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La investigación sobre el Trabajo de Fin de Grado (TFG) ha ido incorporando aspectos de la interacción tutor-a/alumno-a que se han demostrado cruciales en la explicación de los resultados de estos últimos. Merece particular atención el apoyo tutorial recibido durante la realización del trabajo -en naturaleza e intensidad- y su relación con los resultados obtenidos. El estudio de esta relación es el objetivo de este artículo que, a través del análisis de la información aportada por 178 pares alumno-a/tutor-a, indaga en las relaciones entre el apoyo tutorial (declarado por el profesorado) y las competencias alcanzadas por el alumnado (percibidas por el propio estudiantado), y entre éstas y la nota real alcanzada en la materia. Los resultados indican que el apoyo tutorial en cada una de las fases del trabajo se relaciona significativamente con varias competencias que el alumnado percibe haber alcanzado. Concretamente, la capacidad crítica se ve mejorada con la intensidad del apoyo tutorial en varias fases del trabajo. La organización del tiempo y la identificación de limitaciones se perciben incrementadas con el apoyo en las primeras fases -diseño de la investigación y definición de objetivos- mientras que el uso de conocimientos previos y la capacidad de comunicación oral y escrita son competencias que mejoran con la intensidad del apoyo en sus fases finales -elaboración de conclusiones y redacción-. Todas las capacidades determinan la calificación alcanzada por los estudiantes.

La situación actual de crisis internacional está provocando la ralentización de la toma de las decisiones de carácter estratégico que configurarán el futuro entorno internacional en sus aspectos económico y social. En este trabajo se reflexiona sobre ellas y sobre sus efectos potenciales. Se parte de las propuestas de la Estrategia de Lisboa para evaluar la situación relativa de Galicia en el primer mundo y los elementos que pueden mejorarla en el futuro próximo.

A study of gastrointestinal nematodes in roe deer was carried out in the regional hunting reserves of Riaño and Mampodre, Province of León, Spain, to provide information on their prevalence and intensity of infection in relation to the sampling areas, age of the animals, and body weight. Through a regulated necropsy of the animals, all of them harbored gastrointestinal nematodes in their digestive tract, with a mean intensity of parasitism of 638 ± 646.1 nematodes/infected animal. Eleven genera were found and 18 species of gastrointestinal nematodes were identified, three of them polymorphic: Trichostrongylus axei, Trichostrongylus vitrinus, Trichostrongylus capricola, Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Haemonchus contortus, Spiculopteragia spiculoptera/Spiculopteragia mathevossiani, Ostertagia leptospicularis/Ostertagia kolchida, Ostertagia (Grosspiculopteragia) occidentalis, Teladorsagia circumcincta/Teladorsagia trifurcate, Marshallagia marshalli, Nematodirus europaeus, Cooperia oncophora, Capillaria bovis, Oesophagostomum venulosum, and Trichuris ovis. All of them have already been cited in roe deer in Europe, but Marshallagia marshalli, Capillaria bovis, and Ostertagia (Grosspiculopteragia) occidentalis are reported for the first time in Spain in this host. The abomasum was the intestinal section, where the prevalence (98.9%) and mean intensity (x¯ = 370.7 ± 374.4 worms/roe deer; range 3–1762) were significantly higher, but no statistically significant differences were found when comparing the sampling areas and age of animals. The animals with lower body weight had a higher parasite load than those in better physical condition, finding, in this case, statistically significant differences (p = 0.0020). Seven genera and 14 species were identified. In the small intestine, 88% of the animals examined presented gastrointestinal nematodes, with an average intensity of x¯ = 131.7 ± 225.6 parasites/infected animal, ranging between 4–1254 worms. No statistically significant differences were found when the three parameters studied were compared. Four genera and seven species were identified. In the large intestine/cecum, 78.3% of the examined roe deer presented adult worms, with an average intensity of 6.3 ± 5.5 worms/infected animal; range 1–26 worms. Only statistically significant differences were observed when considering the mean intensity of parasitism and the sampling area (p = 0.0093). Two genera and two species were identified. Several of the species found in the study were studied molecularly, and with the sequences obtained compared with those deposited in GenBank, phylogenetic trees were prepared to determine their taxonomic status. Using coprological techniques, the existing correlation in the shedding of gastrointestinal nematode eggs in roe deer was investigated with that of semi-extensive sheep farms in the same study area to verify the existence of cross-transmission of these parasites between wild and domestic animals. The high values found in the studied parameters show that northern Spain is an area of high-intensity infection for roe deer.

Specific CD8+ T cells are crucial for the control of viruses. However, during many chronic viral infections these cells become dysfunctional. Immune checkpoint receptors, like PD-1 expressed on CD8+ T cells, contribute to this functional suppression during chronic infection. However, during the acute phase of infection virus-specific CD8+ T cells express high levels of PD-1 but are fully competent in killing virus-infected cells and there is increasing evidence that the biological activity of inhibitory receptors is strongly influenced by the availability of their respective ligands. We determined the expression of ligands for inhibitory receptors on infected myeloid cells during the acute phase of Friend retroviral (FV) infection. FV infection of granulocytes, monocytes, and macrophages strongly increased the cell surface expression of PD-L1 and the recently described ligand HVEM for inhibitory receptors BTLA and CD160. In addition, the infection of human myeloid cells in vitro with HIV also enhanced the expression of PD-L1 and HVEM. In infected mice, the upregulation of inhibitory ligands on infected cells was accompanied by enhanced frequencies of FV-specific CD8+ T cells that express PD-1, and the inhibitory receptors CD160 and BTLA. To define the functional effects of HVEM on activated CD8+ T cells, FV-infected mice were treated with blocking antibodies that prevented the interaction of HVEM with its two receptors, CD160 or BTLA, alone or in combination with anti-PD-L1 antibodies. Blocking the interaction of HVEM with CD160 and BTLA improved the production of cytotoxic molecules and the elimination of FV-infected cells. This effect was augmented when the therapy was combined with anti-PD-L1 antibodies, resulting in an additional expansion of cytotoxic CD8+ T cells. Thus, the ligand HVEM for the inhibitory receptors CD160 and BTLA downregulates the functionality of CD8+ T cells during retroviral infection and are potential targets for the immunomodulatory therapy of chronic viral infections.

The Faculty of Economics and Business Administration at USC has been a pioneer in the implementation of the undergraduate dissertation in the Spanish university. In this paper we analyze the valuation of the stakeholders (students and supervisors). The study is structured around five key elements of the teaching-learning method: support (supervision, information, training activities); the procedure to assign both the issue and the supervisor; the competences acquired; the dedication and the student assessment procedure. The analysis is supported by data coming from a survey of 115 students and 56 supervisors, in 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 in the degrees in Business Administration and Economics. The results show that the undergraduate dissertation is perceived as a subject with an appropriate methodology for achieving the suitable skills and competences. Besides, 82.6% of the students say that the complementary training activities were unnecessary. The assessment criteria are considered suitable (78.6% of teachers and 44.3% of students, although the remaining 55.7% propose changes which are not significant). By contrast, the opinions about the procedure to assign issues and supervisors are widely dispersed. Supervisor plays a crucial role in the transmission of information to the student.We conclude that the undergraduate dissertation is a subject with a suitable methodology to achieve the objectives and competences raised. However, the level of effort required is high, and is scarcely acknowledged.

La Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales de la USC está entre las pioneras en la implantación del Trabajo Fin de Grado en la universidad española. En este artículo analizamos la valoración de los agentes implicados (alumnado y profesorado tutor). El trabajo se estructura en cinco ejes clave del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje: los elementos de apoyo (tutor, información y actividades formativas), el procedimiento de asignación de temas y tutores, las competencias desarrolladas, la dedicación requerida y el procedimiento de evaluación. Utilizamos datos procedentes de una encuesta realizada a 115 alumnos/as y 56 tutores/as, durante los cursos 2011-2012 y 2012-2013, en los Grados de Economía y ADE. Los resultados indican que el TFG se percibe como una materia con una metodología adecuada para lograr las competencias planteadas y en la que el 82,6% de los estudiantes no considera necesarias actividades formativas complementarias. Los criterios de evaluación utilizados son adecuados según la opinión aportada por el 78,6% del profesorado y el 44,3% del alumnado (el 55,7% restante introduciría variaciones muy poco significativas). Las valoraciones sobre el sistema de asignación de temas y tutores son menos robustas, presentando una fuerte dispersión. El tutor tiene un papel protagonista como transmisor de información. Es él quien demanda información por otras vías, que para el alumnado pueden considerarse subsidiarias. En conclusión, los resultados permiten describir al TFG como una materia con una metodología adecuada para adquirir las competencias planteadas, pero que exige un esfuerzo elevado -y escasamente reconocido- a todos los agentes que participan en ella.