Background Blastocystis is a typical anaerobic colon protist in humans with controversial pathogenicity and has relation with alterations in the intestinal microbiota composition (dysbiosis), whose eventual indicator is the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio (F/B ratio); this indicator is also linked to complications such as diabetes, obesity, or inflammatory bowel disease. The present study investigated the prevalence of Blastocystis and its association with Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in healthy and metabolic diseased subjects. Methods Fecal and blood samples were collected consecutively from 200 healthy subjects and 84 subjects with metabolic disease; Blastocystis and its most frequent subtypes were identified by end-point PCR and the two most representative phyla of the intestinal microbiota Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes by real-time PCR. Results The prevalence of Blastocystis in healthy subjects was 47.0, and 65.48% in subjects with metabolic disease; the most prevalent subtype in the total population was ST3 (28.38%), followed by ST1 (14.86%), ST4, ST5, and ST7 (each one of them with 14.19% respectively), and finally ST2 (8.78%). The low F/B ratio was associated with the prevalence of Blastocystis in the two cohorts FACSA (OR = 3.78 p < 0.05) and UNEME (OR = 4.29 p < 0.05). Regarding the subtype level, an association between the FACSA cohort ST1 and ST7 with low Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio was found (OR = 3.99 and 5.44 p < 0.05, respectively). Conclusions The evident predatory role of Blastocystis over Firmicutes phylum was observed in both cohorts since the abundance of bacterial group’s Bacteroidetes increases in the groups colonized by this eukaryote and, therefore, may have a beneficial effect.

Blastocystis is a parasite commonly found in the gut of humans and animals; there are 22 known subtypes (STs). STs 1-9 and 12 have been found in humans. This parasite has a faecal-oral route of transmission; its high infection prevalence in developing countries is due to poor hygiene practices, exposure to infected animals, and intake of contaminated water or food. Its pathogenicity has not been established, because it has been found in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. The goal of this study was to analyze the frequency of Blastocystis and its subtypes (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7), and assess the relationship between these subtypes and abdominal pain and distension. 202 university students participated in this study. A questionnaire was applied to assess the gastrointestinal symptoms, and subsequently the students were asked to provide faecal samples. The presence of parasites was determined by optical microscopy. Blastocystis -positive samples had their DNA extracted and end-point PCR was performed to corroborate the presence of Blastocystis and determine its subtypes. Among the samples, 47.03% were positive according to PCR analysis. The most prevalent subtypes were ST3 (29.79%), ST4 (16.84%), and ST1 (14.89%). We found a relationship between ST1 and abdominal pain (OR = 0.196; CI = 0.0533–0.7318; p = 0.015), and between ST4 and abdominal distension (OR = 0.2928; CI = 0.1017–0.8429; p = 0.023). However, the presence of this parasite and the probable relationship with gastrointestinal symptoms suggest the need to determine its role within intestinal microbiota in order to confirm whether its eradication is really necessary or not.

(electrónico)Resumen: El Máster de Investigación en Didácticas específicas permite al profesorado en formación consolidar toda una serie de conocimientos previos y reflexionar acerca de determinados enfoques, representaciones y recursos trabajados durante sus estudios de Grado. Asimismo, lo prepara para la realización de futuras investigaciones que sirvan como base para la innovación educativa. La primera parte de cualquier proceso investigador radica en la detección y concreción de una problemática. Por ello, utilizando como recurso las salidas de campo realizadas en la asignatura de Bases Didácticas del citado Máster, se propuso a los estudiantes que detectaran problemas socioambientales que sirvieran de eje para una investigación escolar. Tras el análisis de los materiales elaborados por el alumnado, hemos podido comprobar que la visión idealizada de determinados entornos presentada por los futuros docentes al inicio del Máster ha dado lugar, tras la intervención, a una imagen más problematizada del medio. Esto repercute en el planteamiento y concreción del problema y evidencia la necesidad de un enfoque interdisciplinar para analizar cuestiones que, como las señaladas, pueden y deben ser abordadas desde diferentes ópticas.Palabras clave: educación socioambiental, salidas al campo, didácticas específicas, concepciones previas, investigación escolar. Abstract:The Master of Research in specific Didactics allows teachers who are in training consolidate previous knowledge and reflect on certain approaches, representations and resources worked during their undergraduate studies. Also prepares for the achievement of future investigations that serve like a base for the educational innovation. The first part of any research process lies in the revelation and realization of a problem. For this reason, using as a resource the field trips made in the subject of Didactic Bases on the Master's Degree in educational research,. It was proposed to students the social and environmental problems detection that were serving as axis for a school investigation. After the analysis of the materials developed by the students, we have been able to verify that the idealized view of certain environments presented by future teachers at the beginning of the Master has given a place, after the intervention, to a focus much more problematic of the medium. This has an impact on the approach and realization of the problem and highlights the need of an interdisciplinary approach to analyze issues, such as those described can and should be add from different perspectives.

To analyze the association of polymorphisms in the ADAM12 (rs3740199 and rs1871054) and TGFB1 (rs2073508) genes with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in a population from northern Mexico. Methods: A total of 296 individuals were included in the study. Primary KOA was confirmed according to the criteria established by the American College of Rheumatology. A real-time PCR-based DNA genotyping method was used to evaluate the rs3740199, rs1871054, and rs2073508 polymorphisms in 132 cases and 164 controls. Results: Our results demonstrate that the ADAM12 rs3740199 polymorphism was significantly associated with primary KOA under the recessive model ( p = 0.036). However, after performing a multinomial logistic regression model, no significant association was found ( p = 0.722). Furthermore, no associations for the rs1871054 and rs2073508 polymorphisms were observed in this study. Conclusion: These findings suggest that polymorphisms within the ADAM12 and TGFB1 genes may not have a significant influence on primary KOA susceptibility in the Mexican Mestizo population; however, inclusion of other ethnic groups and a larger sample size are needed to more fully analyze the role of these polymorphisms with KOA risk.

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Resumen: En la presente investigación se pretende conseguir que unos estudiantes que, en líneas generales, siguen las líneas de un desarrollismo o de un conservacionismo, modifiquen su actitud hacia un modelo más cercano al desarrollo sostenible; para ello se realizan actividades basadas en un taller ambiental y en conocimientos que fomentan el desarrollo sostenible, obteniendo resultados diversos que combinan los conocimientos sobre ciencias sociales y economía con los ambientales. Para realizarlo, seleccionamos estudiantes de distintas etapas de secundaria con características y contextos diferentes. Surge así una idea del desarrollo sostenible múltiple según las situaciones y contextos.Palabras clave: desarrollo sostenible, educación ambiental, actitudes. Abstract:In this research is to get some students, in general, follow the lines of a developed or a conservationist, change their attitude towards a model closer to sustainable development; for it is made in a workshop based activities and environmental on knowledge that promote sustainable development, obtaining results that combine various knowledge in social sciences and economy with the environment. To do this, select students from different stages of secondary features and different contexts. Thus emerges a multiple vision of sustainable development according to the situations and contexts.

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Teachers of Early Childhood Education must learn to teach Social Sciences even if they are considered general teachers. From our experience as teachers of Social Science Didactics, we would like to highlight a series of deficiencies and limitations detected in the students enrolled in the Early Childhood Education Degree at two Spanish universities. Reorienting the conceptions acquired about the teaching practice becomes one of the purposes of initial training. Making university students see the limitations that hinder a critical review of the beliefs and the value systems that unconsciously crystallize in the pre-university phase is an outstanding step in this initial training process. For this reason, we carried out a case study at the University of Valencia and the University of Almería with students from the 2020-2021 academic year. The aim of this study was to analyze the perception, expectations and perspectives that these Education students had as regards the Teaching of Social Sciences. The instruments used were a questionnaire and group interviews. The results showed that the specific training provided in the subject of Didactics of Social Sciences in the Degree of Early Childhood Education allowed students to analyze the social representations of their future profession, thus dignifying it through an increase in future teachers’ self-perception. For this reason, we have carried out a case study at the University of Valencia and the University of Almería with students from the 2020-2021 academic year. The techniques used were the questionnaire and group interviews. The indications of this research show that the specific training in the Infant Education Degree through the subject of Didactics of Social Sciences allows students to analyze the social representations of their future profession and thus be able to contribute to dignify it by overcoming the stereotypes of nursery school assigned to teachers of this educational stage. Las maestras y maestros de Educación Infantil deben aprender a enseñar Ciencias Sociales aunque lleven la etiqueta de docentes generalistas. Desde nuestra experiencia como docentes de didáctica de las Ciencias Sociales queremos evidenciar una serie de carencias y limitaciones detectadas en el alumnado que cursa el Grado de Educación Infantil y que venimos corroborando año tras año en la formación inicial en dos contextos diferentes del magisterio universitario español. Reorientar las concepciones adquiridas sobre la práctica docente se convierte en una de las finalidades de la formación inicial. Hacerle ver al alumnado universitario las limitaciones que impiden realizar una revisión crítica de dichas creencias y sistemas de valores que cristalizaron de forma inconsciente en la fase pre-universitaria, supone un capítulo destacado en este proceso de la formación inicial. Por ello hemos realizado un estudio de casos en la Universitat de València y en la Universidad de Almería con estudiantes del curso 2020-2021. Las técnicas principales utilizadas han sido el cuestionario y las entrevistas grupales. Los indicios de esta investigación evidencian que la formación específica en el Grado de Infantil mediante los contenidos de la didáctica de las Ciencias Sociales, permite al estudiantado analizar las representaciones sociales de su futura profesión y con ello dignificarla, superando los estereotipos de guardería asignados a los docentes de esta etapa educativa.