Effect of fibers and whole grain content on quality attributes

Incorporation of fiber in cereals may lead to quality issues, thus decreasing consumer acceptance. This is partially due to deterioration of the microstructure, one of the primary quality attributes of cereals. The objective of this study was to better understand the mechanisms by which dietary fibers affect the quality of cereal products during extrusioncooking. The study quantified the effect of amount and type of fiber and whole grain on (i) texture, (ii) structure, and (iii) rehydration properties of extruded cereals. New innovative methods were applied and combined with traditional techniques to characterize both the structure and the rehydration properties. Extruded cereals were produced using a starch-based recipe (whole and wheat flours) and two sources of fibers (oat bran concentrate and wheat bran). The oat and wheat bran levels used in this study were 0, 10, and 20%. The different mixtures were extruded in a pilot twinscrew extruder BC21 (Clextral) and then sugar coated after drying. Mechanical properties of extruded cereals were investigated by compression test. The cellular structure was observed by X-ray tomography. The quality of coating (thickness, homogeneity) was analyzed by optical coherence tomography. The rehydration properties of such cereals in milk were evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging and optical coherence tomography. This work revealed that structure assessment of extruded cereals may lead to a better understanding of the effect of fiber addition on texture and rehydration properties. The application of innovative methods, such as optical coherence tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, was found to be useful to quantify the structural properties.

Motivating Young Students to Start a Career in Nuclear: The Basic Course of Science and Nuclear Technology, An Educational Activity of Spanish Young Generation in Nuclear (JÓVENES NUCLEARES)

The main objective of this course, conducted by Jóvenes Nucleares (Spanish Young Generation in Nuclear, JJNN), a non-profit organization that depends on the Spanish Nuclear Society (SNE) is to pass on basic knowledge about Science and Nuclear Technology to the general public, mostly students and introduce them to its most relevant points. The purposes of this course are to provide general information, to answer the most common questions about Nuclear Energy and to motivate the young students to start a career in nuclear. Therefore, it is directed mainly to high school and university students, but also to general people that wants to learn about the key issues of such an important matter in our society. Anybody could attend the course, as no specific scientific education is required. The course is done at least once a year, during the Annual Meeting of the Spanish Nuclear Society, which takes place in a different Spanish city each time. The course is done also to whichever university or institution that asks for it to JJNN, with the only limit of the presenter´s availability. The course is divided into the following chapters: Physical nuclear and radiation principles, Nuclear power plants, Nuclear safety, Nuclear fuel, Radioactive waste, Decommission of nuclear facilities, Future nuclear power plants, Other uses of nuclear technology, Nuclear energy, climate change and sustainable development. The course is divided into 15 minutes lessons on the above topics, imparted by young professionals, experts in the field that belongs either to the Spanish Young Generation in Nuclear, either to companies and institutions related with nuclear energy. At the end of the course, a 200 pages book with the contents of the course is handed to every member of the audience. This book is also distributed in other course editions at high schools and universities in order to promote the scientific dissemination of the Nuclear Technology. As an extra motivation, JJNN delivers a course certificate to the assistants. At the end of the last edition course, in Santiago de Compostela, the assistants were asked to provide a feedback about it. Some really interesting lessons were learned, that will be very useful to improve next editions of the course. As a general conclusion of the courses it can be said that many of the students that have assisted to the course have increased their motivation in the nuclear field, and hopefully it will help the young talents to choose the nuclear field to develop their careers

CRYPT4YOU y la utilidad de los MOOCs en la formación online en lengua española.

En los últimos dos años la formación online ha experimentado un auge significativo gracias al paradigma de formación denominado MOOC (Massive Open Online Course). Un MOOC simplifica la formación a distancia gracias a sus características de abierto, colaborativo, masivo y gratuito. Por desgracia en lengua española la utilización de este tipo de recurso formativo todavía es minoritaria. La presente investigación recoge una experiencia de innovación educativa en la que se destaca el diseño, implementación y difusión del primer MOOC en lengua española dedicado a la seguridad de la información por parte de la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Esta experiencia aborda las ventajas e inconvenientes de este tipo de recurso formativo, debatiendo aspectos vitales para la elaboración prolongada de cursos tipo MOOC, como son la interactividad y retroalimentación con los usuarios del curso o la forma más adecuada de representar el contenido docente. Todas estas cuestiones reciben respuesta en el MOOC Crypt4you, que con más de 10 meses de vida permite vislumbrar un gran éxito de este tipo de cursos en la formación, al menos en lengua española, de hispanohablantes. ABSTRACT In the last two years, online training has boomed thanks to significant training paradigm called MOOC (Massive Open Online Course). A MOOC simplifies remote training thanks to its open, collaborativend free mass features. Unfortunately, the use of this kind of learning resource in Spanish teaching is still a minority. This research includes an educational experience which emphasizes the design, implementation and dissemination of the first Spanish-language MOOC devoted to information security by the Technical University of Madrid. This experiment addresses the advantages and disadvantages of this kind of learning resource discussing critical issues for developing type MOOC prolonged courses, such as interactivity and feedback from users of the course or the most appropriate way of representing the educational content. All these questions are answered in the MOOC Crypt4you which, over its 10 months of life, can glimpse a great success of this type of training course, at least in Spanish, Spanish-speakers.

An Online Course on the History of Algorithms.

This paper describes the objectives, content, learning methodology and results of an online course on the History of Algorithms for engineering students at Polytechnic University of Madrid (UPM). This course is conducted in a virtual environment based on Moodle, with a student-centred educational model which includes a detailed planning of learning activities. Our experience indicates that this subject is highly motivating for students and the virtual environment facilitates competencies development

A holistic experience in the integrated learning of specialized English and content in Engineering degrees

This paper aims to outline a theory-based Content and Language Integrated Learning course and to establish the rationale for adopting a holistic approach to the teaching of languages in tertiary education. Our work focuses on the interdependence between Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), and the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), in particular regarding the learning of English within the framework of Telecommunications Engineering. The study first analyses the diverse components of the instructional approach and the extent to which this approach interrelates with technologies within the context of what we have defined as a holistic experience, since it also aims to develop a set of generic competences or transferable skills. Second, an example of a course project framed in this holistic approach is described in order to exemplify the specific actions suggested for learner autonomy and CLIL. The approach provides both an adequate framework as well as the conditions needed to carry out a lifelong learning experience within our context, a Spanish School of Engineering. In addition to specialized language and content, the approach integrates the learning of skills and capacities required by the new plans that have been established following the Bologna Declaration in 1999.