The role of stressful life events and personality on depression among adolescents

Treball Final de Grau en Psicologia. Codi: PS1048. Curs: 2018/2019

Antibacterial Properties of Nanoparticles in Dental Restorative Materials. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background and Objectives: Nanotechnology has become a significant area of research focused mainly on increasing the antibacterial and mechanical properties of dental materials. The aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis was to examine and quantitatively analyze the current evidence for the addition of different nanoparticles into dental restorative materials, to determine whether their incorporation increases the antibacterial/antimicrobial properties of the materials. Materials and Methods: A literature search was performed in the Pubmed, Scopus, and Embase databases, up to December 2018, following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis) guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Results: A total of 624 papers were identified in the initial search. After screening the texts and applying inclusion criteria, only 11 of these were selected for quantitative analysis. The incorporation of nanoparticles led to a significant increase (p-value < 0.01) in the antibacterial capacity of all the dental materials synthesized in comparison with control materials. Conclusions: The incorporation of nanoparticles into dental restorative materials was a favorable option; the antibacterial activity of nanoparticle-modified dental materials was significantly higher compared with the original unmodified materials, TiO2 nanoparticles providing the greatest benefits. However, the high heterogeneity among the articles reviewed points to the need for further research and the application of standardized research protocols

On the Internationalization of CAD Learning Through an English Glossary

Comunicació presentada al XXIX Congreso International INGEGRAF 2019 "La transformación Digital en la Ingeniería Gráfica” (20-21 Junio 2019, Logroño - La Rioja)The internationalization of higher education is an essential factor to improve the quality and efficiency of Spanish universities, providing students with the main skills, and knowledge to interact effectively in an international and multicultural work context as professionals. The internationalization of universities must be a transversal process, not exclusive of its territorial dimension, aimed at advancing towards a society and a knowledge economy that propitiate a solid and stable model of development and growth. To this end, professors in the area of Graphic Expression for Engineering at the Universitat Jaume I (UJI) have developed an online glossary of specific terms in English related to the 3D modelling CAD tools used in Graphic Engineering subjects. This new online tool seeks to train students to increase their technical vocabulary in English and improve their learning and communication skills to face possible collaborations in future European projects. The glossary is introduced weekly to the students during the course. Subsequently, a survey is conducted to the students to verify the effectiveness of the training. This work collects the results and conclusions of this analysis

Inflammatory markers and bone mass in children with overweight/obesity: the role of muscular fitness

Objectives To examine which inflammatory markers are associated with bone mass and whether this association varies according to muscular fitness in children with overweight/obesity. Methods Plasma interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), epidermal growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF), and C-reactive protein were analyzed in 55 children aged 8–11 years. A muscular fitness score was computed. Bone mineral content (BMC) of the total body-less head (TBLH) and lumbar spine (LS) were assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Results IL-6 (β = −0.136) and VEGF (β = −0.099) were associated with TBLH BMC, while TNF-α (β = −0.345) and IL-1β (β = 0.212) were associated with LS BMC (P < 0.05). The interaction effect of muscular fitness showed a trend in the association of VEGF with TBLH BMC (P = 0.122) and TNF-α with LS BMC (P = 0.057). Stratified analyses by muscular fitness levels showed an inverse association of VEGF with TBLH BMC (β = −0.152) and TNF-α with LS BMC (β = −0.491) in the low-fitness group, while no association was found in the high-fitness group. Conclusion IL-6, VEGF, TNF-α, and IL-1β are significantly associated with bone mass. Higher muscular fitness may attenuate the adverse effect of high VEGF and TNF-α on bone mass

Bilingual physical education: the effects of CLIL on physical activity levels

Physical education (PE) is often the subject chosen for applying multilingual initiatives based on content and language integrated learning (CLIL). Some research literature (Lynott, F. J. 2008. “Integrating Other Subject Matter without Jeopardizing Physical Education Goals: The Content Linkage Approach.” Strategies 22 (1): 10–17; Merino, J. 2016. “Non-Linguistic Content in CLIL: Is Its Learning Diminished?” In CLIL Experiences in Secondary and Tertiary Education: In Search of Good Practices, edited by D. Lasagabaster, and A. Doiz, 17–43. Bern: Peter Lang) suggests that this subject could lose its essence if too much emphasis is placed on language learning, as it could lead to a reduction in moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), which is directly related to healthy lifestyles. Given that PE needs to increase MVPA, while also allowing students to learn new languages, the purpose of this study is to analyse whether CLIL affects the levels of MVPA and, if so, to understand how and why. Through a mixed methodological approach based on a sequential explanatory design, data were collected and analysed in two consecutive phases: a quantitative one (n = 49) based on a quasi-experimental design in which mixed and factorial ANOVA were applied; and a qualitative one based on a subsequent analysis of interviews with 13 participants. The results show that levels of MVPA are higher in the experimental group (CLIL) due to the greater attention paid and the use of certain communicative teaching strategies

Service quality in a post-crisis context: emotional effects and behaviours

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the influence of service quality dimensions as determinants of the emotional and relational behaviours experienced by the client in bank branches in the post-crisis context experienced by Spanish financial institutions. Design/methodology/approach – Data taken from a total of 1,125 customers were analysed through structural equations modelling (EQS6.1) to test the relationships of the proposed model’s variables. Findings – The results support the hypotheses stated, with the exception of the influence of a service quality dimension (servicescape) on emotions during the service. In fact, the dimensions of the service quality of an intangible nature (personnel, outcome and social) are determinants of the positive emotions and relational behaviours of clients around the service provided by the branches. For its part, servicescape quality, of a more tangible nature, exerts indirect influence on the other dimensions that compose the quality of service. Practical implications – This paper provides senior bank executives established evidence on the degree of influence of the different dimensions in relation to the quality of service in the bank branch. Furthermore, it emphasises the importance of emotional factors during service as essential elements in strengthening customer–staff relationships under a non-transactional dynamic. Originality/value – This paper has adopted an analytical holistic, theoretical and empirical perspective on the impact of the different dimensions of service quality (servicescape, personnel, outcome and social) as well as to the emotions experienced by banking customers during services and its lasting effect on customer engagement and customer advocacy

Quick appraisal of "Sistema de suministro desde el embalse del Cenajo a la Mancomunidad de Canales del Taibilla"

The project under assessment concerns the construction of an aqueduct in order to divert water from Tajo-Segura Channel onto the Cenajo reservoir and to the water purification plants of Sierra de la Espada and of Campotéjar. The main objective is to improve water quality rather than quantit

Identification of Stress Associated microRNAs in Solanum lycopersicum by High-Throughput Sequencing

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the most important crops around the world and also a model plant to study response to stress. High-throughput sequencing was used to analyse the microRNA (miRNA) profile of tomato plants undergoing five biotic and abiotic stress conditions (drought, heat, P. syringae infection, B. cinerea infection, and herbivore insect attack with Leptinotarsa decemlineata larvae) and one chemical treatment with a plant defence inducer, hexanoic acid. We identified 104 conserved miRNAs belonging to 37 families and we predicted 61 novel tomato miRNAs. Among those 165 miRNAs, 41 were stress-responsive. Reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to validate high-throughput expression analysis data, confirming the expression profiles of 10 out of 11 randomly selected miRNAs. Most of the differentially expressed miRNAs were stress-specific, except for sly-miR167c-3p upregulated in B. cinerea and P. syringae infection, sly-newmiR26-3p upregulated in drought and Hx treatment samples, and sly-newmiR33-3p, sly-newmiR6-3p and sly-newmiR8-3p differentially expressed both in biotic and abiotic stresses. From mature miRNAs sequences of the 41 stress-responsive miRNAs 279 targets were predicted. An inverse correlation between the expression profiles of 4 selected miRNAs (sly-miR171a, sly-miR172c, sly-newmiR22-3p and sly-miR167c-3p) and their target genes (Kinesin, PPR, GRAS40, ABC transporter, GDP and RLP1) was confirmed by RT-qPCR. Altogether, our analysis of miRNAs in different biotic and abiotic stress conditions highlight the interest to understand the functional role of miRNAs in tomato stress response as well as their putative targets which could help to elucidate plants molecular and physiological adaptation to stress