Recursos dispoñibles e modalidades de emprego das actividades manipulativas na física

É ben sabido que unha forma de facilitar o aprendizaxe dos contidos relacionados coa Física consiste no emprego de metodoloxías activas. Entre as distintas opcións, o profesorado pode empregar as Actividades Manipulativas (AMs) que utilizan, debidamente contextualizados, materiais, obxectos, instrumentos ou montaxes experimentais tanto na aula como fora dela (Costa e Dorrío 2010). Neste obradoiro eminentemente práctico e interactivo presentamos unha visión actualizada de recursos e modalidades de utilización de AMs que permitan ao profesorado interesado continuar posteriormente a propia exploración individual

Expression of Fluorescent Genes in Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma rangeli (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae): Its Application to Parasite-Vector Biology

Two Trypanosoma cruzi-derived cloning vectors, pTREX-n and pBs:CalB1/CUB01, were used to drive the expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) and DsRed in Trypanosoma rangeli Tejera, 1920, and Trypanosoma cruzi Chagas, 1909, isolates, respectively. Regardless of the species, group, or strain, parasites harboring the transfected constructs as either episomes or stable chromosomal integrations showed high-level expression of fluorescent proteins. Tagged flagellates of both species were used to experimentally infect Rhodnius prolixus Stal, 1953. In infected bugs, single or mixed infections of T. cruzi and T. rangeli displayed the typical cycle of each species, with no apparent interspecies interactions. In addition, infection of kidney monkey cells (LLC-MK2) with GFP-T. cruzi showed that the parasite retained its fluorescent tag while carrying out its life cycle within cultured cells. The use of GFP-tagged parasites as a tool for biological studies in experimental hosts is discussed, as is the application of this method for copopulation studies of same-host parasitesFil: Guevara, Palmira. Universidad Central de Venezuela; VenezuelaFil: Dias, Manuel. Universidad de los Andes; ColombiaFil: Rojas, Agustina. Universidad de los Andes; ColombiaFil: Crisante, Gladys. Universidad de los Andes; ColombiaFil: Abreu Blanco, Maria Teresa. Universidad Central de Venezuela; VenezuelaFil: Umezawa, Eufrozina. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Vazquez, Martin Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Levin, Mariano Jorge. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular "Dr. Héctor N. Torres"; ArgentinaFil: Añez, Nestor. Universidad de los Andes; ColombiaFil: Ramirez, Jose Luis. Instituto de Estudios Avanzados; Venezuel

Changes in Cu accumulation and fractionation along soil depth in acid soils of vineyards and abandoned vineyards (now forests)

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade de Vigo/CISUGThis study investigated changes in copper accumulation and fractionation based on the depth of soils obtained from active and abandoned vineyards. Soil samples were collected at different depths in three areas with active and abandoned vineyards, and the concentrations of total copper and copper fractions were measured in these soil samples. Results revealed that in active vineyards, total copper accumulation was the highest in the first layer of soil (depth = 0–2 cm), with concentrations (193–892 mg kg−1) considerably higher than those in the deepest soil layer (depth = 40–50 cm; concentration = 63–71 mg kg−1). This accumulation was significantly correlated with the total carbon concentration in the soil. However, the total copper concentration in abandoned vineyards (84–374 mg kg−1) was the highest in the subsurface layers (depth = 10–15 cm) and was not significantly correlated with the total carbon content. Moreover, the percentage of available copper was lower in abandoned vineyards than in active vineyards. In terms of copper fractionation, the main fraction in active vineyard soil was copper bound to organic matter, whereas the main fraction in abandoned vineyard soil was residual copper. Therefore, vineyard abandonment and its transformation into forest changed the distribution and fractionation of copper based on soil depth, thus decreasing the amount of available copper and improving the soil quality, which could enable new ecosystems.Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED431F 2018/06Ministerio de Economía | Ref. RYC-2016–20411Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED481D-2021/01

Short-term amiodarone therapy after reversion of persistent atrial fibrillation reduces recurrences at 18 months

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the outcome of 3 months vs. 18 months of amiodarone treatment after atrial fibrillation (AF) conversion in patients who experienced the first episode of persistent AF. Methods: We included 51 patients who experienced the first episode of persistent AF receiving amiodarone (600 mg) daily for 4–6 weeks. If AF persisted, electrical cardioversion (ECV) was performed. All patients received amiodarone (200 mg daily) for 3 months and then were randomized to amiodarone (Group I) or placebo (Group II) and followed for 15 months. The control group comprised 9 untreated patients undergoing ECV. Treatment effectiveness was evaluated using a Bayesian model. Results: Eighteen months after AF reversion, 22 (81.5%) patients in Group I, 13 (54.2%) patients in Group II, and 1 (11.1%) patient in the control group remained in sinus rhythm. No differences were found between Group I patients who required ECV and Group II patients. Sinus rhythm was preserved in all Group I patients when it was achieved during amiodarone administration. Limiting adverse effects occurred in 3 (11.1%) patients in Group I. Conclusions: In patients regaining sinus rhythm after the first episode of persistent AF, a 3-month amiodarone treatment after reversion is a reasonable option for rhythm control.

Coste-efectividad del implante percutáneo de válvula aórtica con SAPIEN 3 en pacientes con bajo riesgo de mortalidad quirúrgica en España

España; Prótesis valvular cardiaca; Coste-efectividadSpain; Prosthetic heart valve; Cost-effectiveness analisyEspanya; Pròtesis valvular cardíaca; Cost-efectivitatIntroduction and objectives: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) was first introduced in 2007 as an alternative to open heart surgery to treat patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis (sSAS) with various indication expansions since that date. Recently, the PARTNER 3 study (Placement of aortic transcatheter valve) demonstrated clinical benefits with TAVI with the SAPIEN 3 valve vs surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in selected low surgical mortality risk patients. We reviewed data from the PARTNER 3 and economic data from Spain to assess the cost-effectiveness ratio of TAVI vs SAVR in patients with sSAS and low surgical mortality risk. Methods: A 2-stage model was used to estimate direct healthcare costs and health-related quality of life data regarding TAVI with the SAPIEN 3 valve and SAVR. Early adverse events associated with TAVI from the PARTNER 3 were fed into a Markov model that captured longer-term outcomes after TAVI or SAVR. Results: TAVI with SAPIEN 3 improved quality-adjusted life years per patient (+ 1.00) with an increase in costs vs SAVR (€6971 per patient). This meant an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio/quality-adjusted life year of €6952 per patient. The results were robust with TAVI with the SAPIEN 3 valve remaining cost-effective across several sensitivity analyses. Conclusions: TAVI with the SAPIEN 3 valve is cost effective compared to SAVR in patients with sSAS and low surgical mortality risk. These findings can inform policymakers to facilitate policy development in Spain on intervention selection in this patient population.Introducción y objetivos: El implante percutáneo de válvula aórtica (TAVI) se introdujo en 2007 como una alternativa a la cirugía a corazón abierto para tratar a pacientes con estenosis aórtica grave sintomática, y desde entonces han aumentado las indicaciones autorizadas. Recientemente, el Placement of Aortic Transcatheter Valve Study (PARTNER) 3 ha demostrado beneficios clínicos con el TAVI con la válvula SAPIEN 3 frente al reemplazo quirúrgico de válvula aórtica (RVAo) en pacientes seleccionados con bajo riesgo de mortalidad quirúrgica. Utilizando los datos del PARTNER 3 junto con datos económicos de España, se evaluó la relación coste-efectividad del TAVI en comparación con el RVAo en pacientes con estenosis aórtica grave sintomática con bajo riesgo de mortalidad quirúrgica. Métodos: Se utilizó un modelo en dos etapas para estimar los costes directos sanitarios y los datos de calidad de vida relacionados con la salud para TAVI con la válvula SAPIEN 3 y RVAo. Los eventos adversos tempranos relacionados con TAVI del PARTNER 3 se incluyeron en un modelo de Markov, que capturó los resultados a más largo plazo tras TAVI o RVAo. Resultados: El TAVI con SAPIEN 3 mejoró los años de vida ajustados por calidad por paciente (+1,00), con un aumento en el coste frente al RVAo de 6.971 € por paciente. Esto representó una ratio coste-efectividad incremental por año de vida ganado ajustado por calidad de 6.952€ por paciente. Los resultados fueron robustos en los diversos análisis de sensibilidad realizados, en los que el TAVI con SAPIEN 3 se mantiene como una opción coste-efectiva. Conclusiones: El TAVI con SAPIEN 3 es coste-efectivo en comparación con el RVAo en pacientes con estenosis aórtica grave sintomática con bajo riesgo de mortalidad quirúrgica. Estos resultados pueden informar a los decisores políticos en España para facilitar el desarrollo de políticas sobre la selección de opciones terapéuticas en esta población de pacientes. Palabras clave: España. Implante percutáneo de válvula aórtica. Cirugía cardiaca. Prótesis valvular cardiaca. Reemplazo quirúrgico de válvula aórtica. Análisis coste-beneficio. Análisis coste-efectividad. Estenosis aórtica. Bajo riesgo.Edwards Lifesciences SA, Switzerland provided funding for the economic assessment and was involved in the analysis as well as in the drafting of this manuscript

Two fish in a pod. Mislabelling on board threatens sustainability in mixed fisheries

Accuracy in reporting captures is a key element to achieve fisheries sustainability. However, identification of the catches might be a challenge when two or more species are morphologically similar and caught jointly, like the mixed fisheries of black hakes in East Atlantic African waters. Black hakes (Merluccius senegalensis and M. polli) are tough to differentiate without previous training due to their high morphological resemblance. The two species are managed as a single stock, although the biological differences between them suggest the need of a separate management. In this study, a total of 806 black hakes were visually identified by fishers on deck of fishing vessels operating in Mauritania and Senegal waters, then assigned to a species by sequencing 450bp of the Mitochondrial Control Region. Comparing the results with visual identification we found 31.4% of the total catch were incorrectly labelled on board by the fishermen. The accuracy of the fishers' identification depended on the depth of capture and on fish size, larger individuals caught from deeper waters being more correctly assigned to M. polli. Mislabelling biased to M. polli suggests that M. senegalensis, already catalogued as endangered, is being underreported, which could endanger the conservation of this species and threaten the sustainability of black hake fisheries. Our results highlight the need for separate evaluation of the stocks in mixed fisheries for morphologically similar fish. Thus, monitoring through DNA barcoding in the very first step of the seafood chain surveys would improve accurate species delimitation and reduce its impact on the correct assessment of the stocks.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Animal Models of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Autoimmunity is a condition in which the host organizes an immune response against its own antigens. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease of unknown etiology, characterized by the presence of chronic inflammatory infiltrates, the development of destructive arthropathy, bone erosion, and degradation of the articular cartilage and subchondral bone. There is currently no treatment that resolves the disease, only the use of palliatives, and not all patients respond to pharmacologic therapy. According to RA multifactorial origin, several in vivo models have been used to evaluate its pathophysiology as well as to identify the usefulness of biomarkers to predict, to diagnose, or to evaluate the prognosis of the disease. This chapter focuses on the most common in vivo models used for the study of RA, including those related with genetic, immunological, hormonal, and environmental interactions. Similarly, the potential of these models to understand RA pathogenesis and to test preventive and therapeutic strategies of autoimmune disorder is also highlighted. In conclusion, of all the animal models discussed, the CIA model could be considered the most successful by generating arthritis using type II collagen and adjuvants and evaluating therapeutic compounds both intra-articularly and systemically

First inter-laboratory comparison of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato diagnosis in Latin America

To compare the performance of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests for diagnosing Echinococcus granulosus in dog feces among national reference laboratories in Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay

Surgical treatment for colorectal cancer: Analysis of the influence of an enhanced recovery programme on long-term oncological outcomes-a study protocol for a prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study

Introduction The evidence currently available from enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programmes concerns their benefits in the immediate postoperative period, but there is still very little evidence as to whether their correct implementation benefits patients in the long term. The working hypothesis here is that, due to the lower response to surgical aggression and lower rates of postoperative complications, ERAS protocols can reduce colorectal cancer-related mortality. The main objective of this study is to analyse the impact of an ERAS programme for colorectal cancer on 5-year survival. As secondary objectives, we propose to analyse the weight of each of the predefined items in the oncological results as well as the quality of life. Methods and analysis A multicentre prospective cohort study was conducted in patients older than 18 years of age who are scheduled to undergo surgery for colorectal cancer. The study involved 12 hospitals with an implemented enhanced recovery protocol according to the guidelines published by the Spanish National Health Service. The intervention group includes patients with a minimum implementation level of 70%, and the control group includes those who fail to reach this level. Compliance will be studied using 18 key performance indicators, and the results will be analysed using cancer survival indicators, including overall survival, cancer-specific survival and relapse-free survival. The time to recurrence, perioperative morbidity and mortality, hospital stay and quality of life will also be studied, the latter using the validated EuroQol Five questionnaire. The propensity index method will be used to create comparable treatment and control groups, and a multivariate regression will be used to study each variable. The Kaplan-Meier estimator will be used to estimate survival and the log-rank test to make comparisons. A p value of less than 0.05 (two-tailed) will be considered to be significant. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Aragon Ethical Committee (C.P.-C.I. PI20/086) on 4 March 2020. The findings of this study will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals (BMJ Open, JAMA Surgery, Annals of Surgery, British Journal of Surgery). Abstracts will be submitted to relevant national and international meetings. Trial registration number NCT04305314

Surgical treatment for colorectal cancer: Analysis of the influence of an enhanced recovery programme on long-term oncological outcomes-a study protocol for a prospective, multicentre, observational cohort study

Introduction The evidence currently available from enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programmes concerns their benefits in the immediate postoperative period, but there is still very little evidence as to whether their correct implementation benefits patients in the long term. The working hypothesis here is that, due to the lower response to surgical aggression and lower rates of postoperative complications, ERAS protocols can reduce colorectal cancer-related mortality. The main objective of this study is to analyse the impact of an ERAS programme for colorectal cancer on 5-year survival. As secondary objectives, we propose to analyse the weight of each of the predefined items in the oncological results as well as the quality of life. Methods and analysis A multicentre prospective cohort study was conducted in patients older than 18 years of age who are scheduled to undergo surgery for colorectal cancer. The study involved 12 hospitals with an implemented enhanced recovery protocol according to the guidelines published by the Spanish National Health Service. The intervention group includes patients with a minimum implementation level of 70%, and the control group includes those who fail to reach this level. Compliance will be studied using 18 key performance indicators, and the results will be analysed using cancer survival indicators, including overall survival, cancer-specific survival and relapse-free survival. The time to recurrence, perioperative morbidity and mortality, hospital stay and quality of life will also be studied, the latter using the validated EuroQol Five questionnaire. The propensity index method will be used to create comparable treatment and control groups, and a multivariate regression will be used to study each variable. The Kaplan-Meier estimator will be used to estimate survival and the log-rank test to make comparisons. A p value of less than 0.05 (two-tailed) will be considered to be significant. Ethics and dissemination Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Aragon Ethical Committee (C.P.-C.I. PI20/086) on 4 March 2020. The findings of this study will be submitted to peer-reviewed journals (BMJ Open, JAMA Surgery, Annals of Surgery, British Journal of Surgery). Abstracts will be submitted to relevant national and international meetings.The present research study was awarded a Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación health research project grant (PI19/00291) from the Carlos III Institute of the Spanish National Health Service as part of the 2019 call for Strategic Action in Health