Experience applying language processing techniques to develop educational software that allow active learning methodologies by advising students

This paper is focused on those systems that allow students to build their own knowledge by providing them with feedback regarding their actions while performing a problem based learning activity or while making changes to problem statements, so that a higher order thinking skill can be achieved. This feedback is the consequence of an automatic assessment. Particularly, we propose a method that makes use of Language Processor techniques for developing these kinds of systems. This method could be applied in subjects in which problem statements and solutions can be formalized by mean of a formal language and the problems can be solved in an algorithmic way. The method has been used to develop a number of tools that are partially described in this paper. Thus, we show that our approach is applicable in addressing the development of the aforementioned systems. One of these tools (a virtual laboratory for language processing) has been in use for several years in order to support home assignments. The data collected for these years are presented and analyzed in this paper. The results of the analysis confirm that this tool is effective in facilitating the achievement of learning outcomes

Understanding the open circuit voltage in organic solar cells on the basis of a donor-acceptor abrupt (p-n++) heterojunction

By using electrical characterization and classical solid state semiconductor device theory, we demonstrate that the open circuit voltage (V oc ) in organic solar cells based on non-intentional doped semiconductors is fundamentally limited by the built-in potential (V bi ) originated at a donor-acceptor abrupt (p-n ++ ) heterojunction in case of selective contacts. Our analysis is validated using P3HT:PCBM devices fabricated in our research group. We also demonstrate that such a result can be generalized using data already reported in literature for fullerene-based solar cells. Finally, we show that the dependence of V oc on the device contacts can be understood in terms of the potential barriers formed by the Fermi level alignment of semiconductors at the heterojunction and at the Schottky junctions

Comparative Baseline Levels of Heavy Metals and Histopathological Notes in Fish From two Coastal Ecosystems of South-West of Spain

This work reports the comparative study of heavy metal water concentrations from two coastal ecosystems of Cadiz Gulf (SWSpain): Bay of Cadiz and Ria ofHuelva estuary in samples taken on years 1999-2000. Sampling zones showed different heavymetal levels. Statistical analysis of dissolved trace metal concentrations (Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) showed significant differences between Huelva and Cadiz zones based on the Cu level, with a marked seasonal factor and different metal sources (Industrial, geological, urban,...), observing a higher Cu concentration in Ria de Huelva respect to Bay of Cadiz. On the other hand, to evaluate the pollutant effects on aquatic biota, a histopathological analysis have been conducted in specimens of flat fish, Solea senegalensis from both zones. Lesions weremore severe in fish fromRia ofHuelva, being themost significant alterations: gill hyperplasia, fusion of secondary lamellae, disorganization of the hepatic parenchyma, cellular hypertrophy and vascular congestion in liver and tubular occlusion, loss of interstitial tissue and lipid-like vacuoles in kidney. Obtained results are useful as reference data for future environmental monitoring studies in these zones where to establish a heavy metal concentration temporal trend would be necessary

Tuning the Cytotoxicity of Bis-Phosphino-Amines Ruthenium(II) Para-Cymene Complexes for Clinical Development in Breast Cancer

Despite some limitations such as long-term side effects or the potential presence of intrinsic or acquired resistance, platinum compounds are key therapeutic components for the treatment of several solid tumors. To overcome these limitations, maintaining the same efficacy, organometallic ruthenium(II) compounds have been proposed as a viable alternative to platinum agents as they have a more favorable toxicity profile and represent an ideal template for both, high-throughput and rational drug design. To support the preclinical development of bis-phoshino-amine ruthenium compounds in the treatment of breast cancer, we carried out chemical modifications in the structure of these derivatives with the aim of designing less toxic and more efficient therapeutic agents. We report new bis-phoshino-amine ligands and the synthesis of their ruthenium counterparts. The novel ligands and compounds were fully characterized, water stability analyzed, and their in vitro cytotoxicity against a panel of tumor cell lines representative of different breast cancer subtypes was evaluated. The mechanism of action of the lead compound of the series was explored. In vivo toxicity was also assessed. The results obtained in this article might pave the way for the clinical development of these compounds in breast cancer therapyMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovación y Agencia Estatal de la Investigación, Spain (Grant Nos. PID2020-117788RB-I00, PID2020- 113661GB-I00, CTQ2017-84131-R and RED2018-102387-T Programa Redes Consolider), and Instituto de Salud Carlos III grant number PI16/01121. Alberto Ocaña’s lab is supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII, PI19/00808); CRIS Cancer Foundation, ACEPAIN, and Diputación de Albacete

Cluster Analysis of Physical Activity Patterns, and Relationship with Sedentary Behavior and Healthy Lifestyles in Prepubertal Children: Genobox Cohort

Sedentary habits during childhood are associated with adverse health outcomes. The aim of this work was to cluster lifestyle behaviors and metabolic biomarkers to establish different patterns in children. Their physical and sedentary activities were evaluated by accelerometry, and questionnaires that included lifestyle behaviors, such as adherence to a Mediterranean diet, anthropometry and blood biochemical markers. Cluster analysis was performed to establish different groups based on physical activity levels. A total of 489 children were finally selected. Cluster 1 included children with a mostly sedentary state, whereas Cluster 3 included the most active children and Cluster 2 included children that did not fit into either the sedentary or the highly active groups. In Cluster 3, 56% of children were in a sports club, and a lower percentage used electronic devices in their rooms compared to the other groups. Cluster 1 children exhibited higher insulin, HOMA-IR and triacylglycerides with respect to the other groups. No differences were found regarding adherence to a Mediterranean diet. The choice to practice an extracurricular sport could be an influencing factor to increase exercise and ensure an active lifestyle in children. Reducing or limiting screen time mainly in children''s rooms could contribute to an active lifestyle

Reliability and Validation of the Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire in 3- to 6-Year-Old Spanish Children

Introduction: Eating behavior is often established during the first years of life. Therefore, it is important to make a research on it to understand the relationships that children have with food and how this can contribute to prevent the development of childhood obesity. An appropriate assessment of eating behavior can be achieved using the “Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire” (CEBQ). This questionnaire has been validated in several populations and languages, but it has never been translated, adapted, and validated for Spanish children. Aim: To evaluate the reliability and internal consistency of the CEBQ questionnaire, culturally adapted and translated into Spanish (Spain), in Spanish families with children aged 3 to 6 years, as well as its association with children’s body mass index (BMI) to test its construct validity. Materials and Methods: Children between 3 and 6 years old were recruited from the ongoing MELI-POP randomized controlled clinical trial, as well as from public schools located in middle class neighborhoods of Zaragoza, Spain, to complete the sample. Sociodemographic characteristics and anthropometric measures were obtained according to standardized methods. The 35-item CEBQ questionnaire was completed twice with a time difference of 3 weeks between each response. Statistical analyses included the evaluation of internal consistency and reliability of the questionnaire, a confirmatory factor analysis, and the association between the different CEBQ scales and the children’s BMI. Results: A total of 197 children completed variables; 97 of them were boys (49.2%) and 100 girls (50.8%). Mean age of the total sample was 4.7 ± 0.9 years. There was a high test-re-test reliability of the questionnaire with values close to 1, with an average of 0.66 and a good internal consistency (Cronbach alpha with values above 0.7), so that a high reliability is established between the items in each scale. A gradual positive association was found between the score of different “pro-intake” scales of the CEBQ: “Food Responsiveness, ” “Emotional Overeating, ” and “Enjoyment of food” and the children’s BMI; at the opposite, negative associations were observed between BMI and the score of anti-intake scales “Satiety Responsiveness, ” “Slowness in Eating, ” and “Emotional Undereating.” Conclusion: The Spanish version of the CEBQ is a useful tool to assess the eating behavior of Spanish children because the high reliability and internal validity. There is a significant association between eating behavior and BMI in Spanish children. Copyright © 2022 Jimeno-Martínez, Maneschy, Moreno, Bueno-Lozano, De Miguel-Etayo, Flores-Rojas, Jurado-Castro, de Lamas, Vázquez-Cobela, Martinez-Lacruz, Portoles, Martínez, Navas-Carretero, Schröder, Fitó, Babio, Salas-Salvadó, Leis, Gil-Campos and Rupérez

Corrigendum: Reliability and validation of the child eating behavior questionnaire in 3- to 6-year-old Spanish children

A corrigendum on Reliability and validation of the child eating behavior questionnaire in 3- to 6-year-old Spanish children by Jimeno-Martínez, A., Maneschy, I., Moreno, L. A., Bueno-Lozano, G., De Miguel-Etayo, P., Flores-Rojas, K., Jurado-Castro, J. M., de Lamas, C., Vázquez-Cobela, R., Martinez-Lacruz, R., Portoles, O., Martínez, J. A., Navas-Carretero, S., Schröder, H., Fitó, M., Babio, N., Salas-Salvadó, J., Leis, R., Gil-Campos, M., and Rupérez, A. I. (2022). Front. Psychol. 13:705912. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.70591

Moringa oleifera leaf supplementation as a glycemic control strategy in subjects with prediabetes

This article belongs to the Section Phytochemicals and Human Health.Moringa oleifera (MO) is a multipurpose plant with a high polyphenol content, which is being increasingly consumed to lessen the risk of chronic metabolic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes; however, scientific evidence from clinical trials is scarce. A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel group intervention study with MO leaves as a food supplement was conducted in subjects with prediabetes. They consumed six daily capsules of MO dry leaf powder (2400 mg/day) (MO, n = 31) or placebo (PLC, n = 34) over 12 weeks. Glycemia, appetite-controlling hormones and gut microbiota composition were studied. ANCOVA with the fixed factor “treatment” and the basal value as covariate was used to compare the change score between the groups. The results showed significant differences between groups in the rate of change of fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), which showed opposite directions during the intervention, decreasing in MO and increasing in PLC. No different change scores were found between the groups in microbiota, hepatic and renal function markers or the appetite-controlling hormones measured. In conclusion, MO supplementation resulted in favorable changes in glycaemia markers compared to placebo in the subjects with prediabetes studied, suggesting that MO might act as a natural antihyperglycemic agent.This article is part of the R + D + i Project AGL2017-86044-C2-1-R, funded by CIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ and “ERDF A way of making Europe”.Peer reviewe

Associations between eating speed, diet quality, adiposity, and cardiometabolic risk factors

Objective: To assess the associations between eating speed, adiposity, cardiometabolic risk factors, and diet quality in a cohort of Spanish preschool-children. Study design: A cross-sectional study in 1371 preschool age children (49% girls; mean age, 4.8 ± 1.0 years) from the Childhood Obesity Risk Assessment Longitudinal Study (CORALS) cohort was conducted. After exclusions, 956 participants were included in the analyses. The eating speed was estimated by summing the total minutes used in each of the 3 main meals and then categorized into slow, moderate, or fast. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were fitted to assess the β-coefficient, or OR and 95% CI, between eating speed and body mass index, waist circumference, fat mass index (FMI), blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, and lipid profile. Results: Compared with participants in the slow-eating category, those in the fast-eating category had a higher prevalence risk of overweight/obesity (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.8-4.4; P < .01); larger waist circumference (β, 2.6 cm; 95% CI, 1.5-3.8 cm); and greater FMI (β, 0.3 kg/m2; 95% CI, 0.1-0.5 kg/m2), systolic blood pressure (β, 2.8 mmHg; 95% CI, 0.6-4.9 mmHg), and fasting plasma glucose levels (β, 2.7 mg/dL, 95% CI, 1.2-4.2 mg/dL) but lower adherence to the Mediterranean diet (β, −0.5 points; 95% CI, −0.9 to −0.1 points). Conclusions: Eating fast is associated with higher adiposity, certain cardiometabolic risk factors, and lower adherence to a Mediterranean diet. Further long-term and interventional studies are warranted to confirm these associations