¿Contribuimos a la capacitación docente con el prácticum? Análisis de la percepción del estudiantado

El PRACTICUM o prácticas externas curriculares, es una asignatura desgranada en Prácticum I y Prácticum II que forma parte del plan de estudios del máster de secundaria que realiza la UPC desde el curso 2009/10. Las dos asignaturas representan el 23% de la totalidad de créditos de la titulación y por su carácter transversal, se realiza a lo largo del curso académico. El objetivo del prácticum está muy ligado a las asignaturas presenciales ya que pretende impulsar un modelo de aprendizaje basado en la alternancia, dónde los conocimientos teórico-prácticos y las experiencias en entornos reales de trabajo convergen para garantizar la adquisición de competencias profesionales de los futuros docentes de secundaria. Dado éste contexto y el hecho de haber experimentado un proceso de acreditación de la titulación dónde se generaron muchas reflexiones que provocan crear espacios de mejora, se propone el siguiente trabajo. Se plantea un proceso de análisis y estudio para detectar áreas de mejora que impacten en toda la titulación. Aunque la valoración del estudiantado que cursa el máster, sobre el prácticum es muy positiva, no dejamos de preguntarnos qué competencias docentes se trabajan y cuáles no y en qué grado, con el objetivo de definir actividades para abordar aquellas que los alumnos no las perciben como adquiridas. Por lo tanto, el objetivo es crear un método que nos permita analizar la autoevaluación inicial i final del estudiantado en referencia a la adquisición de las competencias docentes (el máster de secundaria es una titulación con atribuciones profesionales). De ésta manera podremos constatar si se confirman nuestras hipótesis de partida, identificar que competencias tendríamos que trabajar para conseguir una óptima capacitación del futuro docente y, de forma general, reflexionar con todo el profesorado implicado sobre el resultado del estudioPeer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Content and Performance of the MiniMUGA Genotyping Array: A New Tool To Improve Rigor and Reproducibility in Mouse Research

The laboratory mouse is the most widely used animal model for biomedical research, due in part to its well-annotated genome, wealth of genetic resources, and the ability to precisely manipulate its genome. Despite the importance of genetics for mouse research, genetic quality control (QC) is not standardized, in part due to the lack of cost-effective, informative, and robust platforms. Genotyping arrays are standard tools for mouse research and remain an attractive alternative even in the era of high-throughput whole-genome sequencing. Here, we describe the content and performance of a new iteration of the Mouse Universal Genotyping Array (MUGA), MiniMUGA, an array-based genetic QC platform with over 11,000 probes. In addition to robust discrimination between most classical and wild-derived laboratory strains, MiniMUGA was designed to contain features not available in other platforms: (1) chromosomal sex determination, (2) discrimination between substrains from multiple commercial vendors, (3) diagnostic SNPs for popular laboratory strains, (4) detection of constructs used in genetically engineered mice, and (5) an easy-to-interpret report summarizing these results. In-depth annotation of all probes should facilitate custom analyses by individual researchers. To determine the performance of MiniMUGA, we genotyped 6899 samples from a wide variety of genetic backgrounds. The performance of MiniMUGA compares favorably with three previous iterations of the MUGA family of arrays, both in discrimination capabilities and robustness. We have generated publicly available consensus genotypes for 241 inbred strains including classical, wild-derived, and recombinant inbred lines. Here, we also report the detection of a substantial number of XO and XXY individuals across a variety of sample types, new markers that expand the utility of reduced complexity crosses to genetic backgrounds other than C57BL/6, and the robust detection of 17 genetic constructs. We provide preliminary evidence that the array can be used to identify both partial sex chromosome duplication and mosaicism, and that diagnostic SNPs can be used to determine how long inbred mice have been bred independently from the relevant main stock. We conclude that MiniMUGA is a valuable platform for genetic QC, and an important new tool to increase the rigor and reproducibility of mouse research

Content and performance of the MiniMUGA genotyping array, a new tool to improve rigor and reproducibility in mouse research [preprint]

The laboratory mouse is the most widely used animal model for biomedical research, due in part to its well annotated genome, wealth of genetic resources and the ability to precisely manipulate its genome. Despite the importance of genetics for mouse research, genetic quality control (QC) is not standardized, in part due to the lack of cost effective, informative and robust platforms. Genotyping arrays are standard tools for mouse research and remain an attractive alternative even in the era of high-throughput whole genome sequencing. Here we describe the content and performance of a new Mouse Universal Genotyping Array (MUGA). MiniMUGA, an array-based genetic QC platform with over 11,000 probes. In addition to robust discrimination between most classical and wild-derived laboratory strains, MiniMUGA was designed to contain features not available in other platforms: 1) chromosomal sex determination, 2) discrimination between substrains from multiple commercial vendors, 3) diagnostic SNPs for popular laboratory strains, 4) detection of constructs used in genetically engineered mice, and 5) an easy to interpret report summarizing these results. In-depth annotation of all probes should facilitate custom analyses by individual researchers. To determine the performance of MiniMUGA we genotyped 6,899 samples from a wide variety of genetic backgrounds. The performance of MiniMUGA compares favorably with three previous iterations of the MUGA family of arrays both in discrimination capabilities and robustness. We have generated publicly available consensus genotypes for 241 inbred strains including classical, wild-derived and recombinant inbred lines. Here we also report the detection of a substantial number of XO and XXY individuals across a variety of sample types, the extension of the utility of reduced complexity crosses to genetic backgrounds other than C57BL/6, and the robust detection of 17 genetic constructs. There is preliminary but striking evidence that the array can be used to identify both partial sex chromosome duplication and mosaicism, and that diagnostic SNPs can be used to determine how long inbred mice have been bred independently from the main stock for a significant action of the genotyped inbred samples. We conclude that MiniMUGA is a valuable platform for genetic QC and important new tool to the increase rigor and reproducibility of mouse research

Multimedia Retrieval by Means of Merge of Results from Textual and Content Based Retrieval Subsystems

The main goal of this paper it is to present our experiments in ImageCLEF 2009 Campaign (photo retrieval task). In 2008 we proved empirically that the Text-based Image Retrieval (TBIR) methods defeats the Content-based Image Retrieval CBIR “quality” of results, so this time we developed several experiments in which the CBIR helps the TBIR. The TBIR System [6] main improvement is the named-entity sub-module. In case of the CBIR system [3] the number of low-level features has been increased from the 68 component used at ImageCLEF 2008 up to 114 components, and only the Mahalanobis distance has been used. We propose an ad-hoc management of the topics delivered, and the generation of XML structures for 0.5 million captions of the photographs (corpus) delivered. Two different merging algorithms were developed and the third one tries to improve our previous cluster level results promoting the diversity. Our best run for precision metrics appeared in position 16th, in the 19th for MAP score, and for diversity value in position 11th, for a total of 84 submitted experiments. Our best and “only textual” experiment was the 6th one over 41

Effect of the myostatin locus on muscle mass and intramuscular fat content in a cross between mouse lines selected for hypermuscularity

Abstract Background This study is aimed at the analysis of genetic and physiological effects of myostatin on economically relevant meat quality traits in a genetic background of high muscularity. For this purpose, we generated G3 populations of reciprocal crosses between the two hypermuscular mouse lines BMMI866, which carries a myostatin mutation and is lean, and BMMI806, which has high intramuscular and body fat content. To assess the relationship between muscle mass, body composition and muscle quality traits, we also analysed intramuscular fat content (IMF), water holding capacity (WHC), and additional physiological parameters in M. quadriceps and M. longissimus in 308 G3-animals. Results We found that individuals with larger muscles have significantly lower total body fat (r = −0.28) and IMF (r = −0.64), and in females, a lower WHC (r = −0.35). In males, higher muscle mass was also significantly correlated with higher glycogen contents (r = 0.2) and lower carcass pH-values 24 hours after dissection (r = −0.19). Linkage analyses confirmed the influence of the myostatin mutation on higher lean mass (1.35 g), reduced body fat content (−1.15%), and lower IMF in M. longissimus (−0.13%) and M. quadriceps (−0.07%). No effect was found for WHC. A large proportion of variation of intramuscular fat content of the M. longissimus at the myostatin locus could be explained by sex (23%) and direction-of-cross effects (26%). The effects were higher in males (+0.41%). An additional locus with negative over-dominance effects on total fat mass (−0.55 g) was identified on chromosome 16 at 94 Mb (86–94 Mb) which concurs with fat related QTL in syntenic regions on SSC13 in pigs and BTA1 in cattle. Conclusion The data shows QTL effects on mouse muscle that are similar to those previously observed in livestock, supporting the mouse model. New information from the mouse model helps to describe variation in meat quantity and quality, and thus contribute to research in livestock

Genome Report: Whole Genome Sequence of Two Wild-Derived Mus musculus domesticus Inbred Strains, LEWES/EiJ and ZALENDE/EiJ, with Different Diploid Numbers

Wild-derived mouse inbred strains are becoming increasingly popular for complex traits analysis, evolutionary studies, and systems genetics. Here, we report the whole-genome sequencing of two wild-derived mouse inbred strains, LEWES/EiJ and ZALENDE/EiJ, of Mus musculus domesticus origin. These two inbred strains were selected based on their geographic origin, karyotype, and use in ongoing research. We generated 14× and 18× coverage sequence, respectively, and discovered over 1.1 million novel variants, most of which are private to one of these strains. This report expands the number of wild-derived inbred genomes in the Mus genus from six to eight. The sequence variation can be accessed via an online query tool; variant calls (VCF format) and alignments (BAM format) are available for download from a dedicated ftp site. Finally, the sequencing data have also been stored in a lossless, compressed, and indexed format using the multi-string Burrows-Wheeler transform. All data can be used without restriction

Morfología, estructura y reproducción de una especie epífita del género Jania (Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) de las Islas Canarias

The morphology, structure and reproduction of an epiphytic species of Jania common on Stypopodium zonale (Lamouroux) Papenfus (Dictyotaceae) in the Canary Islands and provisionally identified as Jania pumila Lamouroux is studied. J. pumila is a short plant with a crustose base and decumbent branches dicotomously ramified with subterete intergenicula. The crustose base is composed of a multistratose hypothallium, a short perithallium and an unistratose epithallium. The intergenicula consists of a medulla of long cells with large walls, a cortex of short cells with thin walls and an unistratose epithallium overlain by a cuticle firmly attached to the lateral walls of the distal calcified parts of the epithallial cells. All reproductive features characteristic of the genus Jania are present in 2. pumila. Bisporangia with binucleate bisporangium are common in asexual conceptacles.Se estudia en poblaciones de las Islas Canarias la morfología, estructura y reproducción de un epífito muy común de Sty po podium zonale (Lamouroux) Papenfus (Dictyotaceae) determinado provisionalmen te como Junia pumila Lamouroux. 7. pumila es una diminuta planta con una pequeña costra basal de la que nacen ramas decumbentes de artejos subcilíndricos dicotomicamente ramificadas. La estructura de la cotra consiste en un hipotalo pluriestratificado, un peritalo reducido y un epitalo uniestratificado. Los artejos presentan una médula de grandes células con paredes muy gruesas, un cortex de pequeñas células de paredes delgadas y un epitalo uniestratificado cubierto por una gruesa cutícula íntimamente ligada a los cristales de calcita de las paredes laterales. J. pumila presenta todos los caracteres reproductivos del género Junia. Los conceptáculos asexuales contienen principalmente bisporangios con bisporas binucleadas

Introducción de la perspectiva de género en el Grado de Trabajo Social

Introducir la perspectiva de género en la docencia universitaria significa analizar situaciones de desigualdad que se pueden dar durante el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. Estamos en los inicios de un proceso largo y en el que participan un movimiento amplio formado por profesorado universitario y personal investigador que juegan un papel importante para reducir o eliminar los sesgos de género en el proceso de formación para combatir la discriminación sexual y la desigualdad de género. La Universidad de Alicante ha desarrollado un ‘Plan de Igualdad de Oportunidades entre Mujeres y Hombres’ y ha creado una Red de Investigación en Docencia Universitaria “Universidad, Docencia, Género e Igualdad” en el marco del proyecto de Redes de investigación desde el Vicerrectorado de Estudios, Formación y Calidad para abordar la cuestión de género en el ámbito universitario. Siguiendo esta línea, desde el Departamento de Trabajo Social presentamos los resultados obtenidos en la red: ‘REDGITS – Red de Estudios de la Docencia en Género e Internacionalización en Trabajo Social’, con el fin de analizar y estudiar la introducción de la perspectiva de género en el Grado en Trabajo Social desarrollando indicadores y recomendaciones para ello

Host immunity in the protective response to nasal immunization with a pneumococcal antigen associated to live and heat-killed Lactobacillus casei

Background: At present, available pneumococcal vaccines have failed to eradicate infections caused by S. pneumoniae. Search for effective vaccine continues and some serotype independent pneumococcal proteins are considered as candidates for the design of new vaccines, especially a mucosal vaccine, since pneumococci enter the body through mucosal surfaces. Selection of the appropriate adjuvant is important for mucosal vaccines, and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with immunostimulant properties are promissory candidates. In this work, we assessed the adjuvant effect of a probiotic strain, Lactobacillus casei (L. casei), when nasally administered with a pneumococcal antigen (pneumococcal protective protein A: PppA) for the prevention of pneumococcal infection. Adjuvanticity of both live (LcV) and heat-killed (LcM) was evaluated and humoral and cellular antigen-specific immune response was assessed in mucosal and systemic compartments. The potential mechanisms induced by nasal immunization were discussed.Results: Nasal immunization of young mice with PppA+LcV and PppA+LcM induced anti-PppA IgA and IgG antibodies in mucosal and systemic compartments and levels of these specific antibodies remained high even at day 45 after the 3rd Immunization (3rd I). These results were correlated with IL-4 induction by the mixture of antigen plus LcV and LcM. Also, PppA+Lc (V and M) induced stimulation of Th1 and Th17 cells involved in the defence against pneumococci. The protection against pneumococcal respiratory challenge at day 30 after the 3rd I showed that PppA+LcV and PppA+LcM immunizations significantly reduced pathogen counts in nasal lavages while prventing their passage into lung and blood. Survival of mice immunized with the co-application of PppA plus LcV and LcM was significantly higher than in mice immunized with PppA alone and control mice when intraperitoneal challenge was performed. No significant differences between the treatments involving LcV and LcM were found.Conclusions: Live and heat-killed L. casei enhanced the antigen-specific immune response when administered nasally with a pneumococcal antigen. Considering the potential risk associated with live bacteria, the design of a nasal vaccine based on pneumococcal antigens and heat-killed L. casei emerges as a safe and effective strategy for the prevention of pneumococcal infections and opens new possibilities of application of dead LAB as adjuvants in vaccine formulations against other pathogens.Fil: Vintiñi, Elisa Ofelia. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Agronomía y Zootecnia; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Medina, Marcela Susana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Bioquímica, Química y Farmacia; Argentin

Functionally Overlapping Variants Control Tuberculosis Susceptibility in Collaborative Cross Mice

Host genetics plays an important role in determining the outcome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. We previously found that Collaborative Cross (CC) mouse strains differ in their susceptibility to M. tuberculosis and that the CC042/GeniUnc (CC042) strain suffered from a rapidly progressive disease and failed to produce the protective cytokine gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) in the lung. Here, we used parallel genetic and immunological approaches to investigate the basis of CC042 mouse susceptibility. Using a population derived from a CC001/Unc (CC001) x CC042 intercross, we mapped four quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlying tuberculosis immunophenotypes (Tip1 to Tip4). These included QTL that were associated with bacterial burden, IFN-gamma production following infection, and an IFN-gamma-independent mechanism of bacterial control. Further immunological characterization revealed that CC042 animals recruited relatively few antigen-specific T cells to the lung and that these T cells failed to express the integrin alpha L (alphaL; i.e., CD11a), which contributes to T cell activation and migration. These defects could be explained by a CC042 private variant in the Itgal gene, which encodes CD11a and is found within the Tip2 interval. This 15-bp deletion leads to aberrant mRNA splicing and is predicted to result in a truncated protein product. The Itgal(CC042) genotype was associated with all measured disease traits, indicating that this variant is a major determinant of susceptibility in CC042 mice. The combined effect of functionally distinct Tip variants likely explains the profound susceptibility of CC042 mice and highlights the multigenic nature of tuberculosis control in the Collaborative Cross. IMPORTANCE The variable outcome of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection observed in natural populations is difficult to model in genetically homogeneous small-animal models. The newly developed Collaborative Cross (CC) represents a reproducible panel of genetically diverse mice that display a broad range of phenotypic responses to infection. We explored the genetic basis of this variation, focusing on a CC line that is highly susceptible to M. tuberculosis infection. This study identified multiple quantitative trait loci associated with bacterial control and cytokine production, including one that is caused by a novel loss-of-function mutation in the Itgal gene, which is necessary for T cell recruitment to the infected lung. These studies verify the multigenic control of mycobacterial disease in the CC panel, identify genetic loci controlling diverse aspects of pathogenesis, and highlight the utility of the CC resource