El proceso docente en la asignatura Sistema cardiovascular, respiratorio, digestivo y renal durante la COVID-19 / The teaching process in the subject Cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive and renal systems during COVID-19

Fundamento: el proceso docente educativo cubano no se detuvo durante la pandemia de COVID-19, a pesar de que profesores y educandos trabajaron ininterrumpidamente en la pesquisa comunitaria. Objetivo: diseñar acciones para el desarrollo del proceso docente educativo en la asignatura Sistema cardiovascular, respiratorio, digestivo y renal, en la modalidad de educación a distancia y semipresencial. Métodos: se realizó una investigación descriptiva con enfoque cualitativo, en la Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de Ciego de Ávila en el curso 2020-2021 y primer período de 2021-2022. Se utilizaron métodos teóricos: análisis-síntesis, inductivo-deductivo e histórico-lógico; empírico: observación y análisis documental de las indicaciones metodológicas para situaciones excepcionales, entrevista a estudiantes y valoración por los especialistas. Resultados: las acciones se diseñaron y aplicaron en tres etapas: planificación, ejecución, y evaluación y control; estuvieron encaminadas al accionar de profesores y estudiantes en la modalidad de la educación a distancia y semipresencial. Conclusiones: fueron valoradas por criterios de especialistas como adecuadas, con criterios favorables sobre su variedad y factibilidad de aplicación. Los estudiantes expresaron estar satisfechos con el proceso docente desarrollado en condiciones de pandemia.

Background: the Cuban teaching-learning process did not stop during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite the fact that teachers and students worked uninterruptedly in the community screening. Objective: to design actions for the development of the teaching-learning process in the subject Cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive and renal system, in the modality of distance and blended learning. Methods: a descriptive research with a qualitative approach was carried out at Ciego de Ávila Medical Sciences University in the academic year 2020-2021 and the first period of 2021-2022. Theoretical methods were used: analysis-synthesis, inductive-deductive and historical-logical; Empirical: observation and documentary analysis of the methodological indications for exceptional situations, interviews with students and evaluation by specialists. Results: the actions were designed and applied in three stages: planning, execution, and evaluation and control; they were aimed at the actions of teachers and students in the modality of distance and blended education. Conclusions: they were valued by specialist criteria as adequate, with favorable criteria regarding their variety and feasibility of application. The students expressed their satisfaction with the teaching process developed in pandemic conditions.

Seasonality Modulates the Cellular Antioxidant Activity and Antiproliferative Effect of Sonoran Desert Propolis.

The main chemical composition and pharmacological potential of propolis from arid and semi-arid regions of the Sonoran Desert have been previously reported. Caborca propolis (CP), from an arid zone of the Sonoran Desert, has shown a polyphenolic profile that suggests a mixed plant origin, presenting poplar-type markers, as well as a 6-methoxylated flavonoid, xanthomicrol, characteristic of Asteraceae plants. In addition, CP has shown significant antioxidant properties and antiproliferative activity on cancer cells. In this study, we analyzed the influence of collection time on the chemical constitution, antiproliferative activity and protective capacity of CP against reactive oxygen species (ROS), by using HPLC-UV-diode array detection (DAD) analysis, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Dimethyltetrazoliumbromide (MTT) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) assays, as well as cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assay on murine B-cell lymphoma M12.C3.F6 cells. HPLC-UV-DAD analyses of seasonally collected CP (one-year period) revealed quantitative differences among the most abundant CP constituents: pinocembrin, galangin, chrysin and pinobanksin-3-O-acetate. Though all seasonal samples of CP induced an antiproliferative effect in M12.C3.F6 cells, CP from autumn showed the highest inhibitory activity (IC50: 5.9 ± 0.6 µg/mL). The DPPH assay pointed out that CP collected in autumn presented the highest antioxidant potential (IC50: 58.8 ± 6.7 µg/mL), followed by winter (65.7 ± 12.2 µg/mL) and spring (67.0 ± 7.5 µg/mL); meanwhile, the summer sample showed a lesser antioxidant capacity (IC50: 98.7 ± 2.5 µg/mL). The CAA assay demonstrated that CP induced a significant protective effect against ROS production elicited by H2O2 in M12.C3.F6 cells. Pretreatment of M12.C3.F6 cells with CP from spring and autumn (25 and 50 µg/mL for 1 h) showed the highest reduction in intracellular ROS induced by H2O2 (1 and 5 mM). These results indicate that the antiproliferative effect and cellular antioxidant activity of CP are modulated by quantitative fluctuations in its polyphenolic profile due to its collection time.