Implementation of a pilot classroom of practical skills for the clinical subjects of the Veterinary Degree

Las limitaciones temporales en la docencia de las asignaturas clínicas del Grado en Veterinaria, así como el elevado ratio estudiantes/profesor y sobre todo estudiantes/paciente, condicionan en gran medida la formación del alumnado, comprometiendo la adquisición de competencias específicas. Así, el alumnado debe amortizar el tiempo que dedica al aprendizaje de estas materias, integrar los conocimientos adquiridos en ellas para llegar a conseguir el fin de las mismas y ser capaz de enfrentarse a situaciones clínicas con la consecuente realización de los necesarios procedimientos manuales. En este artículo, generado a partir de un proyecto de innovación docente, consideramos la enseñanza basada en la práctica con modelos inanimados o maniquíes como imprescindible para complementar la enseñanza de habilidades clínicas y adquisición de competencias. Debido al alto número de alumnos y al escaso tiempo que pasan por rotaciones clínicas con animales, y teniendo en cuenta las consideraciones éticas, es muy difícil que todos ellos puedan realizar las habilidades clínicas básicas e incluso puedan verlas en situaciones reales. El alumnado debe conocer estos procedimientos dentro de la materia de las asignaturas Propedéutica Clínica, Anestesiología y Cuidados Intensivos, Patología Quirúrgica y Medicina Interna, así como desarrollar estas habilidades, puesto que serán evaluados de esas competencias. Para ello hemos propuesto la implantación en el Departamento de Medicina y Cirugía Animal de un aula piloto donde los alumnos pueden practicar varias veces en los modelos, con el fin de adquirir la pericia necesaria para el dominio de las habilidades clínicas. De esta forma se fomentará una enseñanza integrativa, que mejorará el aprendizaje y el desarrollo de competencias específicas, además de adquirir otras competencias transversales que ayudarán al futuro veterinario en el ejercicio de su profesión.Time limitations in the teaching of clinical subjects of the Veterinary Degree, as well as the high student/teacher ratio and especially student/patient, determine the training of students and compromising the acquisition of specific competences. Thus, students should amortize the time devoted to learning these subjects, integrate the knowledge acquired in them and be able to face clinical situations with the consequent accomplishment of the necessary manual procedures. In the present study, derived from a teaching innovation project, we consider the practice-based teaching with inanimate models or mannequins as a complement of the teaching of clinical skills and acquisition of competences. Due to the high number of students, the short time they spend in clinical rotations with animals and bearing in mind the ethical considerations, it is very difficult for the students to perform the basic clinical skills and even to see them in real situations. The students must know these procedures within the subjects: Clinical Propedeutics, Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Surgical Pathology and Internal Medicine, as well as to develop these abilities since they will be evaluated of those competences. We have proposed the implementation of a pilot classroom in the Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery where students can practice several times in the inanimate models in order to acquire the necessary expertise for the successful development of clinical skills. This initiative will promote an integrative teaching which will improve the learning and development of specific skills, as well as the acquisition of other transversal competences that will help the future veterinarian in the exercise of their profession

Clinical and epidemiological characterization of a lymphogranuloma venereum outbreak in Madrid, Spain: co-circulation of two variants

AbstractThe lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) outbreak described in the Netherlands in 2003, increased the interest in the genotyping of Chlamydia trachomatis. Although international surveillance programmes were implemented, these studies slowly decreased in the following years. Now data have revealed a new accumulation of LGV cases in those European countries with extended surveillance programmes. Between March 2009 and November 2011, a study was carried out to detect LGV cases in Madrid. The study was based on screening of C. trachomatis using commercial kits, followed by real-time pmpH-PCR discriminating LGV strains, and finally ompA gene was sequenced for phylogenetic reconstruction. Ninety-four LGV infections were identified. The number of cases increased from 10 to 30 and then to 54 during 2009–2011. Incidence of LGV was strongly associated with men who have sex with men; but in 2011, LGV cases were described in women and heterosexual men. Sixty-nine patients were also human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive, with detectable viral loads at the moment of LGV diagnosis, suggesting a high-risk of co-transmission. In fact, in four patients the diagnosis of HIV was simultaneous with LGV infection. The conventional treatment with doxycycline was prescribed in 75 patients, although in three patients the treatment failed. The sequencing of the ompA gene permitted identification of two independent transmission nodes. One constituted by 25 sequences identical to the L2b variant, and a second node including 37 sequences identical to L2. This epidemiological situation characterized by the co-circulation of two LGV variants has not been previously described, reinforcing the need for screening and genotyping of LGV strains

Experiencia comunitaria de educación ambiental para promover la conservación de bienes naturales en el ejido el Castillo, municipio de Xalapa, Veracruz, México.

The ejido El Castillo, located in the municipality of Xalapa in the State of Veracruz, Mexico, has a series of natural resources that must be conserved to maintain ecosystem services and life quality of the region inhabitants. Based on a SWOT analysis of the population, a series of activities of Environmental Education were elaborated to raise awareness through communication, promotion of dialogue and participatory action research, where key stakeholders integrate groups to improve environmental items with the ecological aspects of the lagoon and strategic points in the community. These activities together reinforce the environmental awareness that we want to generate with the population and visitors to the area.El ejido El Castillo, ubicado en el municipio de Xalapa en el Estado de Veracruz, México, posee una serie de bienes naturales que deben ser conservados para mantener los servicios ecosistémicos y la calidad de vida de los pobladores de la región. A partir de un análisis FODA de la población, se elaboraron una serie de actividades de Educación Ambiental construidas para lograr la sensibilización a través de la comunicación, promoción del diálogo y la investigación-acción participativa, donde actores clave formaron grupos para mejorar aspectos medio ambientales relacionados con el entorno de la laguna y puntos estratégicos en la comunidad. Estas actividades en conjunto refuerzan la conciencia ambiental que se desea generar con la población y los visitantes de la zona

“Incorporación de la dimensión ambiental en la licenciatura en biología, campus Xalapa, Veracruz. México”.

Environmental Education has taken relevance in Higher Education Institutions (IES) as an important factor in the development of sustainable actions, since it awakens a rational conscience in human beings about their actions and their relationship with the environment. The need for incorporate the environmental dimension in the curricula of the IES has been signaled by international organizations such as OECD, UNESCO and IDB whose recommendations have permeated the National Organisms of Mexico such as ANUIES, COMPLEXUS in order to generate institutional policies. This documentary research presents an overview of the relationship between Environmental Education and the different ways in which the Biology Faculty of the Universidad Veracruzana addresses the environmental issue, with the objective of documenting its incorporation through programs, projects, research among others, the way they develop it and if they introduce it as an environmental policy in their institutional philosophy. The main results indicate that there is no great difference with the environmental policies of the National Organisms and the implementation of these by the different educational Institutions, unlike the accrediting comities such as CACEB and CIEES that have few environmental policies or indicators in their respective manuals of evaluation. In particular, the Biology Faculty in Xalapa has implemented activities, programs and projects related to the environment and environmental education reflected in the LGACs of its Academic work groups and in its formal curricula as a result of the International and National polices incorporated into the institutional ones.La Educación Ambiental ha tomado relevancia en las Instituciones de Educación Superior (IES) como un factor importante en el desarrollo de acciones sustentables, dado que despierta una conciencia racional en los seres humanos sobre sus actos y su relación con el medio ambiente. La necesidad de incorporar la dimensión ambiental en la curricula de las IES ha sido señalada por los organismos internacionales como OCDE, UNESCO y BID cuyas recomendaciones han permeado a los Organismos Nacionales de México como la ANUIES, COMPLEXUS para generar políticas institucionales.Esta investigación documental presenta un panorama de la relación entre la Educación Ambiental y las diferentes formas con las que la Facultad de Biología Campus Xalapa de la Universidad Veracruzana, abordan el tema ambiental, con el objetivo de analizar documentalmente su incorporación a través de programas, proyectos, investigaciones entre otros, la manera como la desarrollan y si la introducen como una política ambiental en su filosofía institucional. Los principales resultados señalan que no existe gran diferencia con las políticas ambientales de los Organismos Nacionales y la implementación de éstas por las diferentes Instituciones educativas, a diferencia de los organismos acreditadores como CACEB Y CIEES que cuentan con escasas políticas o indicadores ambientales en sus respectivos manuales de evaluación. De manera particular la Facultad de Biología Campus Xalapa ha implementado actividades, programas y proyectos relacionados con el medio ambiente y la educación ambiental reflejados en las LGAC de sus CAs y en su curricula formal como resultado de las políticas Internacionales y Nacionales incorporadas a las institucionales

Genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Madrid, Spain, during the first wave of the pandemic: Fast spread and early dominance by D614G variants

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first detected in Madrid, Spain, on 25 February 2020. It increased in frequency very fast and by the end of May more than 70,000 cases had been confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). To study the lineages and the diversity of the viral population during this first epidemic wave in Madrid we sequenced 224 SARS-CoV-2 viral genomes collected from three hospitals from February to May 2020. All the known major lineages were found in this set of samples, though B.1 and B.1.5 were the most frequent ones, accounting for more than 60% of the sequences. In parallel with the B lineages and sublineages, the D614G mutation in the Spike protein sequence was detected soon after the detection of the first coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) case in Madrid and in two weeks became dominant, being found in 80% of the samples and remaining at this level during all the study periods. The lineage composition of the viral population found in Madrid was more similar to the European population than to the publicly available Spanish data, underlining the role of Madrid as a national and international transport hub. In agreement with this, phylodynamic analysis suggested multiple independent entries before the national lockdown and air transportation restrictions.This research was partially supported through the European Commission Horizon 2020 Framework Programme (VIRUSCAN, FETPROACT-2016). E.D. was recipient of a Marie Skłodowska- Curie Individual Fellowship (Grant Agreement number 796084). E.V. is supported by the Subprograma Juan Rodés, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Subdirección General de Redes y Centros de Investigación Cooperativa, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Spain (JR18/00048). R.R. is supported by the Subprograma Río Hortega, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Subdirección General de Redes y Centros de Investigación Cooperativa, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Spain (CM19/00229)

Daratumumab displays in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor activity in models of B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma and improves responses to standard chemo-immunotherapy regimens

CD38 is expressed in several types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and constitutes a promising target for antibody-based therapy. Daratumumab (Darzalex) is a first-in-class anti-CD38 antibody approved for the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. It has also demonstrated clinical activity in Waldenstrom macroglobulinaemia and amyloidosis. Here, we have evaluated the activity and mechanism of action of daratumumab in preclinical in vitro and in vivo models of mantle cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma and diffuse large B cell lymphoma, as monotherapy or in combination with standard chemo-immunotherapy. In vitro, daratumumab engages Fc-mediated cytotoxicity by antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity and antibody-dependent cell phagocytosis in all lymphoma subtypes. In the presence of human serum, complement-dependent cell cytotoxicity was marginally engaged. We demonstrated by Selective Plane Illumination Microscopy that daratumumab fully penetrated a 3D lymphoma organoid and decreased organoid volume. In vivo, daratumumab completely prevents tumor outgrowth in models of mantle cell and follicular lymphoma, and shows comparable activity to rituximab in a disseminated in vivo model of blastic mantle cell lymphoma. Moreover, daratumumab improves overall survival in a mouse model of transformed CD20dim follicular lymphoma, where rituximab showed limited activity. Daratumumab potentiates the antitumor activity of CHOP and R-CHOP in mantle cell and follicular lymphoma xenografts. Furthermore, in a patient-derived diffuse large B cell lymphoma xenograft model, daratumumab anti-tumor activity was comparable to R-CHOP and the addition of daratumumab to either CHOP or R-CHOP led to full tumor regression. In summary, daratumumab constitutes a novel therapeutic opportunity in certain scenarios and these results warrant further clinical development

Molecular epidemiology of an enterovirus A71 outbreak associated with severe neurological disease, Spain, 2016

Altres ajuts: We wish to thank I Bustillo, H del Pozo and P Higueras for their technical assistance. We also sincerely wish to thank all technical staff from microbiology departments and medical staff from paediatrics departments from all participating hospitals. Some of the samples are included in an ongoing project (PI15CIII-00020) which was supported by a grant by the Health Research System (AES).Introduction: Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71) is an emerging pathogen that causes a wide range of disorders including severe neurological manifestations. In the past 20 years, this virus has been associated with large outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth disease with neurological complications in the Asia-Pacific region, while in Europe mainly sporadic cases have been reported. In spring 2016, however, an EV-A71 outbreak associated with severe neurological cases was reported in Catalonia and spread further to other Spanish regions. Aim: Our objective was to investigate the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of the outbreak. Methods: We carried out a retrospective study which included 233 EV-A71-positive samples collected during 2016 from hospitalised patients. We analysed the clinical manifestations associated with EV-A71 infections and performed phylogenetic analyses of the 3'-VP1 and 3Dpol regions from all Spanish strains and a set of EV-A71 from other countries. Results: Most EV-A71 infections were reported in children (mean age: 2.6 years) and the highest incidence was between May and July 2016 (83%). Most isolates (218/233) were classified as subgenogroup C1 and 217 of them were grouped in one cluster phylogenetically related to a new recombinant variant strain associated with severe neurological diseases in Germany and France in 2015 and 2016. Moreover, we found a clear association of EV-A71-C1 infection with severe neurological disorders, brainstem encephalitis being the most commonly reported. Conclusion: An emerging recombinant variant of EV-A71-C1 was responsible for the large outbreak in 2016 in Spain that was associated with many severe neurological cases

Molecular epidemiology of an enterovirus A71 outbreak associated with severe neurological disease, Spain, 2016

IntroductionEnterovirus A71 (EV-A71) is an emerging pathogen that causes a wide range of disorders including severe neurological manifestations. In the past 20 years, this virus has been associated with large outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth disease with neurological complications in the Asia-Pacific region, while in Europe mainly sporadic cases have been reported. In spring 2016, however, an EV-A71 outbreak associated with severe neurological cases was reported in Catalonia and spread further to other Spanish regions.AimOur objective was to investigate the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of the outbreak.MethodsWe carried out a retrospective study which included 233 EV-A71-positive samples collected during 2016 from hospitalised patients. We analysed the clinical manifestations associated with EV-A71 infections and performed phylogenetic analyses of the 3'-VP1 and 3Dpol regions from all Spanish strains and a set of EV-A71 from other countries.ResultsMost EV-A71 infections were reported in children (mean age: 2.6 years) and the highest incidence was between May and July 2016 (83%). Most isolates (218/233) were classified as subgenogroup C1 and 217 of them were grouped in one cluster phylogenetically related to a new recombinant variant strain associated with severe neurological diseases in Germany and France in 2015 and 2016. Moreover, we found a clear association of EV-A71-C1 infection with severe neurological disorders, brainstem encephalitis being the most commonly reported.ConclusionAn emerging recombinant variant of EV-A71-C1 was responsible for the large outbreak in 2016 in Spain that was associated with many severe neurological cases.S

DOCument Scraping for Student Research: From Documents to Knowledge

Laboratorio de enseñanza-aprendizaje-proinvestigación para incentivar la vocación investigadora mediante la inmersión en procesos de extracción de datos (scraping), fomento de capacidades transversales y métodos de la investigación científica, en el ámbito de las Ciencias de la Documentació

Towns with extremely low mortality due to ischemic heart disease in Spain

BACKGROUND: The cause of coronary disease inframortality in Spain is unknown. The aim of this study is to identify Spanish towns with very low ischemic heart disease mortality, describe their health and social characteristics, and analyze the relationship with a series of contextual factors. METHODS: We obtained the number of deaths registered for each of 8,122 Spanish towns in the periods 1989-1998 and 1999-2003. Expected deaths, standardized mortality ratio (SMR), smoothed Relative Risk (RR), and Posterior Probability (PP) of RR > 1 were calculated using Bayesian hierarchical models. Inframortality was defined as any town that displayed an RR below the 10th percentile, an SMR of under 1 for both sexes, and a PP of RR > 1 less than or equal to 0.002 for male and 0.005 for female mortality, during the two periods covered. All the remaining towns, except for those with high mortality classified as "tourist towns", were selected as controls. The association among socioeconomic, health, dietary, lifestyle and vascular risk factors was analyzed using sequential mixed logistic regression models, with province as the random-effects variable. RESULTS: We identified 32 towns in which ischemic heart disease mortality was half the national rate and four times lower than the European Union rate, situated in lightly populated provinces spread across the northern half of Spain, and revealed a surprising pattern of geographic aggegation for 23 of the 32 towns. Variables related with inframortality were: a less aged population (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.89-0.99); a contextual dietary pattern marked by a high fish content (OR 2.13, 95% CI 1.38-3.28) and wine consumption (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.08-2.07); and a low prevalence of obesity (OR 0.47, 95% CI 0.22-1.01); and, in the case of towns of over 1000 inhabitants, a higher physician-population ratio (OR 3.80, 95% CI 1.17-12.3). CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that dietary and health care factors have an influence on inframortality. The geographical aggregation suggests that other factors with a spatial pattern, e.g., genetic or environmental might also be implicated. These results will have to be confirmed by studies in situ, with objective measurements at an individual level.This study was funded by research study grant no. PI06/0656 from Spain's Health Research Fund (Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria).S