Un enfoque teórico para el abordaje de temas complejos en el aula : el caso de la alimentación humana

La propuesta que se presenta forma parte de los resultados y conclusiones de una investigación sobre los modelos de conocimiento científico escolar de un grupo de docentes sobre la alimentación humana (Bahamonde, 2007). Para caracterizar dichos modelos se elaboró una construcción teórica específica que incluye una propuesta de elementos de referencia para la construcción de islotes interdisciplinarios de racionalidad, en el marco de la ciencia escolar, revisitando la idea de Fourez (1997). Se trata de un recorte curricular multirreferenciado, que permita hacer frente a la complejidad de los aprendizajes vinculados a la salud o al ambiente. Para la construcción de los islotes o modelos teóricos ad hoc se desarrolla el ejemplo de la alimentación humana

Educación y consumo: la formación del consumidor en la escuela

Querido lector/a es este un libro que pretende recoger los principales aspectos relacionados con la educación del consumidor/a y plantear algunas cuestiones que ayuden a avanzar en este campo dentro del ámbito escolar. Está planteado con la intención de divulgar y animar, a partir de la reflexión y de las sugerencias, a iniciar o continuar la integración de la ed. del consumidor/a en la escuela. A diferencia de muchos otros libros, apenas aparecen citas; la razón es muy simple, debería existir una cita constantemente y ello, según mi parecer. aburriría enormemente a quien lo leyera

Uso del modelo sistémico complejo para la mejora de la formación permanente del profesorado de los campos de aprendizaje

La investigación ha sido realizada en el marco de un curso de formación del profesorado iniciado el año 2006 dirigido a los equipos educativos de los Campos de Aprendizaje (CdA). El objetivo es analizar el modelo de ciencia que los educadores tienen y transmiten mediante los contenidos de las actividades y los materiales didácticos. Los fundamentos teóricos parten del paradigma de la complejidad, como marco orientador de pensamiento, acción y ética; y del aprendizaje a través de modelos mentales. En un marco de Educación Ambiental (EA), partiendo del Modelo Sistémico Complejo (MSC), se han establecido unas categorías para analizar el grado de complejidad de los materiales mencionados

Posibilidades de la autorreflexión en el proceso de formación de profesores de química y ciencias

El artículo toma las narrativas escritas por los estudiantes de un curso de formación inicial del profesorado de Química, de la Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (Brasil), coincidentes con las de un grupo de la un curso de formación inicial del profesorado de Ciencias de la Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, para argumentar como la autorreflexión y la investigación de dichas narrativas contribuye a su motivación para querer ser profesor. Plantea una innovación centrada en cinco intervenciones de prácticas tutorizadas. Explica algunas de las actividades desarrolladas y muestra algunos de los registros de sus experiencias durante el proceso de formación. A lo largo del artículo se destacan algunas de las autorreflexiones de los estudiantes que potencian su formación como profesores en contextos de investigación educativa. Los argumentos, construidos por los estudiantes, como, por ejemplo, la fragilidad de la motivación que les llevó a escoger el curso, las dificultades de enfrentar a la nueva situación como maestro, entre otros son discutidos.This paper aims at discussing the importance of self-reflection and of the investigation of narratives written by college students who take Chemistry at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (Brazil) and college students who take Sciences at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, and how these processes contribute to their motivation for becoming a teacher. We have proposed five pedagogical practices, with specific objectives, throughout the course. We have described the tasks which were developed and the way in which these students registered their experiences (in their constitution process) in a virtual learning environment and in portfolios. We have emphazised students' self-reflection as a possibility of education in contexts of educational inquiry. We have also discussed the arguments constructed by the students, such as the fragility of the motivation that makes them choose the course and the difficulties they have to face their new situation as teachers

El paradigma de la complexitat : un marc per a orientar l'activitat científica escolar

Aquest article pren com a punt de partida la rellevància de la complexitat com un emergent dins del coneixement contemporani. Seguidament es presenta el paradigma de la complexitat com un marc que possibilita orientar els processos d'ensenyament-aprenentatge des del diàleg entre pensament, valors i acció. A continuació es presenta com la introducció del paradigma de la complexitat en l'activitat científica escolar comporta evolucionar cap a la recerca de noves formes de pensar, parlar, sentir i actuar que permetin explicar i transformar el món. Per acabar es mostren alguns dels canvis més significatius que comporta entendre l'activitat científica escolar des de la complexitat, concretats en els continguts, la relació entre disciplines, el model de pensament i acció, i en la rellevància de les emocions.This article takes the relevance of complexity as an emergent in contemporary knowledge as its departure point. It goes on to present the paradigm of complexity as a framework that renders it possible to guide teaching-learning processes driven by the dialogue between thought, values and action. It then shows how the introduction of the paradigm of complexity into school scientific activity entails evolving towards the search for new forms of thinking, talking, feeling and acting that make it possible to explain and transform the world. To conclude, it presents some of the most significant changes in understanding school scientific activity from the standpoint of complexity, materialised in contents, the relationship between disciplines, the model of thought and action, and in the relevance of emotions

Wavelength-Tunable Light-Induced Polymerization of Cyanoacrylates Using Photogenerated Amines

Cyanoacrylate photopolymerization has already been described, but it generally requires the use of organometallic photoinitiators and highly reactive monomers, which often leads to photoinitiator-monomer mixtures with limited stability. In this work we report a method to tackle these limitations, which relies on the use of amines bearing photoremovable protecting groups as light-responsive nucleophilic cyanoacrylate initiators. By exploiting the versatility of amine photorelease strategies, we have developed a series of all-organic initiators that (a) enable fast, on demand photocuring of commercial formulations of various cyanoacrylates, including less reactive, biologically relevant long alkyl chain monomers; (b) show wavelength tunability along the UV-vis spectrum and good thermal stability in the dark; and (c) lead to polymeric materials with excellent adhesive behavior. Because of this combination of properties, photogenerated amines appear as ideal candidates to bring cyanoacrylate photopolymerization into real application, especially in the biomedical field

Updated Review and Clinical Recommendations for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Patients with Retroperitoneal Sarcoma by the Spanish Sarcoma Research Group (GEIS)

Retroperitoneal sarcoma; Retroperitoneum; Soft tissue sarcomaSarcoma retroperitoneal; Retroperitoneo; Sarcoma de tejidos blandosSarcoma retroperitoneal; Retroperitoneu; Sarcoma dels teixits tousSoft tissue sarcomas (STS) are an uncommon and biologically heterogeneous group of tumors arising from mesenchymal cells. The incidence is estimated at five cases per 100,000 people per year. Retroperitoneal sarcomas (RPS) account for 10–15% of all STS, and their management depends on their anatomical characteristics and histotype. Due to their very low incidence, it is recommended that RPS be treated in reference centers and evaluated by an experienced multidisciplinary team (MDT). In Spain, the Spanish Group for Research in Sarcomas (GEIS) brings together experts from various specialties to promote research on sarcomas and improve treatment results. This paper summarizes the GEIS recommendations for the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up of patients with RPS

Efferocytosis promotes suppressive effects on dendritic cells through prostaglandin E2 production in the context of autoimmunity

Introduction: Efferocytosis is a crucial process by which apoptotic cells are cleared by phagocytes, maintaining immune tolerance to self in the absence of inflammation. Peripheral tolerance, lost in autoimmune processes, may be restored by the administration of autologous dendritic cells loaded with islet apoptotic cells in experimental type 1 diabetes. Objective: To evaluate tolerogenic properties in dendritic cells induced by the clearance of apoptotic islet cells, thus explaining the re-establishment of tolerance in a context of autoimmunity. Methods: Bone marrow derived dendritic cells from non-obese diabetic mice, a model of autoimmune diabetes, were generated and pulsed with islet apoptotic cells. The ability of these cells to induce autologous T cell proliferation and to suppress mature dendritic cell function was assessed, together with cytokine production. Microarray experiments were performed using dendritic cells to identify differentially expressed genes after efferocytosis. Results: Molecular and functional changes in dendritic cells after the capture of apoptotic cells were observed. 1) Impaired ability of dendritic cells to stimulate autologous T cell proliferation after the capture of apoptotic cells even after proinflammatory stimuli, with a cytokine profile typical for immature dendritic cells. 2) Suppressive ability of mature dendritic cell function. 3) Microarray-based gene expression profiling of dendritic cells showed differential expression of genes involved in antigen processing and presentation after efferocytosis. 4) Prostaglandin E2 increased production was responsible for immunosuppressive mechanism of dendritic cells after the capture of apoptotic cells. Conclusions: The tolerogenic behaviour of dendritic cells after islet cells efferocytosis points to a mechanism of silencing potential autoreactive T cells in the microenvironment of autoimmunity. Our results suggest that dendritic cells may be programmed to induce specific immune tolerance using apoptotic cells; this is a viable strategy for a variety of autoimmune diseases.This work was supported by grants from the Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias (PS09/00253 and PI12/00195) of the Carlos III Institute of Health, www.isciii.es. RP was supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III of the Spanish National Institute of Health (FIS05/00418). MVP is funded by the stabilization program of Miguel Servet biomedical researchers and RMA by the program of research technicians of the Instituto de Salud Carlos III and Direcció d’Estrategia i Coordinacio, Health Dept. of the Catalonian Government. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Monitoring sleep depth: analysis of bispectral index (BIS) based on polysomnographic recordings and sleep deprivation

© 2015 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht The assessment and management of sleep are increasingly recommended in the clinical practice. Polysomnography (PSG) is considered the gold standard test to monitor sleep objectively, but some practical and technical constraints exist due to environmental and patient considerations. Bispectral index (BIS) monitoring is commonly used in clinical practice for guiding anesthetic administration and provides an index based on relationships between EEG components. Due to similarities in EEG synchronization between anesthesia and sleep, several studies have assessed BIS as a sleep monitor with contradictory results. The aim of this study was to evaluate objectively both the feasibility and reliability of BIS for sleep monitoring through a robust methodology, which included full PSG recordings at a baseline situation and after 40 h of sleep deprivation. Results confirmed that the BIS index was highly correlated with the hypnogram (0.89 ± 0.02), showing a progressive decrease as sleep deepened, and an increase during REM sleep (awake: 91.77 ± 8.42; stage N1: 83.95 ± 11.05; stage N2: 71.71 ± 11.99; stage N3: 42.41 ± 9.14; REM: 80.11 ± 8.73). Mean and median BIS values were lower in the post-deprivation night than in the baseline night, showing statistical differences for the slow wave sleep (baseline: 42.41 ± 9.14 vs. post-deprivation: 39.49 ± 10.27; p = 0.02). BIS scores were able to discriminate properly between deep (N3) and light (N1, N2) sleep. BIS values during REM overlapped those of other sleep stages, although EMG activity provided by the BIS monitor could help to identify REM sleep if needed. In conclusion, BIS monitors could provide a useful measure of sleep depth in especially particular situations such as intensive care units, and they could be used as an alternative for sleep monitoring in order to reduce PSG-derived costs and to increase capacity in ambulatory care.Postprint (author's final draft