The educational e-portfolio: preliminary evidence of its relationship with student\u2019s self-efficacy and engagement

The educational use of portfolios has been increasing in the last few years, especially as technology has also developed electronic versions of portfolios. Although there is abundant information about their benefits and practice description, few studies provide empirical evidence of their implementation. The objective of this study was to provide initial evidence about the use of the portfolio in higher education. Concretely, we aimed 1) to explore the correlation between students’ performance on the portfolio and their performance on more traditional assessment methods 2) to explore whether student’s personal variables predict performance in key elements of the e-portfolio, such as individual reflections, and if these contribute to general academic performance in the course, and 3) to evaluate whether the use of the e-portfolio during a semester changes the students’ self-efficacy and engagement. For this purpose, an initial sample of 73 students were recruited, and an e-portfolio (based on Mahara) was implemented over a semester. The results showed that performance on the portfolio correlated with the score obtained on multiple choice tests. There was an increase in self-efficacy after one semester of e-portfolio implementation, and engagement proved to be an important predictor of the final course grade through the mediation of individual reflections. These results offer preliminary and promising evidence about the relationship of a specific element of e-portfolios, individual reflections with several variables related to academic achievement such as self-efficacy and engagement

Design of Functional Powdered Beverages Containing Co-Microcapsules of Sacha Inchi P. huayllabambana Oil and Antioxidant Extracts of Camu Camu and Mango Skins

Sacha inchi Plukenetia huayllabambana oil (SIPHO) was co-microencapsulated, by spray drying using gum arabic as a coating material, with antioxidant extracts of camu camu (Myrciaria dubia (HBK) McVaugh) (CCSE) and mango (Mangifera indica) (MSE) skins obtained by ultrasound–microwave-assisted extraction (UMAE). The physicochemical characteristics of the microcapsules, such as, particle size, morphology, and moisture, as well as the encapsulation efficiency, the fatty acid composition, and oxidative stability, were determined in order to select the best formulation for the design of functional powdered beverages. The formulation with the highest amounts of ω3 acids and polyphenols was used to prepare a functional powdered beverage that contained ω3 (52.74%), antioxidant activity (324.80 mg AAE/100 g powder), and acceptable sensory attributes. Resumen: Se co-microencapsuló aceite de sacha inchi Plukenetia huayllabambana (SIPHO), mediante secado por aspersión utilizando goma arábiga como material de recubrimiento, con extractos antioxidantes de camu camu (Myrciaria dubia (HBK) McVaugh) (CCSE) y mango (Mangifera indica) (MSE) pieles obtenidas por extracción asistida por ultrasonido-microondas (UMAE). Se determinaron las características fisicoquímicas de las microcápsulas, tales como tamaño de partícula, morfología y humedad, así como la eficiencia de encapsulación, la composición de ácidos grasos y la estabilidad oxidativa, con el fin de seleccionar la mejor formulación para el diseño de bebidas funcionales en polvo. . La formulación con las mayores cantidades de ácidos ω3 y polifenoles se utilizó para preparar una bebida en polvo funcional que contenía ω3 (52,74 %), actividad antioxidante (324,80 mg AAE/100 g de polvo) y atributos sensoriales aceptables.Instituto de Investigación de Tecnología de Alimentos (ITA)Fil: Chasquibol, Nancy. Universidad de Lima. Instituto de Investigación Científica. Carrera de Ingeniería Industrial. Grupo de Investigación en Alimentos Funcionales; Perú.Fil: Alarcón, Rafael. Universidad de Lima. Instituto de Investigación Científica. Carrera de Ingeniería Industrial. Grupo de Investigación en Alimentos Funcionales; Perú.Fil: Gonzales, Billy Francisco. Universidad de Lima. Instituto de Investigación Científica. Carrera de Ingeniería Industrial. Grupo de Investigación en Alimentos Funcionales; Perú.Fil: Sotelo, Axel. Universidad de Lima. Instituto de Investigación Científica. Carrera de Ingeniería Industrial. Grupo de Investigación en Alimentos Funcionales; Perú.Fil: Landoni, Lourdes. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial; Argentina.Fil: Gallardo, Gabriela Laura. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Investigación Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina.Fil: García, Belén. Universidad Pablo de Olavide. Instituto de la Grasa-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Campus UPO; España.Fil: Pérez-Camino, M. Carmen. Universidad Pablo de Olavide. Instituto de la Grasa-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Campus UPO; España

Infección experimental por Toxoplasma gondii en el primer, segundo y último tercio de gestación en ovejas. Respuesta lesional y distribución del parásito

6 páginas.--Trabajo presentado al: XL Congreso Nacional y el XVI Congreso Internacional de la Sociedad Española de Ovinotecnia y Caprinotecnia. (Castellón de la Plana, España, 16-18 septiembre 2015).Peer Reviewe

The MACC-II 2007–2008 reanalysis: atmospheric dust evaluation and characterization over northern Africa and the Middle East

In the present work, atmospheric mineral dust from a MACC-II short reanalysis run for 2 years (2007–2008) has been evaluated over northern Africa and the Middle East using satellite aerosol products (from MISR, MODIS and OMI satellite sensors), ground-based AERONET data, in situ PM10 concentrations from AMMA, and extinction vertical profiles from two ground-based lidars and CALIOP satellite-based lidar. The MACC-II aerosol optical depth (AOD) spatial and temporal (seasonal and interannual) variability shows good agreement with those provided by satellite sensors. The capability of the model to reproduce the AOD, Ångström exponent (AE) and dust optical depth (DOD) from daily to seasonal time-scale is quantified over 26 AERONET stations located in eight geographically distinct regions by using statistical parameters. Overall DOD seasonal variation is fairly well simulated by MACC-II in all regions, although the correlation is significantly higher in dust transport regions than in dust source regions. The ability of MACC-II in reproducing dust vertical profiles has been assessed by comparing seasonal averaged extinction vertical profiles simulated by MACC-II under dust conditions with corresponding extinction profiles obtained with lidar instruments at M'Bour and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and with CALIOP.This work has been supported by EU-project Monitoring Atmospheric Composition and Climate (MACC-II) under the European Union Seventh Framework Programme, grant agreement number 283576. J. M. Baldasano and S. Basart acknowledge the Severo Ochoa (SEV-2011-00067) program of the Spanish Government and the mobility program from the Catalan Government (BE-DGR 2012)

Foetal periventricular leucomalacia as the main lesion in abortion during the acute phase of ovine toxoplasmosis

Trabajo presentado al: ApiCOWplexa in Farm Animals/ 3rd lnternational Meeting on Apicomplexan Parasites in Farm Animals. (Edimburgo, 30th Junio al 3rd Julio, 2015).Peer Reviewe

Calicophoron daubneyi (Paramphistomidae) in slaughtered cattle in Castilla y León (Spain)

The prevalence and aetiology of natural paramphistomosis was investigated in cattle slaughtered in the Castilla y León region (Spain) over a 3 year-period. The overall prevalence of positive animals was 6.20%. The parasite burden per animal ranged from 8 to 8005 (median = 144) and the ruminal atrium had the highest parasite burden whereas the ruminal dorsal sac the lowest. The prevalence and parasite burden increased with age while these parameters were lower in cattle under intensive management. Calicophoron daubneyi was the only Paramphistomidae species identified using morphoanatomical, histological and molecular methods in the studied animals.This work was supported by grant LE023A10-2 fromJunta de Castilla y León (JCyL). A.M. Martínez-Ibeas was supported by the JCyL andthe European Social Funds (ESF) and J. Benavides by theJAE-Doc programme (CSIC-ESF).Peer Reviewe

Aerosol characterization at the Saharan AERONET site Tamanrasset

More than 2 years of columnar atmospheric aerosol measurements (2006–2009) at the Tamanrasset site (22.79° N, 5.53° E, 1377 m a.s.l.), in the heart of the Sahara, are analysed. Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) level 2.0 data were used. The KCICLO (K is the name of a constant and ciclo means cycle in Spanish) method was applied to a part of the level 1.5 data series to improve the quality of the results. The annual variability of aerosol optical depth (AOD) and Ångström exponent (AE) has been found to be strongly linked to the convective boundary layer (CBL) thermodynamic features. The dry-cool season (autumn and winter) is characterized by a shallow CBL and very low mean turbidity (AOD ~ 0.09 at 440 nm, AE ~ 0.62). The wet-hot season (spring and summer) is dominated by high turbidity of coarse dust particles (AE ~ 0.28, AOD ~ 0.39 at 440 nm) and a deep CBL. The aerosol-type characterization shows desert mineral dust as the prevailing aerosol. Both pure Saharan dust and very clear sky conditions are observed depending on the season. However, several case studies indicate an anthropogenic fine mode contribution from the industrial areas in Libya and Algeria. The concentration weighted trajectory (CWT) source apportionment method was used to identify potential sources of air masses arriving at Tamanrasset at several heights for each season. Microphysical and optical properties and precipitable water vapour were also investigated.The AERONET sun photometer at Tamanrasset has been calibrated within AERONET-EUROPE TNA supported by the PHOTONS and RIMA networks and partially financed by the European Community – Research Infrastructure Action under the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) “Capacities” specific programme for Integrating Activities, ACTRIS grant agreement no. 262254. Financial support from the Spanish MINECO (projects CGL2011-23413, CGL2012-33576 and CGL2012-37505) is also gratefully acknowledged. J. M. Baldasano and S. Basart acknowledge the Supercomputación y eCiencia project (CSD2007-0050) from the Consolider-Ingenio 2010 and Severo Ochoa (SEV-2011-00067) programs of the Spanish Government

Aceite de Lupinus mutabilis obtenido por prensa expeller: Análisis de rendimiento, caracterización fisicoquímica, capacidad antioxidante, ácidos grados y estabilidad oxidativa

The oil of debittered and dehulled grains from two Andean lupins (Lupinus mutabilis) from Peru, Andenes and Común, was extracted by expeller press. The extraction yield and the proximal composition of both varieties were assessed. The oil and the cake, as well as the defatted flour from the variety with the highest extraction yield, were characterised for physico-chemical properties, total polyphenol content and antioxidant capacity. The oil shelf-life at 25 °C was extrapolated by Rancimat test. Andenes presented an oil yield of 22.1% (vs. 18.4% of Común), CIELAB colour coordinates of L* = 36.5, a* = 2.2, b* = 20, refractive index and density at 25 ºC of 1.469 and 0.903 g/mL, acid number of 3.2 mg KOH/g, free fatty acids content of 1.6%, peroxide number of 2.7 meqO2/kg, p-anisidine number of 1.3, unsaponificable content of 58%, total antioxidant capacity 21.4 µmol TE/g and total polyphenol content of 7.0 mg AGE/100 g. The predominant fatty acid, tocopherol and phytosterol in the oil were oleic acid (56.2%), γ-tocopherol (555 mg/kg) and β-sitosterol (41900 mg/100 g), respectively. The oil shelf-life at 25 ºC was 2.7 years. The Lupinus mutabilis oil extracted by expeller presented an acceptable quality with a lower environmental negative impact than the oils obtained by solvent extraction.Se extrajo por prensa expeller el aceite de los granos desamargados y descascarados de las variedades peruanas de tarwi (Lupinus mutabilis “Común” y “Andenes”). Se evaluó el rendimiento de extracción y, composición proximal de ambas variedades. Se caracterizaron propiedades fisicoquímicas, contenido total de polifenoles y capacidad antioxidante del aceite, la torta y la harina desengrasada para la variedad con el mayor rendimiento de extracción. Se extrapoló el tiempo de vida útil del aceite a 25 ºC por el test Rancimat. La variedad andenes presentó un rendimiento de 22,1% m/m (frente al 18,4% m/m de la variedad Común), color CIELAB L*= 36,5; a*= 2,2; b* = 20, índice de refracción a 25 ºC de 1,469, densidad a 25 ºC de 0,903 g/mL, índice de acidez de 3,2 mg KOH/g, ácidos grasos libres de 1,6% m/m, índice de peróxidos de 2,7 meq O2/kg, índice de p-Anisidina de 1,3, contenido de insaponificables del 58,0% m/m, capacidad antioxidante ABTS total de 21,4 µmol TE/g y, contenido de compuestos polifenólicos totales de 7,0 mg AGE/100g. El ácido graso, tocoferol y fitoesterol predominantes en el aceite fueron el ácido oleico (56,2% m/m), el γ-tocoferol (555 mg/kg) y el β-sitosterol (41900 mg/100g), respectivamente. A 25 ºC la vida útil del aceite fue de 2,7 años. El aceite de Lupinus mutabilis extraído por expeller presentó una calidad aceptable, pero con un menor impacto ambiental negativo, en comparación con la extracción de aceites utilizando solventes