Diàleg entre iguals a l'aula. Eina per a la construcció del coneixement matemàtic

La construcció del coneixement matemàtic implica que l'alumne estableixi les connexions adients entre el nou coneixement i aquells dels quals ja disposa, que els connecti amb la seva xarxa personal de pensament. El procés d'aprenentatge que es pot esdevenir en una aula és determinat pel tipus d'ensenyament de les matemàtiques que es plantegi. Hem de partir del principi que totes les persones saben matemàtiques, poden aprendre'n i poden comunicar les seves idees als altres. El diàleg entre iguals és una eina potent per a aconseguir que a l'aula hi hagi construcció de coneixement matemàtic. Per a facilitar aquesta mena de diàleg, cal que es donin algunes condicions (relacionades amb els objectius d'alt nivell que es persegueixen, les tasques i el seu enriquiment, les intervencions del professor, el tractament de l'error i el paper del contrast, etc.). A l'aula de matemàtiques també hem d'ajudar a aprendre a dialogar.The building of mathematical knowledge implies that the students establish the appropriate connections between the new knowledge and their prior knowledge, connecting them with their personal network of thought. The learning process that can occur in a classroom is determined by the type of teaching of mathematics devised. We start from the principle that all people know mathematics, can learn mathematics and are able to communicate their ideas to others. Dialogue among peers is a powerful tool to accomplish the building of mathematical knowledge in the classroom. To facilitate such dialogue certain conditions are necessary (related to the high-level goals to be achieved, tasks and their enrichment, teachers interventions, the treatment of errors and the role of contrast, etc.). In the math classroom we also need to help learning how to dialogue

HX600, a synthetic agonist for RXR-Nurr1 heterodimer complex, prevents ischemia-induced neuronal damage

Ischemic stroke is amongst the leading causes of death and disabilities. The available treatments are suitable for only a fraction of patients and thus novel therapies are urgently needed. Blockage of one of the cerebral arteries leads to massive and persisting inflammatory reaction contributing to the nearby neuronal damage. Targeting the detrimental pathways of neuroinflammation has been suggested to be beneficial in conditions of ischemic stroke. Nuclear receptor 4A-family (NR4A) member Nurr1 has been shown to be a potent modulator of harmful inflammatory reactions, yet the role of Nurr1 in cerebral stroke remains unknown. Here we show for the first time that an agonist for the dimeric transcription factor Nurr1/retinoid X receptor (RXR), HX600, reduces microglia expressed proinflammatory mediators and prevents inflammation induced neuronal death in in vitro co-culture model of neurons and microglia. Importantly, HX600 was protective in a mouse model of permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion and alleviated the stroke induced motor deficits. Along with the anti-inflammatory capacity of HX600 in vitro, treatment of ischemic mice with HX600 reduced ischemia induced Iba-1, p38 and TREM2 immunoreactivities, protected endogenous microglia from ischemia induced death and prevented leukocyte infiltration. These anti-inflammatory functions were associated with reduced levels of brain lysophosphatidylcholines (lysoPCs) and acylcarnitines, metabolites related to proinflammatory events. These data demonstrate that HX600 driven Nurr1 activation is beneficial in ischemic stroke and propose that targeting Nurr1 is a novel candidate for conditions involving neuroinflammatory component.Peer reviewe

Diàleg entre iguals a l'aula. Eina per a la construcció del coneixement matemàtic

La construcció del coneixement matemàtic implica que l'alumne estableixi les connexions adients entre el nou coneixement i aquells dels quals ja disposa, que els connecti amb la seva xarxa personal de pensament. El procés d'aprenentatge que es pot esdevenir en una aula és determinat pel tipus d'ensenyament de les matemàtiques que es plantegi. Hem de partir del principi que totes les persones saben matemàtiques, poden aprendre'n i poden comunicar les seves idees als altres. El diàleg entre iguals és una eina potent per a aconseguir que a l'aula hi hagi construcció de coneixement matemàtic. Per a facilitar aquesta mena de diàleg, cal que es donin algunes condicions (relacionades amb els objectius d'alt nivell que es persegueixen, les tasques i el seu enriquiment, les intervencions del professor, el tractament de l'error i el paper del contrast, etc.). A l'aula de matemàtiques també hem d'ajudar a aprendre a dialogar.The building of mathematical knowledge implies that the students establish the appropriate connections between the new knowledge and their prior knowledge, connecting them with their personal network of thought. The learning process that can occur in a classroom is determined by the type of teaching of mathematics devised. We start from the principle that all people know mathematics, can learn mathematics and are able to communicate their ideas to others. Dialogue among peers is a powerful tool to accomplish the building of mathematical knowledge in the classroom. To facilitate such dialogue certain conditions are necessary (related to the high-level goals to be achieved, tasks and their enrichment, teacher's interventions, the treatment of errors and the role of contrast, etc.). In the math classroom we also need to help learning how to dialogue

COVID-19 severity is related to poor executive function in people with post-COVID conditions

Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer NaturePatients with post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) conditions typically experience cognitive problems. Some studies have linked COVID-19 severity with long-term cognitive damage, while others did not observe such associations. This discrepancy can be attributed to methodological and sample variations. We aimed to clarify the relationship between COVID-19 severity and long-term cognitive outcomes and determine whether the initial symptomatology can predict long-term cognitive problems. Cognitive evaluations were performed on 109 healthy controls and 319 post-COVID individuals categorized into three groups according to the WHO clinical progression scale: severe-critical (n¿=¿77), moderate-hospitalized (n¿=¿73), and outpatients (n¿=¿169). Principal component analysis was used to identify factors associated with symptoms in the acute-phase and cognitive domains. Analyses of variance and regression linear models were used to study intergroup differences and the relationship between initial symptomatology and long-term cognitive problems. The severe-critical group performed significantly worse than the control group in general cognition (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), executive function (Digit symbol, Trail Making Test B, phonetic fluency), and social cognition (Reading the Mind in the Eyes test). Five components of symptoms emerged from the principal component analysis: the “Neurologic/Pain/Dermatologic” “Digestive/Headache”, “Respiratory/Fever/Fatigue/Psychiatric” and “Smell/ Taste” components were predictors of Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores; the “Neurologic/Pain/Dermatologic” component predicted attention and working memory; the “Neurologic/Pain/Dermatologic” and “Respiratory/Fever/Fatigue/Psychiatric” components predicted verbal memory, and the “Respiratory/Fever/Fatigue/Psychiatric,” “Neurologic/Pain/Dermatologic,” and “Digestive/Headache” components predicted executive function. Patients with severe COVID-19 exhibited persistent deficits in executive function. Several initial symptoms were predictors of long-term sequelae, indicating the role of systemic inflammation and neuroinflammation in the acute-phase symptoms of COVID-19.” Study Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT05307549 and NCT05307575.This research was supported by the Agency for Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR) from the Generalitat de Catalunya (Pandemies, 202PANDE00053) and La Marató de TV3 Foundation (202111-30-31-32).Peer ReviewedArticle signat per 16 autors/es: Mar Ariza, Neus Cano, Bàrbara Segura, Ana Adan, Núria Bargalló, Xavier Caldú, Anna Campabadal, Maria Angeles Jurado, Maria Mataró, Roser Pueyo, Roser Sala‑Llonch, Cristian Barrué, Javier Bejar, Claudio Ulises Cortés on behalf of NAUTILUS Project Collaborative Group, Maite Garolera Carme JunquéPostprint (published version

COVID-19 severity is related to poor executive function in people with post-COVID conditions

Coronavirus; Executive function; Neuropsychological testsCoronavirus; Función ejecutiva; Pruebas neuropsicológicasCoronavirus; Funció executiva; Tests neuropsicològicsPatients with post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) conditions typically experience cognitive problems. Some studies have linked COVID-19 severity with long-term cognitive damage, while others did not observe such associations. This discrepancy can be attributed to methodological and sample variations. We aimed to clarify the relationship between COVID-19 severity and long-term cognitive outcomes and determine whether the initial symptomatology can predict long-term cognitive problems. Cognitive evaluations were performed on 109 healthy controls and 319 post-COVID individuals categorized into three groups according to the WHO clinical progression scale: severe-critical (n = 77), moderate-hospitalized (n = 73), and outpatients (n = 169). Principal component analysis was used to identify factors associated with symptoms in the acute-phase and cognitive domains. Analyses of variance and regression linear models were used to study intergroup differences and the relationship between initial symptomatology and long-term cognitive problems. The severe-critical group performed significantly worse than the control group in general cognition (Montreal Cognitive Assessment), executive function (Digit symbol, Trail Making Test B, phonetic fluency), and social cognition (Reading the Mind in the Eyes test). Five components of symptoms emerged from the principal component analysis: the "Neurologic/Pain/Dermatologic" "Digestive/Headache", "Respiratory/Fever/Fatigue/Psychiatric" and "Smell/ Taste" components were predictors of Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores; the "Neurologic/Pain/Dermatologic" component predicted attention and working memory; the "Neurologic/Pain/Dermatologic" and "Respiratory/Fever/Fatigue/Psychiatric" components predicted verbal memory, and the "Respiratory/Fever/Fatigue/Psychiatric," "Neurologic/Pain/Dermatologic," and "Digestive/Headache" components predicted executive function. Patients with severe COVID-19 exhibited persistent deficits in executive function. Several initial symptoms were predictors of long-term sequelae, indicating the role of systemic inflammation and neuroinflammation in the acute-phase symptoms of COVID-19." Study Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov , identifier NCT05307549 and NCT05307575

Eduard Toda, de bibliòfil i mecenes de biblioteques a mestre en bugada de papers

En el setanta-cinquè aniversari de la mort d'Eduard Toda, que va ser diplomàtic, egiptòleg, escriptor i historiador, que va redescobrir i divulgar l'alguerès, que va reconstruir i restaurar Escornalbou i Poblet, que va compilar bibliografies i va ser un bibliòfil i un mecenes exemplar, s'analitza en primer lloc aquest darrer aspecte de la seva activitat que va contribuir a enriquir les biblioteques i els arxius del país. A continuació es presenta la seva relació amb l'Escola de Bibliotecàries que es va iniciar gràcies al lligam que havia establert amb la Biblioteca de Catalunya amb les seves generoses donacions de materials bibliogràfics. A partir de la documentació conservada a l'arxiu de l'antiga Escola de Bibliotecàries, es mostren les distintes facetes d'aquella relació: les excursions a Escornalbou que es complementen amb tot un recorregut cultural, les estades de les alumnes a Poblet on col·laboren en l'organització de la biblioteca pobletana, la introducció de les classes de restauració en el pla d'estudis de la carrera, la posada en marxa d'un laboratori de restauració que, per moltes dècades, compartiran l'Escola i la Biblioteca de Catalunya, etc. Certament, els vincles de Toda amb l'Escola es van caracteritzar per un afecte mutu i algunes de les activitats que va promoure amb les alumnes van contribuir a donar a l'Escola aquell toc d''especial' que va tenir en els anys trenta

Aesthetic impact of solar energy systems

The presence of solar energy systems has increased significantly in recent years both in rural areas –in the form of solar farms–, and in urban areas as part of building installations. This transformation of the landscape, in spite of the good social acceptance of solar energy, causes an aesthetic impact whose interest has been growing in literature in recent years. This study aimed to review prior literature in order to establish the objective factors, aesthetic perception and methods that are most relevant when assessing the aesthetic impact. As a result of the lack of consensus, a new qualitative theoretical framework is proposed that can serve as a basis for future research in the field of the integration of solar energy and its aesthetic impact. The framework comprises three sub-impacts: land use, solar system energy and glare. The results are discussed for future research and innovation in building photovoltaic integration and for SES site location and its environmental impact assessments