Construção e validação de um questionário para identificação de fatores associados ao desempenho escolar (FADE)

Se construyó una prueba psicológica para medir los Factores Asociados al Desempeño Escolar (FADE), siguiendo lineamientos de la Teoría Clásica de los Test y aspectos de medición y evaluación desde una estrategia multi-informante aplicada a los contextos escolares. La finalidad de la prueba es la identificación de debilidades y fortalezas asociadas al desempeño escolar en niños de primer grado de primaria del municipio de Pasto. La muestra utilizada fue de 277 participantes pertenecientes a instituciones públicas de carácter urbano y rural. La confiabilidad calculada a través del coeficiente KR20 fue de .92 para la prueba total. Se obtuvieron evidencias favorables para validez de contenido, criterio y constructo. Se establecieron normas de estandarización para la aplicación y calificación de la prueba. La evidencia encontrada da cuenta de que la prueba resulta útil para su aplicación práctica como herramienta en la evaluación clínica y su uso en investigación.Construiu-se um teste psicológico para medir os Fatores Associados ao Desempenho Escolar (FADE), seguindo as diretrizes da Teoría Clássica dos Testes e aspectos de medição e avaliação desde uma estratégia multi-informante aplicada aos contextos escolares. A finalidade do teste é a identificação de pontos fortes e pontos fracos associados ao desempenho escolar em crianças do primeiro ano do primário do município de Pasto. A mostra utilizada foi de 277 participantes pertencentes a instituições públicas de caráter urbano e rural. A confiabilidade calculada através do coeficiente KR20 foi de ,92 para a prova total. Obtiveram-se evidências favoráveis para validade de conteúdo, critério e constructo. Estabeleceram-se normas de padronização para a aplicação e qualificação da prova. A evidência encontrada mostra que a prova é útil para sua aplicação prática como ferramenta na avaliação clínica e seu uso em pesquisa.A psychological test was constructed to measure School Performance Associated Factors (FADE, by its Spanish acronym), following the guidelines of the Classical Theory of Tests and aspects of measuring and assessment from a multiple informant strategy applied to school settings. The purpose of the test is to identify weaknesses and strengths associated with school performance in first grade primary school children from the municipality of Pasto. The sample consisted of 277 participants from public institutions of urban and rural character. The reliability calculated by KR20 coefficient was 0.92 for the total test. Favorable evidence was obtained for content, criteria and construct validity. Standardized rules were established for the test administration and scoring. The evidence found shows that the test is useful for its practical application as a tool for clinical assessment and research

Análisis histórico - político del diferendo entre Nicaragua y Honduras en el mar caribe

Tesis (Licenciatura en Diplomacia y Relaciones Internacionales)--Universidad Americana, Managua, 2009La siguiente tesis contiene un “Análisis histórico – político del diferendo entre Nicaragua y Honduras en el mar caribe”. El estudio surge a partir del fallo dictado por la Corte Internacional de Justicia de La Haya, sobre el conflicto de la frontera marítima entre Nicaragua y Honduras en el Mar Caribe y tiene como objetivo principal, efectuar un análisis histórico – político del diferendo entre Nicaragua y Honduras en el mar Caribe así como la importancia de la utilización de los mecanismos jurídicos de solución de conflictos en las relaciones bilaterales de los Estados

Mitigando os riscos da seca através de ações de recuperação e preservação do bioma caatinga no semiárido brasileiro / Mitigating dry risks through actions for the recovery and preservation of the caatinga biome in the brazilian semi-arid

A Caatinga, bioma exclusivamente brasileiro, abrange quase toda a região semiárida do país, mostrando-se excepcional com relação aos aspectos da fauna e flora associadas ao déficit hídrico sazonal e interanual inerentes ao clima. Historicamente, a Caatinga foi explorada por atividades agropecuárias e hoje o que se vêem são vários fragmentos do bioma degradados e em processo de desertificação. Tal situação dificulta a harmoniosa convivência dos sertanejos nessa região do Brasil, uma vez que a agricultura de subsistência também é afetada pela degradação ambiental ali existente. Nesse contexto, o objetivo principal dessa pesquisa foi comparar duas áreas de Caatinga através dos aspectos da vegetação e solo, somando a esses aspectos dados de temperatura do ar e umidade relativa do ar, em um mesmo assentamento agroecológico. Os pontos escolhidos no assentamento possuem cota altimétrica semelhante, porém um com vegetação presente e solos mais espessos e outro numa área muito degradada, com vegetação rala e esparsada e solos compactados. O assentamento está localizado no município de Currais Novos, semiárido do estado Rio Grande do Norte, Brasil. Os dados de temperatura e umidade foram conseguidos a partir da instalação de termohigrômetros automáticos, com registros 24h/d-1 durante os meses secos, de julho à outubro de 2016. Através dos resultados encontrados, percebeu-se o importante papel da cobertura vegetal a da espessura do solo no sentido de minimizar os impactos da seca através da manutenção de água no sistema, promovendo um microclima mais úmido e fresco. Nesse sentido, as práticas de recuperação da Caatinga através de renques e barramentos, e do raleamento e rebaixamento, que estão sendo feitos no assentamento, são fundamentais para o desenvolvimento de práticas agroecológicas exitosas na região

Proteases from Entamoeba

The standard reference for pathogenic and nonpathogenic amoebae is the human parasite Entamoeba histolytica; a direct correlation between virulence and protease expression has been demonstrated for this amoeba. Traditionally, proteases are considered virulence factors, including those that produce cytopathic effects in the host or that have been implicated in manipulating the immune response. Here, we expand the scope to other amoebae, including less-pathogenic Entamoeba species and highly pathogenic free-living amoebae. In this paper, proteases that affect mucin, extracellular matrix, immune system components, and diverse tissues and cells are included, based on studies in amoebic cultures and animal models. We also include proteases used by amoebae to degrade iron-containing proteins because iron scavenger capacity is currently considered a virulence factor for pathogens. In addition, proteases that have a role in adhesion and encystation, which are essential for establishing and transmitting infection, are discussed. The study of proteases and their specific inhibitors is relevant to the search for new therapeutic targets and to increase the power of drugs used to treat the diseases caused by these complex microorganisms

INSTRUMENTOS DE EVALUACIÓN EN LA FORMACIÓN DE COMPETENCIAS PROFESIONALES DE ESTUDIANTES UNIVERSITARIOS

Formative assessment is conceived as an essential factor to improve the teaching and learning process. The success of its implementation in university classrooms lies in its assessment tools. In this context, this research aims to analyze the benefits of the application of assessment instruments in the formation of professional competencies among university students. To this end, a consultation of articles indexed in Scopus and Scielo was executed. The perception of university students on the rubric and other assessment instruments was also explored. The used methodology was based on a literature review so as to analyze and synthesize the results of the selected publications. The results show that the assessment instruments improve the evaluation process, academic performance, and the acquisition of professional competencies. Likewise, the university students were satisfied with this new assessment modality, highlighting the benefits thereof for both their training and subsequent professional practice.  La evaluación formativa se concibe como un factor esencial para mejorar el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje; el éxito de su implementación en las aulas universitarias radica en las herramientas para lograrlo. El objetivo de la presente investigación se relaciona con analizar los beneficios de la aplicación de instrumentos de evaluación en la formación de competencias profesionales de estudiantes universitarios, con base en artículos indexados en Scopus y Scielo. Además, se propuso revisar la percepción de los alumnos universitarios sobre la rúbrica y otros instrumentos de evaluación. Para ello, la metodología utilizada se basó en una revisión de literatura con la finalidad de analizar y sintetizar los resultados de las publicaciones seleccionadas. Los resultados evidencian que los instrumentos de evaluación mejoran el proceso evaluativo, el rendimiento académico y la adquisición de competencias profesionales. Asimismo, los universitarios se sintieron satisfechos hacia esta nueva modalidad de evaluación, y destacaron sus beneficios para la formación y posterior ejercicio profesional

Cabbage and fermented vegetables : From death rate heterogeneity in countries to candidates for mitigation strategies of severe COVID-19

Large differences in COVID-19 death rates exist between countries and between regions of the same country. Some very low death rate countries such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, or the Balkans have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods. Although biases exist when examining ecological studies, fermented vegetables or cabbage have been associated with low death rates in European countries. SARS-CoV-2 binds to its receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). As a result of SARS-CoV-2 binding, ACE2 downregulation enhances the angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AT(1)R) axis associated with oxidative stress. This leads to insulin resistance as well as lung and endothelial damage, two severe outcomes of COVID-19. The nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2) is the most potent antioxidant in humans and can block in particular the AT(1)R axis. Cabbage contains precursors of sulforaphane, the most active natural activator of Nrf2. Fermented vegetables contain many lactobacilli, which are also potent Nrf2 activators. Three examples are: kimchi in Korea, westernized foods, and the slum paradox. It is proposed that fermented cabbage is a proof-of-concept of dietary manipulations that may enhance Nrf2-associated antioxidant effects, helpful in mitigating COVID-19 severity.Peer reviewe

Nrf2-interacting nutrients and COVID-19 : time for research to develop adaptation strategies

There are large between- and within-country variations in COVID-19 death rates. Some very low death rate settings such as Eastern Asia, Central Europe, the Balkans and Africa have a common feature of eating large quantities of fermented foods whose intake is associated with the activation of the Nrf2 (Nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2) anti-oxidant transcription factor. There are many Nrf2-interacting nutrients (berberine, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, genistein, quercetin, resveratrol, sulforaphane) that all act similarly to reduce insulin resistance, endothelial damage, lung injury and cytokine storm. They also act on the same mechanisms (mTOR: Mammalian target of rapamycin, PPAR gamma:Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, NF kappa B: Nuclear factor kappa B, ERK: Extracellular signal-regulated kinases and eIF2 alpha:Elongation initiation factor 2 alpha). They may as a result be important in mitigating the severity of COVID-19, acting through the endoplasmic reticulum stress or ACE-Angiotensin-II-AT(1)R axis (AT(1)R) pathway. Many Nrf2-interacting nutrients are also interacting with TRPA1 and/or TRPV1. Interestingly, geographical areas with very low COVID-19 mortality are those with the lowest prevalence of obesity (Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia). It is tempting to propose that Nrf2-interacting foods and nutrients can re-balance insulin resistance and have a significant effect on COVID-19 severity. It is therefore possible that the intake of these foods may restore an optimal natural balance for the Nrf2 pathway and may be of interest in the mitigation of COVID-19 severity

Measurement of the top quark forward-backward production asymmetry and the anomalous chromoelectric and chromomagnetic moments in pp collisions at √s = 13 TeV

Abstract The parton-level top quark (t) forward-backward asymmetry and the anomalous chromoelectric (d̂ t) and chromomagnetic (μ̂ t) moments have been measured using LHC pp collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, collected in the CMS detector in a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb−1. The linearized variable AFB(1) is used to approximate the asymmetry. Candidate t t ¯ events decaying to a muon or electron and jets in final states with low and high Lorentz boosts are selected and reconstructed using a fit of the kinematic distributions of the decay products to those expected for t t ¯ final states. The values found for the parameters are AFB(1)=0.048−0.087+0.095(stat)−0.029+0.020(syst),μ̂t=−0.024−0.009+0.013(stat)−0.011+0.016(syst), and a limit is placed on the magnitude of | d̂ t| < 0.03 at 95% confidence level. [Figure not available: see fulltext.