Gamificación educativa en el laboratorio de biología celular / Educational gamification in the cell biology laboratory

La incorporación de estrategias de gamificación en la docencia se ha descrito como una herramienta para aumentar la motivación y el compromiso de los alumnos con la materia. Bajo esta premisa, se ha desarrollado una experiencia de innovación educativa mediante la plataforma Kahoot! en la primera y última práctica de laboratorio de la asignatura de Biología Celular del Grado en Biología. Los participantes fueron 135 alumnos repartidos en 12 grupos de laboratorio, que se dividieron entre experimentales y controles. Todos los grupos resolvieron un cuestionario en papel acerca de los conceptos explicados en clase, al finalizar ambas prácticas (post-test), pero sólo aquellos grupos experimentales resolvían un cuestionario antes de la clase (pre-test). Antes de la primera práctica, los alumnos de los grupos experimentales respondieron al pre-test mediante el Kahoot! Sin embargo, para la última práctica algunos grupos lo resolvieron jugando al Kahoot! y otros, con papel y bolígrafo. Los resultados mostraron que aquellos alumnos que fueron seleccionados para jugar a Kahoot!, obtuvieron un mayor número de aciertos en el test realizado tras la sesión práctica (post-test) con respecto a aquellos que no resolvieron ningún pre-test o, que lo hicieron de un modo clásico. Por lo tanto, nuestros resultados sugieren que implementar la jugabilidad en la docencia incrementa considerablemente la motivación del alumnado debido, probablemente, a cambios fisiológicos experimentados por el cerebro durante el juego y a la creación de un clima positivo, que facilitan el proceso de aprendizaje.

SUMMARY: The incorporation of gamification strategies in teaching has been described as a tool to increase the motivation and engagement of students with the subject. Under this premise, an educational innovation experience has been developed using the Kahoot! platform in the first and last laboratory practice of the Cell Biology course of the Biology degree. The participants were 135 students divided into 12 laboratory groups, which were divided into experimental and control groups. All groups solved a questionnaire on paper about the concepts explained in class, at the end of both practices (post-test), but only the experimental groups solved a questionnaire before the class (pre-test). Before the first practice, students in the experimental groups answered the pre-test using Kahoot! However, for the last practice, some groups solved it by playing Kahoot! and others with pen and paper. The results showed that those students who were selected to play Kahoot! obtained a higher number of correct answers in the test performed after the practical session (post-test) than those who did not solve any pre- test or who did it in a classical way. Therefore, our results suggest that implementing gamification in teaching considerably increases student motivation, probably due to physiological changes experienced by the brain during the game and the creation of a positive climate, which facilitates the learning process.

Enseñanza y aprendizaje de la Biología Celular en la educación superior en contexto de virtualidad en la pandemia de COVID-19 / Teaching and learning of Cell Biology in higher education in the context of virtuality in the COVID-19 pandemic

El objetivo de este trabajo fue determinar y comparar las estrategias de enseñanza aprendizaje implementadas en la enseñanza de la Biología Celular en la Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (UNC)-Argentina y en la Universidad de Granada (UGR)-España, con el fin de realizar revisión y ajuste curricular de la oferta académica en la Facultad de Odontolgia UNC y comparar las condiciones académicas de alumnos, en los ciclos lectivos 2020 y 2021, en ambas universidades. Las estrategias que se implementaron para continuar con los estudios superiores, de modalidad virtual, no son suficientes para que los alumnos comprendan y aprendan destrezas, conceptos y actitudes requeridas para los estudios universitarios. Si bien la modalidad híbrida, es decir el dictado de los conceptos teóricos en modalidad virtual y las prácticas de modalidad presencial, permitiría acceso a los estudios superiores a alumnos que tienen condiciones económicas desfavorables

Estaciones de aprendizaje para abordar concepciones de fisiología y morfología sobre el concepto de célula / Learning stations to analyze physiology and morphology perceptions of the cell concept

RESUMEN: El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar la influencia de la implementación y aplicación de la metodología de enseñanza estaciones de aprendizaje, sobre un aprendizaje activo de la fisiología y morfología de la célula. Se trabajó con 90 estudiantes de enseñanza secundaria, distribuidos en un grupo control y otro experimental, los cuales recibieron clases tradicionales y la aplicación de la metodología estaciones de aprendizaje, respectivamente. Los datos fueron recolectados en base a test de concepciones y conocimientos, más encuesta de valoración. El análisis de los datos reveló que las estaciones de aprendizaje son una metodología de enseñanza efectiva en el aprendizaje de la célula, ya que permiten mejorar significativamente las concepciones previas de los estudiantes, los cuales valoran de manera positiva y significativa la metodología de la que fueron partícipes.

SUMMARY: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of the implementation and application of the learning stations teaching methodology on active learning of the physiology and morphology of the cell. We worked with 90 high school students, distributed in a control group and an experimental group, who received traditional classes and the application of the learning stations methodology, respectively. The data were collected based on a conception and knowledge test, plus an evaluation survey. The analysis of the data revealed that the learning stations are an effective teaching methodology in learning of the cell, since they allow to improve prior perceptions of the students, who significantly and positively value the methodology in which they participated.

Understanding new molecular and cell biology findings based on progressive scientific practices and interconnected activities in undergraduate students.

Nowadays Molecular Cell Biology (MCB) must be taught as science is practiced. Even though there are several approaches based on scientific practices, a key aspect is to define the purpose of each of these teaching strategies and, most importantly, their implementation. Our goal was to train students to acquire, understand, and communicate new scientific knowledge in the field. The main feature of our new teaching methodology was progressive training in scientific practices associated with a back-and-forward interplay between activities and assessments. The methodology was implemented over 4 years, in students attending the MCB course of the undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences. In the first two modules, the students were prepared to comprehend MCB concepts and techniques and to experience activities based on scientific practices. In the third module, the students analyzed a primary paper in-depth. They were assessed by midterm exams based on a primary paper, written laboratory reports, and the oral presentation of a scientific paper. Our teaching proposal was evaluated through the students' academic performance and by their opinion on the teaching methodology. Most students were satisfied since they improved their acquisition of concepts, their interpretation and integration of scientific knowledge, and developed skills to communicate scientific knowledge in writing and orally. The novelty of transversal interconnections and progressive training in scientific practices provides students with skills in acquiring and understanding new scientific information, even beyond the MCB course.

Educación sobre cáncer cervicouterino en la adolescencia / Education on cervical uterine cancer in the adolescence

RESUMEN El cáncer cervicouterino es el segundo en frecuencia entre féminas y causa importante de mobimortalidad. El riesgo de padecerlo está asociado a estilos de vida insanos, sobre todo en la adolescencia, momento en que se inicia la formación de actitudes y consolidan valores. Con el objetivo de estructurar los referentes teóricos que sustentan la relevancia de la educación en cáncer cervicouterino desde la adolescencia como contribución a su prevención, se revisaron 41 artículos científicos. Este es un proceso anarquicoproliferativo celular que se inicia con cambios neoplásicos intraepiteliales, que entre 10 y 20 años pueden transformarse en invasor. Dentro de los factores de riesgo se destacan el inicio precoz de las relaciones sexuales, promiscuidad, no uso de condón, uso prolongado de contraceptivos hormonales, multiparidad, embarazo juvenil, factores inmunológicos, tabaquismo, dieta baja en carotenos, antecedentes familiares de la enfermedad e infecciones de transmisión sexual, sobre todo por el virus del papiloma humano que constituye el principal. La prevención se sostiene fundamentalmente en la citología cervicovaginal, para la detección precoz de la lesión, así como en la promoción de salud a través de actividades educativas, preferentemente desde la adolescencia. El inicio temprano de la actividad sexual, las conductas sexuales de las nuevas generaciones y la alta frecuencia de infección por papiloma virus en adolescentes, hace que se presente este cáncer a edades más tempranas, por lo que debe modificarse la cobertura de edad para la citología cervicovaginal, así como considerar la vacunación masiva, antes del inicio de las relaciones sexuales (AU).

ABSTRACT Cervical uterine cancer is the second one in frequency among women and an important cause of morbimortality. The risk of suffering it is associated to insane life styles, mainly in the adolescence, when attitudes began their formation and values are consolidated. 41 scientific articles were reviewed with the aim of structuring the theoretical references backing the relevance of education in cervical uterine cancer since the adolescence as a contribution to its prevention. Cervical uterine cancer is an anarchic proliferative cell process that begins with neoplastic intra epithelial changes; during the age period from 10 to 20 years it could become invasive. Among the risk factors stand out the precocious beginning of sexual relations, promiscuity, not using condoms, the long use of hormonal contraceptives, multiparity, youth pregnancy, immunologic factors, smoking, low-carotene diet, familiar antecedents and sexually transmitted diseases, mainly in the case of human papilloma virus. Preventions is sustained mainly on the cervical-vaginal cytology for the precocious detection of the lesion, and also the health promotion through educative activities preferably since the adolescence. The early beginning of the sexual activity, the sexual behavior of the new generations and the high frequency of infections caused by human papilloma virus in teenagers lead to the presentation of this cancer at earlier ages, consequently the age coverage for the cervical vaginal cytology should be modified, and also the massive vaccination before the beginning of the sexual relationships should be considered (AU).

Educación sobre cáncer cervicouterino en la adolescencia / Education on cervical uterine cancer in the adolescence

RESUMEN El cáncer cervicouterino es el segundo en frecuencia entre féminas y causa importante de mobimortalidad. El riesgo de padecerlo está asociado a estilos de vida insanos, sobre todo en la adolescencia, momento en que se inicia la formación de actitudes y consolidan valores. Con el objetivo de estructurar los referentes teóricos que sustentan la relevancia de la educación en cáncer cervicouterino desde la adolescencia como contribución a su prevención, se revisaron 41 artículos científicos. Este es un proceso anarquicoproliferativo celular que se inicia con cambios neoplásicos intraepiteliales, que entre 10 y 20 años pueden transformarse en invasor. Dentro de los factores de riesgo se destacan el inicio precoz de las relaciones sexuales, promiscuidad, no uso de condón, uso prolongado de contraceptivos hormonales, multiparidad, embarazo juvenil, factores inmunológicos, tabaquismo, dieta baja en carotenos, antecedentes familiares de la enfermedad e infecciones de transmisión sexual, sobre todo por el virus del papiloma humano que constituye el principal. La prevención se sostiene fundamentalmente en la citología cervicovaginal, para la detección precoz de la lesión, así como en la promoción de salud a través de actividades educativas, preferentemente desde la adolescencia. El inicio temprano de la actividad sexual, las conductas sexuales de las nuevas generaciones y la alta frecuencia de infección por papiloma virus en adolescentes, hace que se presente este cáncer a edades más tempranas, por lo que debe modificarse la cobertura de edad para la citología cervicovaginal, así como considerar la vacunación masiva, antes del inicio de las relaciones sexuales (AU).

ABSTRACT Cervical uterine cancer is the second one in frequency among women and an important cause of morbimortality. The risk of suffering it is associated to insane life styles, mainly in the adolescence, when attitudes began their formation and values are consolidated. 41 scientific articles were reviewed with the aim of structuring the theoretical references backing the relevance of education in cervical uterine cancer since the adolescence as a contribution to its prevention. Cervical uterine cancer is an anarchic proliferative cell process that begins with neoplastic intra epithelial changes; during the age period from 10 to 20 years it could become invasive. Among the risk factors stand out the precocious beginning of sexual relations, promiscuity, not using condoms, the long use of hormonal contraceptives, multiparity, youth pregnancy, immunologic factors, smoking, low-carotene diet, familiar antecedents and sexually transmitted diseases, mainly in the case of human papilloma virus. Preventions is sustained mainly on the cervical-vaginal cytology for the precocious detection of the lesion, and also the health promotion through educative activities preferably since the adolescence. The early beginning of the sexual activity, the sexual behavior of the new generations and the high frequency of infections caused by human papilloma virus in teenagers lead to the presentation of this cancer at earlier ages, consequently the age coverage for the cervical vaginal cytology should be modified, and also the massive vaccination before the beginning of the sexual relationships should be considered (AU).

Teaching Cell Biology to Dental Students with a Project-Based Learning Approach.

Although the discipline of cell biology (CB) is part of the curricula of predoctoral dental schools, students often fail to recognize its practical relevance. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a practical-theoretical project-based course in closing the gaps among CB, scientific research, and dentistry for dental students. A project-based learning course was developed with nine sequential lessons to evaluate 108 undergraduate dental students enrolled in CB classes of a Brazilian school of dentistry during 2013-16. To highlight the relevance of in vitro studies in the preclinical evaluation of dental materials at the cellular level, the students were challenged to complete the process of drafting a protocol and performing a cytocompatibility assay for a bone substitute used in dentistry. Class activities included small group discussions, scientific database search and article presentations, protocol development, lab experimentation, and writing of a final scientific report. A control group of 31 students attended only one laboratory class on the same theme, and the final reports were compared between the two groups. The results showed that the project-based learning students had superior outcomes in acknowledging the relevance of in vitro methods during biocompatibility testing. Moreover, they produced scientifically sound reports with more content on methodological issues, the relationship with dentistry, and the scientific literature than the control group (p<0.05). The project-based learning students also recognized a higher relevance of scientific research and CB to dental practice. These results suggest that a project-based approach can help contextualize scientific research in dental curricula.

Analysis of undergraduate cell biology contents in Brazilian public universities.

The enormous amount of information available in cell biology has created a challenge in selecting the core concepts we should be teaching our undergraduates. One way to define a set of essential core ideas in cell biology is to analyze what a specific cell biology community is teaching their students. Our main objective was to analyze the cell biology content currently being taught in Brazilian universities. We collected the syllabi of cell biology courses from public universities in Brazil and analyzed the frequency of cell biology topics in each course. We also compared the Brazilian data with the contents of a major cell biology textbook. Our analysis showed that while some cell biology topics such as plasma membrane and cytoskeleton was present in ∼100% of the Brazilian curricula analyzed others such as cell signaling and cell differentiation were present in only ∼35%. The average cell biology content taught in the Brazilian universities is quite different from what is presented in the textbook. We discuss several possible explanations for these observations. We also suggest a list with essential cell biology topics for any biological or biomedical undergraduate course. The comparative discussion of cell biology topics presented here could be valuable in other educational contexts.

Plano de curso: educação profissional técnica de nível médio: formação em citopatologia

O Curso de Educação Profissional Técnica de Nível Médio: Formação em Citopatologia é o resultado do convênio entre o Instituto Nacional de Câncer José Alencar Gomes da Silva (INCA) e a Escola Politécnica de Saúde Joaquim Venâncio (EPSJV), da Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz).A EPSJV destaca-se no cenário nacional e internacional como centro de cooperação tanto na elaboração teórica quanto na articulação política no campo da Educação Profissional em Saúde, sendo a Secretaria Executiva da Rede Internacional de Educação de Técnicos em Saúde e atuando como Centro Colaborador da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) para a educação de técnicos em saúde.Entre seus princípios e diretrizes, o INCA tem a atuação no campo da educação permanente em saúde, com destaque para a formação e especialização de recursos humanos dos municípios e estados para leitura dos exames citopatológicos e a qualificação dos profissionais quanto à adequabilidade das lâminas e dos laudos citopatológicos.Esse curso de educação profissional técnica está em consonância com a Política Nacional para a Prevenção e o Controle do Câncer na Rede de Atenção à Saúde (RAS) das Pessoas com Doenças Crônicas no âmbito do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), em especial com o controle do câncer do colo do útero, que objetiva diminuir a incidência e a mortalidade e melhorar a qualidade de vida da mulher com câncer. Da mesma forma, está de acordo com o Programa Nacional de Qualidade em Citopatologia para prevenção do câncer do colo do útero, com o objetivo de garantir a melhoria da qualidade dos exames de citopatologia oferecidos à população atendida pelo SUS.

The Professional Education Course High School Technical: training in cytopathology is the result of agreement between the National Cancer Institute José Alencar Gomes da Silva (INCA) and the Polytechnic School of Health Joaquim Venancio (EPSJV), the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz ).EPSJV stands out in the national and international scene as a center of cooperation both in theoretical elaboration and in political coordination in the field of Vocational Education in Health, and the Executive of the International Network Secretariat Technical Education in Health and acting as Organization Collaborating Centre World health Organization (WHO) for the education of health technicians.Among its principles and guidelines, INCA has operations in the field of continuing education in health, with emphasis on the training and specialization of human resources of the municipalities and states for reading cytopathology and qualification of professionals regarding the suitability of the blades and cytopathology reports.This course of professional technical education is in line with the National Policy for the Prevention and Cancer Control in Network Health Care (RAS) of People with Chronic Diseases in the Unified Health System (SUS), in particular the cervical cancer control of the uterus, which aims to reduce the incidence and mortality and improving the quality of life of women with cancer. Similarly, it is according to the National Quality Program in Cytopathology for prevention of cervical cancer, in order to ensure improved quality of cytopathology exams offered to the population served by the SUS.

Efeitos da luz UV-A e visível em células da pele e no cabelo / Effects UV-A and visible light on skin cells and hair

A luz solar apresenta ondas eletromagnéticas em ampla faixa espectral, incluindo as regiões do ultravioleta (UV-C, UV-B, UV-A), visível e infravermelho. Cada região interage com a pele de forma dependente da fotofísica e da fotoquímica dos seus respectivos compostos absorvedores. A luz UV-A causa a geração de espécies reativas de oxigênio e de nitrogênio (EROs e ERNs) através da fotossensibilização de moléculas endógenas (co-enzimas de flavina, porfirinas, melaninas). Quando fotossensibilizadores produzem quantidades de EROs e ERNs maiores do que a capacidade celular de supressão destas espécies, caracteriza-se um quadro de desbalanço redox, que causa lesão em biomoléculas como os ácidos nucleicos, lipídeos e as proteínas. Essas lesões podem levar à morte celular ou a outras transformações fenotípicas e genotípicas e também estimulam a liberação de citocinas pró-inflamatórias. Com a finalidade de melhor compreender a dinâmica dos mecanismos de resposta celular após exposição ao UV-A e ao visível, nós caracterizamos inicialmente as propriedades fotofísicas da melanina e detectamos a produção de oxigênio singlete (1O2) pela fotossensibilização no visível e a supressão desta espécie excitada pela reação do oxigênio singlete com a dupla ligação reativa dos grupos indóis presentes na melanina. Estes processos também foram observados no cabelo e levaram-nos a propor um modelo que explica o efeito da luz visível na estrutura e cor dos cabelos. Demonstramos também que a feomelanina produz mais (30%) 1O2 do que a eumelanina, que sofre maior modificação na sua estrutura por fotodegradação. O efeito destes processos na pele foi estudado a nível celular. Demonstramos que células epiteliais com maior teor de melanina apresentaram maior geração de 1O2 que causa lesão no DNA e morte necro-apoptótica após irradiação com luz visível. A foto-oxidação da melanina pela luz visível nos motivou a estudar um pigmento que fosse foto-protetor não somente contra luz UV-B mas também contra luz visível. A pigmentação com Acetil-Tirosina se mostrou atóxica e protetora contra luz UV-B e visível ao contrário do pigmento com tirosina, que se mostrou protetor do UV-B mas tóxico no visível. Este efeito foi relacionado com a localização celular do polímero e não com a estrutura do mesmo. A luz UV-A, por sua vez, promove o acúmulo de lipofuscina dentro dos vacúolos autofágicos de queratinócitos da pele e que também ativa a fototoxicidade pela luz visível. A lipofuscina dentro dos vacúolos autofágicos é foto-oxidada pela luz visível, causando lesão no DNA e morte celular programada tipo II. Doses UV-A que desencadeiam a liberação de citocinas também foram caracterizados

Sunlight presents electromagnetic radiation over a wide spectral range, including the regions of ultraviolet (UV-C, UV-B, UV-A), visible and infrared. Each region interacts with skin dependending on the photophysics and photochemistry of the respective absorbing compounds. UV-A light causes the generation of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (ROS and RNS) by photosensitization of endogenous molecules (flavin coenzymes, porphyrins, melanins). When photosensitizers produce amounts of ROS and RNS larger than the cell capacity to suppress these species, a set of redox imbalance, which damages biomolecules such as nucleic acids, lipids and proteins. This damage cause cell death and to other phenotypic and genotypic changes and also stimulates the release of proinflammatory cytokines. In order to better understand the dynamics of the mechanisms of cellular responses after exposure to UV-A and visible light, we initially characterized the photophysical properties of melanin and detected the production of singlet oxygen (1O2) by photosensitization in the visible, as well as the suppression of these excited species by reaction of singlet oxygen with the double bonds of the reactive groups presented in the melanin indols. These processes were also observed in hair and led us to propose a model that explains the effects of visible light on the structure and color of hair. We also demonstrated that pheomelanin produces more (30%) 1O2 than eumelanin, which undergoes a quick change on its structure by photodegradation. The effect of these processes in the skin was studied at the cellular level. We demonstrated that epithelial cells with larger melanin content have stronger generation of 1O2, which causes DNA damage and necro-apoptotic death after irradiation with visible light. The photo-oxidation of melanin by visible light has motivated us to study a pigment that was not only able to protect against UV-B but also against visible. Pigmentation with Acetyl-Tyrosine proved nontoxic and protective against UV-B and visible light instead of pigmentation with Tyrosine, which shielded against UV-B but showed toxicity in the visible. This effect was associated with the polymer, cell location and not with its structure. UV-A light, in turn, promotes the accumulation of lipofuscin, within autophagic vacuoles of keratinocytes also enabling phototoxicity in the visible light. The lipofuscin within the autophagic vacuoles is fotooxidized by visible light, causing DNA damage and programmed cell death type II. Linear dose of UV-A that trigger the release of cytokines were also characterized

International institute for collaborative cell biology and biochemistry--history and memoirs from an international network for biological sciences.

I was invited to write this essay on the occasion of my selection as the recipient of the 2012 Bruce Alberts Award for Excellence in Science Education from the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB). Receiving this award is an enormous honor. When I read the email announcement for the first time, it was more than a surprise to me, it was unbelievable. I joined ASCB in 1996, when I presented a poster and received a travel award. Since then, I have attended almost every ASCB meeting. I will try to use this essay to share with readers one of the best experiences in my life. Because this is an essay, I take the liberty of mixing some of my thoughts with data in a way that it not usual in scientific writing. I hope that this sacrifice of the format will achieve the goal of conveying what I have learned over the past 20 yr, during which time a group of colleagues and friends created a nexus of knowledge and wisdom. We have worked together to build a network capable of sharing and inspiring science all over the world.

Molecular thermodynamics for cell biology as taught with boxes.

Thermodynamic principles are basic to an understanding of the complex fluxes of energy and information required to keep cells alive. These microscopic machines are nonequilibrium systems at the micron scale that are maintained in pseudo-steady-state conditions by very sophisticated processes. Therefore, several nonstandard concepts need to be taught to rationalize why these very ordered systems proliferate actively all over our planet in seeming contradiction to the second law of thermodynamics. We propose a model consisting of boxes with different shapes that contain small balls that are in constant motion due to a stream of air blowing from below. This is a simple macroscopic system that can be easily visualized by students and that can be understood as mimicking the behavior of a set of molecules exchanging energy. With such boxes, the basic concepts of entropy, enthalpy, and free energy can be taught while reinforcing a molecular understanding of the concepts and stressing the stochastic nature of the thermodynamic laws. In addition, time-related concepts, such as reaction rates and activation energy, can be readily visualized. Moreover, the boxes provide an intuitive way to introduce the role in cellular organization of "information" and Maxwell's demons operating under nonequilibrium conditions.