The comprehensive narrative review conducted in this study delves into the mechanisms of communication and action at the molecular level in the human organism. The review addresses the complex mechanism involved in the microbiota–gut–brain axis as well as the implications of alterations in the microbial composition of patients with neurodegenerative diseases. The pathophysiology of neurodegenerative diseases with neuronal loss or death is analyzed, as well as the mechanisms of action of the main metabolites involved in the bidirectional communication through the microbiota–gut–brain axis. In addition, interventions targeting gut microbiota restructuring through fecal microbiota transplantation and the use of psychobiotics—pre- and pro-biotics—are evaluated as an opportunity to reduce the symptomatology associated with neurodegeneration in these pathologies. This review provides valuable information and facilitates a better understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms to be addressed in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Background/Objectives: This systematic review focused on collecting the most significant findings on the impact of the administration of Bifidobacterium infantis (or Bifidobacterium longum subps. infantis) and Bifidobacterium breve, alone, in conjunction, or in combination with other strains, in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). These diseases are characterized by the progressive degeneration of neurons, resulting in a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations. AD is typified by a progressive decline in cognitive abilities, while PD is marked by motor symptoms associated with the loss of dopamine (DA). Methods: Five different databases, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Wiley, PubMed, and Web of Science (WoS), were reviewed and the studies were screened for inclusion by the following criteria: (i) studies that specifically evaluated the use of Bifidobacterium infantis, Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis, or Bifidobacterium breve as a therapeutic intervention, either in human or animal models, in the context of neurodegenerative diseases; (ii) the studies were required to address one or more of the pathologies examined in this article, and the pathologies included, but were not limited to, neurodegeneration, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and oxidative stress; (iii) the full text was accessible online; and (iv) the article was written in English. Results: The data suggest that these probiotics have neuroprotective effects that may delay disease progression. Conclusions: This study provides updated insights into the use of these Bifidobacterium strains in neurodegenerative diseases like AD and PD, with the main limitation being the limited number of clinical trials available.

Introducción: El enfoque de educación basada en competencias pretende reducir la brecha entre educación y empleo buscando lograr un aprendizaje profundo, significativo, para toda la vida, transferible a situaciones reales, complejas y cambiantes. Conceptualizar la evaluación a partir de este enfoque implica asumir su carácter multidimensional diseñando una evaluación para el aprendizaje y no sólo del aprendizaje, en la búsqueda de formas de evaluación capaces de mejorar la calidad del mismo. La conciencia del impacto de la evaluación en el aprendizaje obliga a plantear la evaluación como un proceso compartido que sea simultáneamente causa y efecto de los aprendizajes. En este contexto, el objetivo de este estudio es conocer la percepción de discentes y docentes en relación a las prácticas actuales de evaluación de competencias y su impacto en la calidad del aprendizaje. Metodología: Estudio descriptivo interpretativo. Análisis cualitativo de los datos recogidos mediante cuestionarios abiertos y grupos de discusión de discentes y docentes del Grado en Enfermería. Resultados: Ambos grupos consideran que las prácticas actuales de evaluación de competencias condicionan el aprendizaje, sin embargo, existen grandes diferencias en sus percepciones. Los docentes perciben este impacto como negativo y afirman que para los estudiantes la evaluación consiste sólo en superar asignaturas. Los estudiantes manifiestan que la evaluación les influye positivamente al orientar su aprendizaje y ofrecerles oportunidades de mejora. Conclusiones: Los docentes perciben dificultades para superar la orientación tradicional de la evaluación, mientras los estudiantes perciben su función más formativa y demandan para ella un feedback suficiente y de calidad. Introduction: Competency based education offers the promise of reducing the gap between education and employment and concerns in Higher Education have revolved around how to achieve deep and meaningful learning, a long life learning, so that learning transfer to real situations, complex and changing, would be possible. Conceptualizing assessment from competency based education approach requires assuming its multidimensional character and designing an assessment for learning and not only assessment of learning seeking to improve learning quality. Awareness of the assessment impact on learning requires raising evaluation as a shared process able to be simultaneously cause and effect of learning. In this context, the aim of this study is to determine learners and teachers perceptions about current practices of competence assessment and its impact on the quality of learning. Methodology: Interpretative descriptive study. Qualitative analysis of data collected through open questionnaires and discussion groups with Degree in Nursing learners and teachers. Results: Both teachers and learners believe that current assessment practices determine learning skills, but there are big differences in their perceptions. Teachers perceive negatively this impact and claim that for student’s evaluation is only overcoming subjects while students state that assessment influences them positively, guiding their learning and offering improvement opportunities. Conclusions: teachers perceive difficulties in overcoming evaluation`s traditional, while students perceive its most formative function and demand for it sufficient and quality feedback.

Introduction: This study aims to assess the efficacy of the modified kangaroo care lateral position on the thermal stability of preterm neonates versus conventional kangaroo care prone position. Material and methods: A non-inferiority randomized parallel clinical trial. Kangaroo care will be performed in a lateral position for the experimental group and in a prone position for the control group preterm. The study will take place at the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of a University Hospital. The participants will be extremely premature infants (under 28 weeks of gestational age) along the first five days of life, hemodynamically stable, with mother or father willing to do kangaroo care and give their written consent to participate in the study. The sample size calculated was 35 participants in each group. When the premature infant is hemodynamically stable and one of the parents stays in the NICU, the patient will be randomized into two groups: an experimental group or a control group. The primary outcome is premature infant axillary temperature. Neonatal pain level and intraventricular hemorrhage are secondary outcomes. Discussion: There is no scientific evidence on modified kangaroo care lateral position. Furthermore, there is little evidence of increased intraventricular hemorrhage association with the lateral head position necessary in conventional or prone kangaroo care in extremely premature newborns. Kangaroo care is a priority intervention in neonatal units increasing the time of use more and more, making postural changes necessary to optimize comfort and minimize risks with kangaroo care lateral position as an alternative to conventional prone position kangaroo care. Meanwhile, it is essential to ensure that the conventional kangaroo care prone position, which requires the head to lay sideways, is a safe position in terms of preventing intraventricular hemorrhage in the first five days of life of children under 28 weeks of gestational age. Trial registration at clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03990116.

Introducción: Los estudiantes de enfermería deben adquirir conocimientos, habilidades, actitudes y valores, para proporcionar cuidados de calidad. Las prácticas clínicas son el contexto ideal para lograr algunas de las competencias requeridas. Objetivo: Explorar las percepciones de los estudiantes sobre sus vivencias durante sus prácticas clínicas. Método: Abordaje metodológico descriptivo de tipo cualitativo y con un encuadre sociocrítico. Se analizaron los 45 portafolios de estudiantes de 4º curso de la Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería (EUE) Cruz Roja, donde explican sus vivencias en prácticas. Se optó por un portafolio semiestructurado en función de la competencia a demostrar definiendo previamente las tareas o evidencias Se realizó un análisis de contenido que comprendía las siguientes fases: reducción de los datos; categorización-codificación, presentación de datos y conclusiones/verificación de los datos. Se alcanzó saturación en la información sobre las categorías presentadas. Resultados: Del análisis de los datos emergen distintas unidades de significado que se engloban en tres categorías: aprendizaje en prácticas, dificultades del entorno, crecimiento personal y profesional. Conclusiones: El estudio evidencia la importancia de las prácticas clínicas para los estudiantes dentro del plan de estudios, ya que es donde aplican lo que han aprendido en el aula y son conscientes de la realidad a la que se enfrentan. El entorno clínico y la relación que se establezca entre este y el estudiante determina en muchas ocasiones el aprendizaje. Queda patente que los estudiantes durante sus prácticas clínicas toman conciencia de aquellos conocimientos del saber, saber hacer y saber estar.

As shown in the previous literature, in view of the future responsibilities of nursing professionals and the consequences for healthcare, it is of great interest to examine their risk perceptions, coping behaviors, and sense of coherency during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study is to design and to validate a specific questionnaire that evaluates the factors relating to perceived risk, coping behaviors, and preventive knowledge against COVID-19 infection among nursing students from Spain. This is a psychometric study of a questionnaire’s design and its validation in 1562 nursing students at 16 undergraduate nursing institutions in Spain. An ad-hoc survey was designed by a panel of six experts drawing from the literature. After a trial test, the questionnaire was formed with four scales (perception, risk, coping, and knowledge of preventive practices for COVID-19), with a total of 69 items. The final questionnaire was composed of 52 items grouped into four scales, with good psychometric properties to measure risk perception (Cronbach’s alpha 0.735), factors related to perceived risk (Cronbach’s alpha 0.653), coping behaviors (Cronbach’s alpha 0.80), and knowledge of preventive practices against COVID-19 (Cronbach’s alpha 0.77). This questionnaire, specifically designed and validated for nursing students, is the first to address four important areas in the development of preventive measures against COVID-19.