Pediatric liver diseases: current challenges and future perspectives

Chronic liver diseases in children represent a rising problem with significant effects on public health. In fact, several pediatric liver diseases are precursors of adult chronic hepatopathies, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The prevalence of liver diseases in children is unknown. In the USA, every year, 15,000 children are hospitalized for liver diseases, but these disorders continue to be under-recognized or diagnosed late. The main reason is due to the frequent absence of symptoms in the vast majority of liver diseases, especially in the early stages. In the last few decades several advances have been made in understanding the pathogenesis of liver diseases, permitting the discovery of new therapeutic targets to treat liver diseases, thus improving the natural history of these disorders. In this article we discuss the most recent advances in the understanding of the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of the most frequent pediatric liver diseases

The Integration of Western Hemisphere Grain Markets in the Eighteenth Century: Early Progress and Decline of Globalization

In this work it is shown evidence supporting the idea that, if globalization is defined as the convergence of commodity prices between distant markets, the process started and advanced gradually in the eighteenth century instead of suddenly appearing after 1820, as claimed by the canonical version developed in a series of important works by O’Rourke and Williamson (1999, 2002, 2004). We use long time-series of grain prices for several markets in Western Europe and the Americas to explore the extent and dynamics of market integration across the Western Hemisphere throughout the eighteenth century. An innovative methodology, consisting in studying the standard deviations of the innovations in the ARMA model of pairwise relative prices between markets, is used. A general decrease in price dispersion is observed when the early eighteenth century is compared with the three decades preceding 1793. Neither Argentina nor Mexico participated in this general trend towards closer market integration across the Western Hemisphere. From 1793 to 1828 we observe a substantial increase in dispersion between markets. After this first backlash, globalization resumed at an unprecedented pace since it was favored by the transport revolution and other factors.En este trabajo se muestra que, si se acepta la definición de globalización como convergencia de los precios de mercancías de amplio consumo entre mercados distantes entre sí, el proceso comenzó y avanzó gradualmente in el siglo XVIII en vez de “explotar” después de 1820, como sostiene la versión canónica desarrollada en una serie de importantes trabajos de O’Rourke y Williamson (1999, 2002 y 2004). Usamos series históricas largas de precios de granos en varios mercados de Europa Occidental y América para determinar el alcance y la dinámica de la integración de mercados en el Hemisferio Occidental durante el siglo XVIII. Nuestra metodología es original, pues consiste en estudiar las desviaciones standard de las innovaciones en los modelos ARMA de las series de precios relativos entre pares de mercados. Un descenso general de la dispersión de precios se observa al comparar los inicios del siglo XVIII con las tres décadas que preceden a 1793. Ni Argentina ni México participan en esta tendencia general hacia una mayor integración de los mercados del Hemisferio Occidental. Entre 1793 y 1828 observamos un aumento sustancial de la dispersión entre mercados. Tras este primer retroceso, la globalización se relanzó a un ritmo antes desconocido gracias a la revolución de los transportes y otros factores.market integration, globalization, mercados de integración, globalización.

Design and validation of a teaching competences self-evaluation instrument

Se describe el proceso de diseño y validación de un instrumento de autoevaluación docente que incluye las siguientes escalas: 1) Planeación del curso, 2) Conducción de secuencias didácticas, 3) Comunicación y valores, y 4) Evaluación de la progresión de los aprendizajes. Los resultados del análisis factorial revelaron que las escalas de “planeación del curso” (carga factorial > 0.50; α=0.81), “evaluación de la progresión de los aprendizajes” (carga factorial > 0.56 α=0.75) y “comunicación y valores” (carga factorial > 0.63; α=0.78.) son unidimensionales, mientras que la escala “conducción de secuencias didácticas” resultó bidimensional (estrategias de enseñanza del profesor α=0.91; promoción del aprendizaje y comprensión del conocimiento α= 0.85). Se concluye que el instrumento es válido y confiable y que puede utilizarse para promover una cultura de reflexión y auto-análisis para la mejora de la enseñanza; asimismo, que es necesario que el cuestionario se aplique de forma conjunta con otro tipo de estrategias que contemplen un punto de vista externo al de las percepciones de los profesores sobre la calidad de su enseñanza.Descreve o processo de concepção e validação de um instrumento de auto-avaliação de professor, que inclui as seguintes escalas: 1) planejamento do curso, 2) condução de sequências didácticas, 3) comunicação e valores e 2 4) avaliação da progressão da aprendizagem. Os resultados da análise fatorial revelaram que "o planejamento do curso" escalas (fator de carga > 0.50; α = 0.81), "avaliação da progressão da aprendizagem" (carregar fator > 0,56 α = 0.75) e "comunicação e valores" (fator de carga > 0,63; α = 0.78.) são unidimensional, enquanto a escala "condução de sequências didácticas" acabou por ser bidimensional (estratégias para ensinar o Professor α = 0.91; promoção da aprendizagem e da compreensão de conhecimento α = 0,85). Concluiu-se que o instrumento é válido e confiável e que você pode usar para promover uma cultura de reflexão e auto-análisis de melhoria da educação; Além disso, que é necessário que esse questionário é aplicado junto com outras estratégias que abrangem um ponto de vista externo para as percepções dos professores sobre a qualidade do seu ensino.This paper describes the design and validation processes of a self-assessment questionnaire for teachers that includes the following scales: 1) Course planning, 2) Conduction of teaching sequences, 3) Communication and values, and 4) Evaluation of the learning progression. The results of the factorial analysis results revealed that the scales: "course planning" (factor loading> 0.50, α = 0.81), "Evaluation of progression of learning" (factor loading> 0.56 α = 0.75) and "communication and values" (factor loading> 0.63, α = 0.78.) are one-dimensional, whereas the scale "conducting teaching sequences" is composed of two-dimensions (teacher's teaching strategies α = 0.91; and promoting learning and understanding of knowledge α = 0.85), according to these data the instrument can be considered valid and reliable, it can be used to promote a culture of reflection and self-analysis to improve the quality of teaching. It is suggested that the self-evaluation questionnaire should be applied jointly with other strategies to generate an external approach to the one perceived by the teachers on the quality of their teaching.El instrumento que se describe en este artículo se desarrolló en el contexto del Proyecto “Diagnóstico de la Evaluación de la Docencia en las Universidades Mexicanas y Prueba de un Nuevo Modelo en Distintos Contextos Institucionales” (Financiamiento CONACyT 61295 ), así mismo recibió también el apoyo del Proyecto “Red de Desarrollo y Evaluación de Competencias Académicas” (Financiamiento PROMEP)

Optimizing Nervous System-Specific Gene Targeting with Cre Driver Lines: Prevalence of Germline Recombination and Influencing Factors.

The Cre-loxP system is invaluable for spatial and temporal control of gene knockout, knockin, and reporter expression in the mouse nervous system. However, we report varying probabilities of unexpected germline recombination in distinct Cre driver lines designed for nervous system-specific recombination. Selective maternal or paternal germline recombination is showcased with sample Cre lines. Collated data reveal germline recombination in over half of 64 commonly used Cre driver lines, in most cases with a parental sex bias related to Cre expression in sperm or oocytes. Slight differences among Cre driver lines utilizing common transcriptional control elements affect germline recombination rates. Specific target loci demonstrated differential recombination; thus, reporters are not reliable proxies for another locus of interest. Similar principles apply to other recombinase systems and other genetically targeted organisms. We hereby draw attention to the prevalence of germline recombination and provide guidelines to inform future research for the neuroscience and broader molecular genetics communities

A propósito de Vania Markarian, Idos y recién llegados. La izquierda uruguaya en el exilio y las redes transnacionales de derechos humanos, 1967-1984, México, Correo del Maestro/Ediciones La Vasija – CEIU-FHCE Universidad de la República, 2006, 299 pp.

A propósito de Vania Markarian, Idos y recién llegados. La izquierda uruguaya en el exilio y las redes transnacionales de derechos humanos, 1967-1984, México, Correo del Maestro/Ediciones La Vasija – CEIU-FHCE Universidad de la República, 2006, 299 pp