Social networks applied to training

In this article, we address the importance and relevance that social networks exhibit in their use as an educational resource.  This relevance relies in the possibility of implementing new learning resources or increasing the level of the participant's connectivity, as well as developing learning communities.  Also, the risk entailed from their use is discussed, especially for the students that have a low technological education or those having excessive confidence on the media.  It is important to highlight that the educational use of social networks is not a simple extension or translation of the student's habitual, recreational use, but that it implies an important change in the roles given to teachers as well as learners; from accommodative learning environments that only encourage memorization to other environments that demand an active, reflective, collaborative and proactive attitude, that require the development/acquisition of technological as well as social abilities, aptitudes and values.  It is also important to highlight that a correct implementation and adequate use will not only foment formal learning, but also informal and non-formal learning.

Social networks and lifelong learning in older people

Various socio-demographic factors are causing our society to coexist every day with a group of elderly population that remains active and inserted into the daily dynamics. However, it is believed that there are certain barriers that make this group of people to not adequately address the technologies and even social networks. The creation of the University Programs for the Elderly (PUM), however, is leading to a new stage, since older people who participate come into contact with all kinds of content and rigor, updating own university education, thus changing the way to tackle the most innovative and different situations. In this study, we analyze what is the knowledge and use of older people, PUM, attending the University of Jaen have of the social networks and the assessment made of the need for these programs. To achieve this, we used a methodology in which qualitative and quantitative processes were articulated, through the analysis of data obtained from interviews and a focus groups with program Aquad 7. The data collected show that there is still some ignorance about social networks by older people, but everyone values their usefulness and necessity. Participants believe that they will be least affected of the risks of these technologies and demand a greater training in these contained within the PUM.

Alien gosd in the new epics: Noah remythologised through the ancient astronaut hypothesis in Abel's Montagut's "La gesta d'Utnoa"

Modern scientific world-view has undermined traditional myths, the functional survival of which seems to depend today in the West on a positivist justification. This would place them in the field of real History, through their study and revitalization by pseudoscientific disciplines such as the Atlantis and the ancient astronaut hypotheses. These have inspired new epic poems in (regular) verse that combine classic and/or biblical myths with a (pseudo)scientific modern world-view. For example, the critical rewriting of Noah’s myth by using the ancient astronaut hypothesis as a fictional device to produce a contemporary kind of plausibility allowed Abel Montagut to renew epic poetry, updating it also by adopting science fiction chronotopes in order to structure his fictional construction and to generate a high ethical sense for our time. Thus, his Poemo de Utnoa (1993) / La gesta d’Utnoa (1996), which has become a major classic of the literature in Esperanto thanks to its original version in this language, is a landmark of both science fiction and neo-biblical epics. This poem is written from a secular and purely literary perspective.

Persistently raised C-reactive protein levels are associated with advanced periodontal disease

Objective: The aim was to investigate whether there was an association between periodontitis or tooth loss in a homogeneous group of 60-70-year-old Western European men and either a sustained high or low level of C-reactive protein (CRP).
Material and Methods: Men enrolled in a cohort study of cardiovascular disease in Northern Ireland were screened in 1990-1994 and rescreened in 2001-2004, when a periodontal examination was completed. High-sensitivity CRP was measured from fasting blood samples. There were 806 men with six or more teeth who had either a high level (>3 mg/l) or a lower level of CRP at both time points. Multivariate analysis was carried out using logistic regression with adjustment for possible confounders. Models were constructed with the CRP level as the outcome variable and various measures of periodontal status (low and high threshold periodontitis) or tooth loss as predictor variables. Confounders included in the analysis were known cardiovascular risk factors of age, smoking, diabetes, BMI and socioeconomic status.
Results: There were 67 men who had a high value of CRP (>3 mg/l) and 739 men who had a CRP value =3 mg/l at both time points. The unadjusted odds ratio (OR) for advanced periodontitis to be associated with high CRP was 3.62, p=0.0003. The association was somewhat attenuated but remained significant (OR=2.49, p=0.02) after adjustment for confounders. A high level of tooth loss was also associated with high CRP with an adjusted OR of 2.17, p=0.008. Low threshold periodontitis was not associated with the level of CRP.
Conclusion: There was an association between advanced periodontitis and elevated CRP levels as measured at two time points at a 10-year interval in the 60-70-year-old European males investigated. This association was adjusted for various cardiovascular risk factors. There was also an association between high levels of tooth loss and high CRP in the men studied.

Oxidation of several p-phenylenediamines in room temperature ionic liquids: Estimation of transport and electrode kinetic parameters

The electrochemical oxidation of N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-p-phenylenediamine (TMPD) has been studied by cyclic voltammetry and potential step chronoamperometry at 303 K in five ionic liquids, namely [C(2)mim] [NTf2], [C(4)mim] [NTf2] [C(4)mpyrr] [NTf2] [C(4)mim] [BF4], and [C(4)mim] [PF6] (where [C(n)mim](+) = 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium, [C(4)mpyrr](+) = N-butyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium, [NTf2](-) = bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [BF4](-) = tetrafluoroborate, and [PF6](-) = hexafluorophosphate). Diffusion coefficients, D, of 4.87, 3.32, 2.05, 1.74, and 1.34 x 10(-11) m(2) s(-1) and heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constants, k(0), of 0.0109, 0.0103, 0.0079, 0.0066, and 0.0059 cm s(-1) were calculated for TMPD in [C(2)mim] [NTf2], [C(4)mim] [NTf2], [C(4)mpyrr] [NTf2], [C(4)mim] [BF4], and [C(4)mim] [PF6], respectively, at 303 K. The oxidation of TMPD in [C4mim][PF6] was also carried out at increasing temperatures from 303 to 343 K, with an activation energy for diffusion of 32.3 kJ mol(-1). k(0) was found to increase systematically with increasing temperature, and an activation energy of 31.4 kJ mol(-1) was calculated. The study was extended to six other p-phenylenediamines with alkyl/phenyl group substitutions. D and k(0) values were calculated for these compounds in [C(2)mim] [NTf2], and it was found that k(0) showed no obvious relationship with the hydrodynamic radius, r.

Hematopoietic malignancies associated with viral and alcoholic hepatitis

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) have been associated with hematopoietic malignancies, but data for many subtypes are limited. From the U.S. Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare database, we selected 61,464 cases (=67 years) with hematopoietic malignancies and 122,531 population-based controls, frequency-matched by gender, age, and year (1993-2002). Logistic regression was used to compare the prevalence of HCV, HBV, and alcoholic hepatitis in cases and controls, adjusted for matching factors, race, duration of Medicare coverage, and number of physician claims. HCV, HBV, and alcoholic hepatitis were reported in 195 (0.3%), 111 (0.2%), and 404 (0.7%) cases and 264 (0.2%), 242 (0.2%), and 798 (0.7%) controls, respectively. HCV was associated with increased risk of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma [odds ratio (OR) 1.52, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.05-2.18], Burkitt lymphoma (OR 5.21, 95% CI 1.62-16.8), follicular lymphoma (OR 1.88, 95% CI 1.17-3.02), marginal zone lymphoma (OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.22-3.95), and acute myeloid leukemia (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.00-2.37). In contrast, HBV was unrelated to any hematopoietic malignancies. Alcoholic hepatitis was associated with decreased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma overall, but increased risk of Burkitt lymphoma. In summary, HCV, but not other causes of hepatitis, was associated with the elevated risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and acute myeloid leukemia. HCV may induce lymphoproliferative malignancies through chronic immune stimulation. Copyright © 2008 American Association for Cancer Research.


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Src and ADAM-17-Mediated Shedding of Transforming Growth Factor-alpha Is a Mechanism of Acute Resistance to TRAIL

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL/Apo-2L) has emerged as a promising anticancer agent. However, resistance to TRAIL is likely to be a major problem, and sensitization of cancer cells to TRAIL may therefore be an important anticancer strategy. In this study, we examined the effect of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) gefitinib and a human epidermal receptor 2 (HER2)-TKI (M578440) on the sensitivity of human colorectal cancer (CRC) cell lines to recombinant human TRAIL (rhTRAIL). A synergistic interaction between rhTRAIL and gefitinib and rhTRAIL and M578440 was observed in both rhTRAIL-sensitive and resistant CRC cells. This synergy correlated with an increase in EGFR and HER2 activation after rhTRAIL treatment. Furthermore, treatment of CRC cells with rhTRAIL resulted in activation of the Src family kinases (SFK). Importantly, we found that rhTRAIL treatment induced shedding of transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha) that was dependent on SFK activity and the protease ADAM-17. Moreover, this shedding of TGF-alpha was critical for rhTRAIL-induced activation of EGFR. In support of this, SFK inhibitors and small interfering RNAs targeting ADAM-17 and TGF-alpha also sensitized CRC cells to rhTRAIL-mediated apoptosis. Taken together, our findings indicate that both rhTRAIL-sensitive and resistant CRC cells respond to rhTRAIL treatment by activating an EGFR/HER2-mediated survival response and that these cells can be sensitized to rhTRAIL using EGFR/HER2-targeted therapies. Furthermore, this acute response to rhTRAIL is regulated by SFK-mediated and ADAM-17-mediated shedding of TGF-alpha, such that targeting SFKs or inhibiting ADAM-17, in combination with rhTRAIL, may enhance the response of CRC tumors to rhTRAIL. [Cancer Res 2008;68(20):8312-21]

Secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease in different primary healthcare systems with and without pay-for-performance

Objective: To compare baseline cardiovascular risk management between people recruited from two different healthcare systems, to a research trial of an intervention to optimize secondary prevention. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: General practices, randomly selected: 16 in Northern Ireland (NI) (UK NHS, ‘strong’ infrastructure); 32 in Republic of Ireland (RoI) (mixed healthcare economy, less infrastructure). Patients: 903 (mean age 67.5 years; 69.9% male); randomly selected, known coronary heart disease. Main outcome measures: Blood pressure, cholesterol, medications; validated questionnaires for diet (DINE), exercise (Godin), quality of life (SF12); healthcare usage. Results: More RoI than NI participants had systolic BP>140 mmHg (37% v 28%, p=0.01) and cholesterol >5mmol/l (24% v 17%, p=0.02): RoI mean systolic BP was higher (139 v 132 mm Hg). More RoI participants reported a high fibre intake (35% v 23%), higher levels of physical activity (62% v 44%), and better physical and mental health (SF12); they had more GP (5.6 v 4.4) and fewer nurse visits (1.6 v 2.1) in the previous year. Fewer in RoI (55% v 70%) were prescribed B blockers. Both groups’ ACE inhibitor (41%; 48%) prescribing was similar; high proportions were prescribed statins (84%; 85%) and aspirin (83%; 77%). Conclusions Blood pressure and cholesterol are better controlled among patients in a primary healthcare system with a ‘strong’ infrastructure supporting computerization and rewarding measured performance but this is not associated with healthier lifestyle or better quality of life. Further exploration of differences in professionals’ and patients’ engagement in secondary prevention in different healthcare systems is needed.

Notas sobre el "primum cognitum" en Cayetano y su vínculo con la metafísica

Cayetano tuvo un papel protagónico en los debates intelectuales de su época (s. XVI), destacándose como un auténtico adalid del tomismo; inclusive muchas de sus tesis pasaron a formar parte de tal doctrina, las cuales –a veces matizadas y otras no tanto– perviven hasta nuestros días. Entre los diversos temas que afrontó se destaca su particular noción de primum cognitum. Aquí, partimos del hecho de que la tradición tomista no ha visto mayores inconvenientes en equiparar lo que entienden Cayetano y el Aquinate por el ens primo cadit; empero nosotros estamos en condiciones de afirmar que tal equiparación al menos es problemática. En este sentido, nos ocuparemos de realizar un primer acercamiento al tema del ente primer conocido cayetaniano para intentar mostrar su real significado. Asimismo, procuraremos ver, ayudados por los aportes de algunos estudiosos contemporáneos –en especial el de Lawrence Dewan–, hasta qué punto tal noción se corresponde o no con los desarrollos teóricos de Tomás de Aquino, sobre todo con el vínculo entre el primer conocido y el ente como objeto de la metafísica.