Health-Related Quality of Life in Spanish Schoolchildren and Its Association with the Fitness Status and Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) allows knowing the subject’s feelings in distress and well-being, as well as perception of current and future health. Objective: To assess associations between health-related quality of life, fitness status, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet in Spanish children and adolescents. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in a sample of 305 (47.2% women) children and adolescents aged between 8 and 16 years, in the primary and secondary schools of the province of Ávila (central Spain) (NCT05380674). Subjects were classified according to their quality of life: group 1 (highest quality of life) > group 2 (medium quality of life) > group 3 (lowest quality of life). Results: More participants in group 1 showed higher adherence to Mediterranean diet (70.8%) than other groups (group 2: 55.0%; group 3: 43.4%). It was less likely to find optimal levels of muscle strength as quality of life decreased (OR; 95% CI: group 2: 0.535; 0.303−0.955; and group 3: 0.424; 0.234−0.768). Similar trends were found for speed and agility, but only group 3 showed significant results (OR; 95% CI: group 3: 0.297; 0.162−0.545). Flexibility was also the worst in groups 2 and 3 (OR; 95% CI: G2: 0.403; 0.213−0.762; and group 3: 0.520; 0.282−0.958). Conclusion: High fitness status and adherence to the Mediterranean diet were associated with improved health-related quality of life in schoolchildren of central Spain.

Prenatal histomorphological development of the reticulum in fallow deer (Dama dama)

The histomorphological changes occurring in the Dama dama reticulum during prenatal development have been investigated. Twenty-five Dama dama embryos were used, from the first stages of prenatal life until birth. Differentiation of the reticulum was observed at 23% gestation. By 25% gestation the reticular wall comprised three layers: an internal epithelial layer, a middle layer of pluripotential blastemic tissue and an external layer or serosa. Primary reticular crests were visible at 38% gestation. Secondary reticular crests were observed at 61% gestation. Neuroendocrine cells were detected by synaptophysin (SYP) at 35% gestation, in the lamina propria-submucosa, tunica muscularis, and serosa. Epithelial Cytokeratin-18 (CK-18) cells were observed at 35% gestation extended throughout the epithelial layers. The glial cells (vimentin -VIM- and glial fibrillary acidic protein-GFAP-markers) were discerned at 25% and 43% gestation, respectively, in myenteric and submucosal plexuses, lamina propria, muscularis mucosae, tunica muscularis, and perivascular connective tissue. The neuropeptide Y (NPY) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) markers were immunodetected at 75% and 80 gestation, respectively, in the lamina propria-submucosa, muscularis mucosae, tunica muscularis, serosa, and myenteric plexuses. The prenatal development of the fallow deer reticular mucosa evidenced a considerable precocity similar to that previously reported in goat and red deer.

Prenatal histomorphological development of the rumen in Dama dama

This work studies the morphological changes taking place in the Dama dama rumen during prenatal development using histomorphometrics, surface microstructure and immunohistochemistry analysis as well as carrying out a comparative analysis of this species with other wild (red deer) and domestic-type ruminants. A total of 25 fallow deer embryos and fetuses were used, from the first stage of prenatal life until birth. The appearance of the rumen from the primitive gastric tube was observed at 51 days of prenatal life (CRL 3 cm, 21% gestation). By 57 days (CRL 4.3 cm, 24% gestation) the ruminal wall comprised three layers: an internal epithelial layer, a middle layer of pluripotential blastemic tissue and an external layer or serosa. Ruminal pillars were visible at 72 days (CRL 6 cm, 30% gestation), and by 85 days (CRL 7.2 cm, 35% gestation) ruminal papillae were starting to appear. Under scanning electron microscopy, by 80 days (CRL 7 cm, 33% gestation) small ruminal papillae were observed protruding from the surface. Morphometric results showed accelerated growth of the epithelial layer and the tunica muscularis at 180 days (75% gestation). By contrast, the growth-rate of the lamina propria and submucosa declined from the early embryonic stages until birth. The serosa maintained a steady rate of growth until birth. Neuroendocrine cells (synaptophysin) were detected at 85 days (CRL 7.2 cm CRL, 35% gestation), while glial cell markers (glial fibrillary acidic protein and vimentin) were found at 108 days (CRL 31 cm, 45% gestation) and 63 days (CRL 4.4 cm, 26% gestation) respectively. Neuropeptide Y and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide were detected immunohistochemically at 180 days (CRL 33 cm, 75% gestation) and 192 days (CRL 35 cm, 80% gestation) respectively. In comparison to other wild and domestic-type ruminants, histomorphogenesis of the rumen in Dama dama was similar to that reported in red deer and goats, but rather slower than that observed for sheep or cattle.

Predicting the effectiveness of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy on urinary tract stones. Risk groups for accurate retreatment

INTRODUCTION

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is a non-invasive, safe and effective treatment for urinary tract lithiasis. Its effectiveness varies depending on the location and size of the stones as well as other factors; several sessions are occasionally required. The objective is to attempt to predict its success or failure, when the influential variables are known beforehand.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We analysed 211 patients who had had previous CT scans and were treated with ESWL between 2010 and 2014. The influential variables in requiring retreatment were studied using binary logistic regression models (univariate and multivariate analysis): maximum density, maximum diameter, area, location, disintegration and distance from the adipose panniculus. With the influential variables, a risk model was designed by assessing all possible combinations with logistic regression (version 20.0 IBM SPSS).

RESULTS

The independent influential variables on the need for retreatment are: maximum density >864HU, maximum diameter >7.5mm and pyelocaliceal location. Using these variables, the best model includes 3risk groups with a probability of requiring significantly different retreatment: group 1-low risk (0 variables) with 20.2%; group 2-intermediate risk (1-2 variables) with 49.2%; and group 3-high risk (3 variables) with 62.5%.

CONCLUSIONS

The density, maximum diameter and pyelocaliceal location of the stones are determinant factors in terms of the effectiveness of treatment with ESWL. Using these variables, which can be obtained in advance of deciding on a treatment, the designed risk model provides a precise approach in choosing the most appropriate treatment for each particular case.

Neural networks applied to discriminate botanical origin of honeys

The aim of this work is develop a tool based on neural networks to predict the botanical origin of honeys using physical and chemical parameters. The managed database consists of 49 honey samples of 2 different classes: monofloral (almond, holm oak, sweet chestnut, eucalyptus, orange, rosemary, lavender, strawberry trees, thyme, heather, sunflower) and multifloral. The moisture content, electrical conductivity, water activity, ashes content, pH, free acidity, colorimetric coordinates in CIELAB space (L(∗), a(∗), b(∗)) and total phenols content of the honey samples were evaluated. Those properties were considered as input variables of the predictive model. The neural network is optimised through several tests with different numbers of neurons in the hidden layer and also with different input variables. The reduced error rates (5%) allow us to conclude that the botanical origin of honey can be reliably and quickly known from the colorimetric information and the electrical conductivity of honey.

The effects of question-generation training on metacognitive knowledge, self regulation and learning approaches in science

BACKGROUND

Although much research has examined the impact of question generation on students' reading comprehension and learning from lectures, far less research has analysed its influence on how students learn and study science. The present study aims to bridge this knowledge gap.

METHOD

Using a quasi-experimental design, three complete ninth-grade science classes, with a total of 72 students, were randomly assigned to three conditions (groups): (G1) questioning-training by providing prompts; (G2) question-generation without any explicit instruction; and (G3) no question control. Participants' pre-test and post-test self-reported measures of metacognitive knowledge, self-regulation and learning approaches were collected and data analysed with multivariate and univariate analyses of covariance.

RESULTS

(a) MANCOVA revealed a significant effect for group; (b) ANCOVAs showed the highest average gains for G1 and statistically significant between-group differences in the two components of metacognition: metacognitive knowledge and self-regulation; and (c) the direction of these differences seemed to vary in each of these components.

CONCLUSIONS

Question-generation training influenced how students learned and studied, specifically their metacognition, and it had a medium to large effect size, which was somewhat related to the prompts used.

In vitro inhibition of mycelial growth of Phytophthora nicotianae Breda de Haan from different hosts by Brassicaceae species. Effect of the developmental stage of the biofumigant plants

BACKGROUND

The hydrolysis products of glucosinolates in Brassicaceae tissues are potentially useful for the control of fungal pathogens. The in vitro activity of these products against Phytophthora nicotianae Breda de Haan was studied, with the isolates exposed to the volatile products released from the brassica tissues.

RESULTS

The four species of Brassicaceae tested inhibited the mycelial growth of P. nicotianae isolates. The most effective developmental stage was different, depending on the species: buds yellowing in Sinapis alba L. and Brassica carinata A. Braun; seeds enlarging and all buds open in Brassica nigra (L.) W.D.J. Koch; cauliflower still covered by leaves in Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis. At this stage, B. nigra and S. alba were the most effective (53.6 and 52.5% inhibition respectively). With all the biofumigants species tested, isolates from pepper plants were more susceptible to the brassica effect than those from tomato isolates.

CONCLUSION

The developmental stage of plants has an influence on the biofumigant potential of Brassicaceae species against P. nicotianae. The isolates differ in susceptibility to compounds released, depending on their host of origin, suggesting the differentiation of populations of P. nicotianae in relation to the host of origin.