On-line tools to improve the presentation skills of scientific results

[EN] In experimental sciences and engineering it is essential to communicate and present the results effectively. The authors have participated in several educational innovation projects since 2016, aimed at developing of materials to improve the communication skills of scientific results. An exhaustive and updated compilation of the international rules that constitute the basis for the writted and oral scientific presentations was carried out. The good teaching practices in these fields were also identified. The results of those previous projects have shown the need to incorporate web questionnaires and other interactive content into the educational program. These are adapted to the demands of the students and provide a training feeback. In this contribution, the new materials that are being developed within the innovation project UV-SFPIE_PID19-1096780, funded by the University of Valencia, are presented. They are devoted to facilitate the acquisition of communication skills of scientific results. In particular, these tools combine ICT self-learning environments with traditional classroom teaching (blended learning). The project methodology includes educational data mining aimed at identifying the most effective materials and activities to achieve its objectives. The aim of these mixed learning tools is to facilitate the acquisition by the students of the necessary skills of oral and written communication, improve their presentation skills and, consequently, also their employability as university graduates.This work has been supported by the University of Valencia through project SFPIE_PID19-1096780.Campos-Taberner, M.; Gilabert, M.; Manzanares, J.; Mafé, S.; Cervera, J.; García-Haro, F.; Martínez, B.... (2020). On-line tools to improve the presentation skills of scientific results. IATED. 4907-4910. https://doi.org/10.21125/inted.2020.1342S4907491

Patients receiving a high burden of antibiotics in the community in Spain: a cross-sectional study

Some patients in the community receive a high burden of antibiotics. We aimed at describing the characteristics of these patients, antibiotics used, and conditions for which they received antibiotics. We carried out a cross-sectional study. Setting: Thirty Health Primary Care Areas from 12 regions in Spain, covering 5, 960, 191 inhabitants. Patients having at least 30 packages of antibacterials for systemic use dispensed in 2017 were considered. Main outcome measures: Prevalence of antibiotic use, conditions for which antibiotics were prescribed, clinical characteristics of patients, comorbidities, concomitant treatments, and microbiological isolates. Patient''s average age was 70 years; 52% were men; 60% smokers/ex-smokers; 54% obese. Overall, 93% of patients had, at least, one chronic condition, and four comorbidities on average. Most common comorbidities were cardiovascular and/or hypertension (67%), respiratory diseases (62%), neurological/mental conditions (32%), diabetes (23%), and urological diseases (21%); 29% were immunosuppressed, 10% were dead at the time of data collection. Patients received three antibiotic treatments per year, mainly fluoroquinolones (28%), macrolides (21%), penicillins (19%), or cephalosporins (12%). Most frequently treated conditions were lower respiratory tract (infections or prophylaxis) (48%), urinary (27%), and skin/soft tissue infections (11%). Thirty-five percent have been guided by a microbiological diagnosis, being Pseudomonas aeruginosa (30%) and Escherichia coli (16%) the most frequent isolates. In conclusion, high antibiotic consumers in the community were basically elder, with multimorbidity and polymedication. They frequently received broad-spectrum antibiotics for long periods of time. The approach to infections in high consumers should be differentiated from healthy patients receiving antibiotics occasionally

Boron clusters (ferrabisdicarbollides) shaping the future as radiosensitizers for multimodal (chemo/radio/PBFR) therapy of glioblastoma

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common and fatal primary brain tumor, and is highly resistant to conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Therefore, the development of multidrug resistance and tumor recurrence are frequent. Given the poor survival with the current treatments, new therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Radiotherapy (RT) is a common cancer treatment modality for GBM. However, there is still a need to improve RT efficiency, while reducing the severe side effects. Radiosensitizers can enhance the killing effect on tumor cells with less side effects on healthy tissues. Herein, we present our pioneering study on the highly stable and amphiphilic metallacarboranes, ferrabis(dicarbollides) ([o-FESAN]- and [8,8'-I2-o-FESAN]-), as potential radiosensitizers for GBM radiotherapy. We propose radiation methodologies that utilize secondary radiation emissions from iodine and iron, using ferrabis(dicarbollides) as iodine/iron donors, aiming to achieve a greater therapeutic effect than that of a conventional radiotherapy. As a proof-of-concept, we show that using 2D and 3D models of U87 cells, the cellular viability and survival were reduced using this treatment approach. We also tested for the first time the proton boron fusion reaction (PBFR) with ferrabis(dicarbollides), taking advantage of their high boron (11B) content. The results from the cellular damage response obtained suggest that proton boron fusion radiation therapy, when combined with boron-rich compounds, is a promising modality to fight against resistant tumors. Although these results are encouraging, more developments are needed to further explore ferrabis(dicarbollides) as radiosensitizers towards a positive impact on the therapeutic strategies for GBM.The authors received support from the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (PID2019-106832RB-100), the Generalitat de Catalunya (2017SGR1720), FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, in the scope of the project UID/Multi/04349/2019 and the projects LISBOA-01-0247-FEDER-045904 and UTAP-EXPL/FMT/0020/2021 of Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares/IST, PTDC/BTM-TEC/29256/2017, UIDP/04565/2020 of iBB/IST, UIDP/04378/2020 and UIDB/04378/2020 of the Research Unit on Applied Molecular Biosciences – UCIBIO and the project LA/P/0140/2020 of the Associate Laboratory Institute for Health and Bioeconomy – i4HB. The Metrology Laboratory of Ionizing Radiation team of Centro Tecnológico e Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico (CTN/IST) is acknowledged for their support in the irradiation setups. Miquel Nuez-Martínez is enrolled in the PhD program of the UAB. MQM and VMA acknowledge financial support by the Spanish Government MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (project 2019-108434GB-I00 to VMA and project IJC2018-035283-I to MQM), and Universitat Jaume I (project UJI-B2018-53 to V. M. A. and project UJI-A2020-21 to MQM). SV thanks Croatian Science Foundation (project IP-2018-01-3168). Catarina I.G. Pinto is enrolled in the PhD scholarship 689 DFA/BD/07119/2020.With funding from the Spanish government through the ‘Severo Ochoa Centre of Excellence’ accreditation (CEX2019-000917-S).Peer reviewe

The TGF-β/Smad Repressor TG-Interacting Factor 1 (TGIF1) Plays a Role in Radiation-Induced Intestinal Injury Independently of a Smad Signaling Pathway

Despite advances in radiation delivery protocols, exposure of normal tissues during the course of radiation therapy remains a limiting factor of cancer treatment. If the canonical TGF-β/Smad pathway has been extensively studied and implicated in the development of radiation damage in various organs, the precise modalities of its activation following radiation exposure remain elusive. In the present study, we hypothesized that TGF-β1 signaling and target genes expression may depend on radiation-induced modifications in Smad transcriptional co-repressors/inhibitors expressions (TGIF1, SnoN, Ski and Smad7). In endothelial cells (HUVECs) and in a model of experimental radiation enteropathy in mice, radiation exposure increases expression of TGF-β/Smad pathway and of its target gene PAI-1, together with the overexpression of Smad co-repressor TGIF1. In mice, TGIF1 deficiency is not associated with changes in the expression of radiation-induced TGF-β pathway-related transcripts following localized small intestinal irradiation. In HUVECs, TGIF1 overexpression or silencing has no influence either on the radiation-induced Smad activation or the Smad3-dependent PAI-1 overexpression. However, TGIF1 genetic deficiency sensitizes mice to radiation-induced intestinal damage after total body or localized small intestinal radiation exposure, demonstrating that TGIF1 plays a role in radiation-induced intestinal injury. In conclusion, the TGF-β/Smad co-repressor TGIF1 plays a role in radiation-induced normal tissue damage by a Smad-independent mechanism

One-Way Traffic of a Viral Motor Channel for Double-Stranded DNA Translocation

ABSTRACT Linear double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses package their genome into a procapsid using an ATP-driven nanomotor. Here we report that bacteriophage phi29 DNA packaging motor exercises a one-way traffic property for dsDNA translocation from N-terminal entrance to C-terminal exit with a valve mechanism in DNA packaging, as demonstrated by voltage ramping, electrode polarity switching, and sedimentation force assessment. Without the use of gating control as found in other biological channels, the observed single direction dsDNA transportation provides a novel system with a natural valve to control dsDNA loading and gene delivery in bioreactors, liposomes, or high throughput DNA sequencing apparatus

Continuum electrostatic calculations of the pK

We have computed the pKa’s of the ionizable residues of a protein ion channel, the Staphylococcus aureus toxin $\alpha$ -hemolysin, by using two types of input structures, namely the crystal structure of the heptameric $\alpha$ -hemolysin and a set of over four hundred snapshots from a 4.38ns Molecular Dynamics simulation of the protein inserted in a phospholipid planar bilayer. The comparison of the dynamic picture provided by the Molecular Simulation with the static one based on the X-ray crystal structure of the protein embedded in a lipid membrane allows analyzing the influence of the fluctuations in the protein structure on its ionization properties. We find that the use of the dynamic structure provides interesting information about the sensitivity of the computed pKa of a given residue to small changes in the local structure. The calculated pKa are consistent with previous indirect estimations obtained from single-channel conductance and selectivity measurements

Doppler-guided hemorrhoidal artery ligation in the management of symptomatic hemorrhoids Ligadura de las arterias hemorroidales guiada por Doppler en el tratamiento de las hemorroides sintomáticas

Objective: the aim of this study is to clinically test the efficacy of a new approach for patients having symptomatic grade III and IV hemorrhoids. Material and method: 32 patients (17 females) complaining of grade III or IV hemorrhoids were included in the study. A specially designed proctoscope coupled with a Doppler transducer on its tip was used to identify the hemorrhoidal arteries, which were afterwards suture ligated. Operating time as well as per- and post-operative complications were anlyzed. Follow-up was planned following discharge after 1 week, 1 month, 6 months and 1 year. Results: mean operation time was 27 (range 18-43) minutes, and 5 (range 4-7) arteries were located on average. No patient had severe or moderate postoperative pain, with anal discomfort being the main complaint. Rectal bleeding and tenesmus were the commonest post-operative complications. After one year of follow-up, 19 patients were free of symptoms and 6 of them had significant symptom relief. According to grade, the technique failed in just 3 grade III patients, but in as many as 4 grade IV hemorrhoid cases. Conclusions: doppler-guided hemorrhoid artery ligation is an easy-to-perform technique that is well accepted by patients and has good results for grade III hemorrhoids.<br>Objetivo: el objetivo de este trabajo es valorar en la clínica la eficacia de una nueva técnica quirúrgica para el tratamiento de las hemorroides de grado III y IV. Material y método: se incluyen en el estudio 32 pacientes (17 mujeres), 27 presentaban hemorroides de grado III y 5 de grado IV. Para la técnica se utilizó un prostoscopio transparente que incorpora un transductor Doppler en su extremo para localizar las arterias hemorroidales que se ligan mediante puntos que engloban la mucosa y submucosa. Se analizó el tiempo de intervención y las complicaciones intra y postoperatorias, así como las recidivas. Los pacientes fueron controlados al alta, a la semana, mes, 6 meses y al año de la intervención. Resultados: el tiempo medio de intervención fue de 27 (rango 18-43) minutos, localizando de media 5 (rango 4-7) ramas arteriales. No existieron complicaciones intraoperatorias. Ningún paciente presentó dolor severo o moderado en alguno de los controles, refiriendo habitualmente molestias anales discretas. La rectorragia autolimitada y el tenesmo fueron las complicaciones post-operatorias más frecuentes. Tras el seguimiento a 1 año, 19 enfermos estaban asintomáticos y en 6 ocasiones los síntomas habían disminuido significativamente, en el resto la intervención fue ineficaz. Agrupados los pacientes por grados, la técnica presentó malos resultados en sólo 3 pacientes con hemorroides grado III, pero en hemorroides grado IV, los resultados fueron malos en 4 de los 5 pacientes. Conclusiones: la ligadura de la arteria hemorroidal guiada por Doppler es una técnica sencilla, bien tolerada, con buenos resultados en hemorroides grado III

Membrane surface-charge titration probed by gramicidin A channel conductance.

We manipulate lipid bilayer surface charge and gauge its influence on gramicidin A channel conductance by two strategies: titration of the lipid charge through bulk solution pH and dilution of a charged lipid by neutral. Using diphytanoyl phosphatidylserine (PS) bilayers with CsCl aqueous solutions, we show that the effects of lipid charge titration on channel conductance are masked 1) by conductance saturation with Cs+ ions in the neutral pH range and 2) by increased proton concentration when the bathing solution pH is less than 3. A smeared charge model permits us to separate different contributions to the channel conductance and to introduce a new method for "bilayer pKa" determination. We use the Gouy-Chapman expression for the charged surface potential to obtain equilibria of protons and cations with lipid charges. To calculate cation concentration at the channel mouth, we compare different models for the ion distribution, exact and linearized forms of the planar Poisson-Boltzmann equation, as well as the construction of a "Gibbs dividing surface" between salt bath and charged membrane. All approximations yield the intrinsic pKain of PS lipid in 0.1 M CsCl to be in the range 2.5-3.0. By diluting PS surface charge at a fixed pH with admixed neutral diphytanoyl phosphatidylcholine (PC), we obtain a conductance decrease in magnitude greater than expected from the electrostatic model. This observation is in accord with the different conductance saturation values for PS and PC lipids reported earlier (, Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 552:369-378) and verified in the present work for solvent-free membranes. In addition to electrostatic effects of surface charge, gramicidin A channel conductance is also influenced by lipid-dependent structural factors

A prospective study about functional and anatomic consequences of transanal endoscopic microsurgery Estudio prospectivo de las consecuencias ecográficas y funcionales tras microcirugía transanal endoscópica

Introduction: transanal endoscopic microsurgey (TEM) was developed in 1983 by Büess as a minimally invasive technique to manage rectal villous adenomas and early rectal adenocarcinomas. Many studies have been published worldwide about its excellent results in morbidity and recidive rate, but there are few studies addressing functional results. The objective of this study is to analyze the effect of this technique in the anal anatomy and compare with the manometric results. Material and methods: we devised a prospective study of 40 patients. 39% female, 61% male. All of them filled an incontinence questionnaire (Pescatori scale) and endoanal ultrasonography and manometry was carried out preoperatively, third month postoperative and at sixth month only if incontinence appeared. Results: 32 patients (80%) had villous adenomas and 8 patients (20%) had adenocarcinomas (uT1). Three patients complained of flatus incontinence at 3rd postoperative month that disappeared with normal continence at 6th month. Anorectal manometric values: mean anal resting pressure (ARP) decreased at 3rd month (from 87.2 mmHg to 70.1 mmHg), as it was for maximal squeeze pressure (MSP) from 152.5 mmHg preoperatively to 142.2 mmHg at 3rd month. Ultrasonography demonstrated internal anal sphincter (IAS) rupture in 3 patients, with a full integrity of the external anal sphincter in all patients. Conclusions: during TEM, a significant anal dilatation occurs, because of rectoscopy (40 mm wide), what can produce a rupture of IAS, with the consequent decreasing in ARP, and a dilatation without rupture of external sphincter what produces a decreasing of MSP. The fall of anal pressures had minima clinical repercussion when sphincter is intact, but when IAS is broken a temporal incontinence develops.<br>Introducción: la microcirugía transanal endoscópica (TEM) fue desarrollada en 1983 por Büess como técnica mínimamente invasiva para el tratamiento de adenomas y adenocarcinomas en estadio precoz de recto. Son múltiples los estudios realizados en todo el mundo sobre sus resultados de morbimortalidad y tasa de recidiva, pero sin embargo son muy pocos los estudios publicados sobre los resultados funcionales. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar el efecto que esta cirugía provoca en la anatomía del canal anal y compararlo con los resultados funcionales. Material y métodos: realizamos un estudio descriptivo prospectivo de 40 pacientes: 39% mujeres, 61% hombres. En todos ellos se cumplimentó una encuesta de función esfinteriana (test de Pescatori) y ecografía endoanal y manometría preoperatoria, al 3er mes postoperatorio, y al 6&ordm; sólo si apareció incontinencia Resultados: Treinta y dos pacientes (80%) fueron operados de adenomas y 8 pacientes (20%) de adenocarcinomas uT1. Tres pacientes presentaron incontinencia a gases al 3er mes postoperatorio que se normalizó al 6&ordm; mes. Valores de la manometría anorrectal: la presión media en reposo (PMR) había disminuido a los 3 meses con respecto al valor preoperatorio de 87,2 a 70,1 mmHg, al igual que la presión máxima de contracción (PMC) de 152,5 mmHg de forma preoperatoria a 142,2 mmHg. Ecográficamente se pudo demostrar rotura del esfínter anal interno en 3 pacientes, estando en todos los pacientes íntegro el esfínter externo. Conclusiones: durante el tiempo quirúrgico de la TEM y debido al diámetro del rectoscopio (40 mm), existe una dilatación mantenida del canal anal. Esto unido al hecho de que es frecuente que haya que modificar la posición del mismo, se traduce, en algunos casos, en un riesgo de rotura del EAI, con la consiguiente caída en la PMR. En definitiva la caída que se objetiva en las presiones endoanales tiene una mínima repercusión en la clínica a menos que exista una lesión esfinteriana lo que conlleva incontinencia, en cualquier caso siempre temporal