522, PI16/01120, PI17/00764, PI17/01183, PI17/00855, PI17/01347, PI17/00525, PI17/01827, PI17/00532, PI17/00215, PI17/01441, PI17/00508, PI17/01732, PI17/00926; PI19/00957, PI19/00386, PI19/00309, PI19/01032, PI19/00576, PI19/00017, PI19/01226, PI19/00781, PI19/01560, and PI19/01332); the Especial Action Project entitled Implementación y evaluación de una intervención intensiva sobre la actividad física Cohorte PREDIMED-Plus grant to J.S.-S.; the European Research Council (Advanced Research Grant 2014–2019; agreement #340918) granted to M.Á.M.-G.; the Recercaixa (No. 2013ACUP00194) grant to J.S.-S.; grants from the Consejería de Salud de la Junta de Andalucía (PI0458/2013, PS0358/2016, and PI0137/2018); the PROMETEO/2017/017 grant from the Generalitat Valenciana; the SEMERGEN grant; funds from the European Regional Development Fund (CB06/03); International Nut & Dried Fruit Council – FESNAD (Long-term effects of an energyrestricted Mediterranean diet on mortality and cardiovascular disease 2014–2015, No. 201302) (PI: M.Á.M.-G.); the AstraZeneca Young Investigators Award in Category of Obesity and T2D 2017 (PI: D.R.); grant of support to research groups No. 35/2011 (Balearic Islands Gov.; FEDER funds) (J.A.T. and C.B.); the JR17/00022 (ISCIII) grant to O.C.; the Boosting young talent call grant program for the development of IISPV research projects 2019–2021 (Ref.: 2019/IISPV/03 grant to A.D.-L.); the Societat Catalana d’Endocrinologia i Nutrició (SCEN) Clinical-Research Grant 2019 (IPs: J.S.-S. and A.D.-L.). Collaborative Nutrition and/or Obesity Project for Young Researchers 2019 supported by CIBEROBN entitled Lifestyle Interventions and Chronic Kidney Disease: Inflammation, Oxidative Stress and Metabolomic Profile (LIKIDI study) grant to A.D.-L

Relationship between olive oil consumption and ankle-brachial pressure index in a population at high cardiovascular risk

The aim of this study was to ascertain the association between the consumption of different categories of edible olive oils (virgin olive oils and olive oil) and olive pomace oil and ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI) in participants in the PREDIMED-Plus study, a trial of lifestyle modification for weight and cardiovascular event reduction in individuals with overweight/obesity harboring the metabolic syndrome. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the PREDIMED-Plus trial. Consumption of any category of olive oil and olive pomace oil was assessed through a validated food-frequency questionnaire. Multivariable linear regression models were fitted to assess associations between olive oil consumption and ABI. Additionally, ABI ≤1 was considered as the outcome in logistic models with different categories of olive oil and olive pomace oil as exposure. Results: Among 4330 participants, the highest quintile of total olive oil consumption (sum of all categories of olive oil and olive pomace oil) was associated with higher mean values of ABI (beta coefficient: 0.014, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.002, 0.027) (p for trend = 0.010). Logistic models comparing the consumption of different categories of olive oils, olive pomace oil and ABI ≤1 values revealed an inverse association between virgin olive oils consumption and the likelihood of a low ABI (odds ratio [OR] 0.73, 95% CI [0.56, 0.97]), while consumption of olive pomace oil was positively associated with a low ABI (OR 1.22 95% CI [1.00, 1.48]). Conclusions: In a Mediterranean population at high cardiovascular risk, total olive oil consumption was associated with a higher mean ABI. These results suggest that olive oil consumption may be beneficial for peripheral artery disease prevention, but longitudinal studies are needed

Psychometric characteristics of the Spanish version of instruments to measure neck pain disability

Background: The NDI, COM and NPQ are evaluation instruments for disability due to NP. There was no Spanish version of NDI or COM for which psychometric characteristics were known. The objectives of this study were to translate and culturally adapt the Spanish version of the Neck Disability Index Questionnaire (NDI), and the Core Outcome Measure (COM), to validate its use in Spanish speaking patients with non-specific neck pain (NP), and to compare their psychometric characteristics with those of the Spanish version of the Northwick Pain Questionnaire (NPQ). Methods: Translation/re-translation of the English versions of the NDI and the COM was done blindly and independently by a multidisciplinary team. The study was done in 9 primary care Centers and 12 specialty services from 9 regions in Spain, with 221 acute, subacute and chronic patients who visited their physician for NP: 54 in the pilot phase and 167 in the validation phase. Neck pain (VAS), referred pain (VAS), disability (NDI, COM and NPQ), catastrophizing (CSQ) and quality of life (SF-12) were measured on their first visit and 14 days later. Patients' self-assessment was used as the external criterion for pain and disability. In the pilot phase, patients' understanding of each item in the NDI and COM was assessed, and on day 1 test-retest reliability was estimated by giving a second NDI and COM in which the name of the questionnaires and the order of the items had been changed. Results: Comprehensibility of NDI and COM were good. Minutes needed to fill out the questionnaires [median, (P25, P75)]: NDI. 4 (2.2, 10.0), COM: 2.1 (1.0, 4.9). Reliability: [ICC, (95%CI)]: NDI: 0.88 (0.80, 0.93). COM: 0.85 (0.75,0.91). Sensitivity to change: Effect size for patients having worsened, not changed and improved between days 1 and 15, according to the external criterion for disability: NDI: -0.24, 0.15, 0.66; NPQ: -0.14, 0.06, 0.67; COM: 0.05, 0.19, 0.92. Validity: Results of NDI, NPQ and COM were consistent with the external criterion for disability, whereas only those from NDI were consistent with the one for pain. Correlations with VAS, CSQ and SF-12 were similar for NDI and NPQ (absolute values between 0.36 and 0.50 on day 1, between 0.38 and 0.70 on day 15), and slightly lower for COM (between 0.36 and 0.48 on day 1, and between 0.33 and 0.61 on day 15). Correlation between NDI and NPQ: r = 0.84 on day 1, r = 0.91 on day 15. Correlation between COM and NPQ: r = 0.63 on day 1, r = 0.71 on day 15. Conclusion: Although most psychometric characteristics of NDI, NPQ and COM are similar, those from the latter one are worse and its use may lead to patients' evolution seeming more positive than it actually is. NDI seems to be the best instrument for measuring NP-related disability, since its results are the most consistent with patient's assessment of their own clinical status and evolution. It takes two more minutes to answer the NDI than to answer the COM, but it can be reliably filled out by the patient without assistance

¿Necesitamos un asistente virtual para apoyo y formación permanente de profesores, alumnos y egresados en nuestra página web?

Se trata de identificar las necesidades no resueltas y otras cuestiones de interés, y proponer la utilización del asistente virtual como herramienta de apoyo en el acceso, la formación presente y futura, con carácter permanente, al alumno y al profesor; ello supone su utilidad en el momento presente y en el futuro, como herramienta de formación y acceso permanente. La originalidad del Proyecto estriba precisamente en el planteamiento de la incorporación de la asistencia virtual e inteligencia artificial para la asistencia y apoyo a los alumnos y profesores. El uso de la tecnología es cada vez más mayor, y puede revertir en beneficio al alumno desde una perspectiva más amplia de la que un profesor individualmente puede ofrecerle; se lograría así el acceso a la información con una intervención humana mínima, en cualquier momento y en cuestiones generales de amplio espectro, al que cada profesor en su especialidad no llega a abarcar, y los programas voluntarios de mentorías tampoco