Validity and Reliability of an Inertial Device for Measuring Dynamic Weight-Bearing Ankle Dorsiflexion

A decrease in ankle dorsiflexion causes changes in biomechanics, and different instruments have been used for ankle dorsiflexion testing under static conditions. Consequently, the industry of inertial sensors has developed easy-to-use devices, which measure dynamic ankle dorsiflexion and provide additional parameters such as velocity, acceleration, or movement deviation. Therefore, the aims of this study were to analyze the concurrent validity and test-retest reliability of an inertial device for measuring dynamic weight-bearing ankle dorsiflexion. Sixteen participants were tested using an inertial device (WIMU) and a digital inclinometer. Ankle dorsiflexion from left and right ankle repetitions was used for validity analysis, whereas test-retest reliability was analyzed by comparing measurements from the first and second days. The standard error of the measurement (SEM) between the instruments was very low for both ankle measurements (SEM 0.05) even though a significant systematic bias (~1.77°) was found for the right ankle (d = 0.79). R2 was very close to 1 in the left and right ankles (R2 = 0.85–0.89) as well as the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC > 0.95). Test-retest reliability analysis showed that systematic bias was below 1° for both instruments, even though a systematic bias (~1.50°) with small effect size was found in the right ankle (d = 0.49) with WIMU. The ICC was very close to 1 and the coefficient of variation (CV) was lower than 4% in both instruments. Thus, WIMU is a valid and reliable inertial device for measuring dynamic weight-bearing ankle dorsiflexion

Distintos niveles de análisis para el estudio del cambio conceptual en el dominio de la mecánica

A quasi-experimental study on the conceptual change in mechanics, it has been accomplished following various levels of analysis. Eighty-five students of tenth grade of a public school completed two questionnaires on mechanics phenomena, before and after being taught. The obtained results showed the presence of qualitative and quantitative changes in the cognitive structure. These changes affected the specific ideas expressed through particular answers, as well as the most general frameworks on which those answers were based. From those results some implications for didactic interest and for the investigation are commented

Environmental stress and parasitism as drivers of population dynamics of Mesodesma donacium at its northern biogeographic range

Abstract Riascos, J. M., Heilmayer, O., Oliva, M. E., and Laudien, J. 2011. Environmental stress and parasitism as drivers of population dynamics of Mesodesma donacium at its northern biogeographic range. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 823–833. Mesodesma donacium is a commercially important bivalve in Chile and Peru. During strong El Niño events, populations at the northern end of its geographic distribution are wiped out, so to understand its threshold responses to biotic and abiotic factors, the population dynamics of one of the northernmost population remnants was analysed between 2005 and 2007. Strong interannual differences were found in abundance, body mass, growth rate, somatic production, and the prevalence of the parasite Polydora bioccipitalis. A Spearman rank correlation analysis showed that changes in beach slope, seemingly linked to repeated storm surges, negatively affected the clam's abundance and seemingly also affected growth, mortality, body mass somatic production, and parasite prevalence. Infestation by P. bioccipitalis was restricted to adult clams. Juvenile clams suffered high mortality because they inhabit the intertidal zone, where wave action is strong. Larger clams also showed high mortality, which seemed best explained by a synergistic effect of parasite load and environmental stress. This parasite-climate-driven mortality of larger clams had a strong impact on somatic production and implied a dramatic loss of fecundity (82%), which may significantly affect the ability of the species to recover its former abundance and distribution.</jats:p

Influence of University Access Test in the teaching methodology of science teachers

[Resumen] En este artículo se investigan las percepciones del profesorado de ciencias sobre el efecto de las pruebas de acceso a la universidad, en la metodología docente y en las prácticas de evaluación. En el estudio participaron 120 profesores/as con experiencia docente en asignaturas de ciencias de segundo curso de bachillerato. Como instrumentos de recogida de datos se emplearon cuestionarios abiertos y cerrados, así como entrevistas semiestructuradas, combinándose métodos cualitativos y cuantitativos de análisis de datos. En conjunto, se detecta un efecto inhibitorio en el 2º curso de bachillerato de ciertos recursos y metodologías de enseñanza que habitualmente se consideran de interés en el aprendizaje de las ciencias, favoreciéndose en su lugar enfoques de enseñanza tradicionales, con clases teóricas expositivas. A partir de estos resultados se sugiere la necesidad de una reformulación de las pruebas de acceso y la conveniencia de abordar esta problemática dentro de la formación del profesorado[Abstract] In this work, we investigate he perceptions of science teachers about the effect of the University Access Tests in their teaching methodology and their evaluation practices. The study included 120 teachers with teaching experience, in science subjects of the second-year of secondary education. As data collection instruments, open and closed questionnaires were used, as well as semi-structured interviews, combining qualitative and quantitative methods of data analysis. Overall, an inhibitory effect is detected in the 2nd year of the secondary education of certain teaching resources and methodologies that are usually considered of interest in science learning, favoring instead traditional teaching approaches, with expository theoretical classes. Based on these results, we suggest a reformulation of the access tests and the convenience of addressing this problem within teacher training

Méritos académicos e investigación sobre enseñanza de las ciencias

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Cancer Mortality Trends in Spain (2000–2016): Differences between Immigrant and Native Populations

Spain’s population has changed thanks to recent immigration. Therefore, a new epidemiological and demographic profile has been generated in the country. This study aims to analyze immigrant and native cancer mortality trends in Spain for the period 2000 to 2016. An ecological study of trends was carried out. Age-standardized rates of cancer mortality (ASR) and annual percentage change (APC) between groups and study sub-periods were calculated. Significant decreases in ASR were observed for cancer in both the native and the immigrant populations, in both men and women. However, in 2014–2016, there was an increase in ASR in the immigrant population compared to 2011–2013, due to the increase in ASR among immigrants from European regions. Differences in ASR by cancer between immigrant and native populations residing in Spain have been identified, both in the rate of decline and magnitude as well as by the birth region of the immigrant population. The increase observed in the cancer mortality trend at the end of the period in some immigrant groups indicates the need to monitor these indicators given the demographic, social, and economic changes.This research was partially supported by the Balmis Group of Research in Community Health and History of Science of the University of Alicante (VIGROB-227/19)

On the Effect of Radical Character, Substitution and Atom Encapsulation on the Volume of Icosahedral (Car) boranes1

By means of quantum-mechanical calculations, we study the influence of the charge, spin, substituents, and atom encapsulation on the volume of the cages in icosahedral boranes and carboranes B12H12 2–, CB11H12 –, o-C2B10H12, m- C2B10H12, p-C2B10H12 and 1,2-disubstituted o-C2B10H12.Monoradicals derived from hydrogen abstraction in o-C2B10H12, m-C2B10H12, p-C2B10H12 lead to slight cage contractions (|ΔV| &lt; 0.1 Å3 ). On the other hand, 1,2-disubstitution in o-C2B10H12 and their dianions derived from double proton abstraction on the susbtituent, and {Li+, Be2+} atom encapsulation in B12H12 2–, CB11H12–, o-C2B10H12, m-C2B10H12, p-C2B10H12 always leads to a cage expansion, to a larger extent for endohedral compounds (ΔV ≈ 2 Å3 ) as compared to dianions derived from 1,2-disubstituted o-C2B10H12 (ΔV ≈ 1 Å3 ) and 1,2-disubstituted o-C2B10H12 (ΔV &lt; 0.14 Å3 )

Una propuesta didáctica basada en la investigación para el uso de analogías en la enseñanza de las ciencias

In this paper, an analysis about the advantages and difficulties of the analogies, as a didactic resource in science education, is accomplished. According to the results of the investigation developed in this field during the last years, some criteria to take into account with the purpose of improving their use in the classroom, are also provided. All these contributions are accompanied by concrete examples that help to illustrate the considerations and the didactic implications for educational practice

Un estudio sobre el papel de las analogías en la construcción del modelo cinético-molecular de la materia

En este trabajo se propone, en primer lugar, un marco teórico para analizar el papel de las analogías en la construcción de modelos sobre fenómenos científicos por parte de los alumnos. Tomando como base dicho marco, se fundamenta, en segundo lugar, un diseño didáctico concreto encaminado a facilitar la construcción del modelo cinético-molecular de la materia a través de analogías, en alumnos de educación secundaria obligatoria. Finalmente, se evalúa el diseño didáctico empleado comparando los resultados finales alcanzados en pruebas de interpretación y predicción de fenómenos en un grupo experimental y en otro de control. Los resultados obtenidos parecen indicar que las analogías jugaron un papel relevante en la comprensión de los alumnos que fueron enseñados a través de dicho recurso. Éstos aportaron, finalmente, modelos explicativos más acordes con el modelo científico que los alumnos que fueron enseñados según un diseño semejante pero sin analogías, si bien las diferencias encontradas fueron pequeñas.In order to analyze the role of the analogies on the model construction about scientific phenomena in the students, a theoretical framework is firstly proposed. From this framework, a concrete didactic design is also proposed with regard to facilitating the construction of a kinetic-molecular model of matter through analogies, in students of compulsory secondary education. Finally, the didactic design used is evaluated, comparing the final results in the interpretation and prediction of phenomena between an experimental group and a control one. The post-test results indicate that the analogies used played a relevant role in the learning process of the pupils who were taught through the mentioned resource. They provided, finally, explanatory models more in agreement with the scientific model than the pupils who were taught according to a similar design but without analogies, although the differences found were small