Association of periodontal disease with sex hormones levels among men; an analysis of NHANES III data

Background. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of periodontal disease with sex hormones. If periodontal disease is associated with abnormal levels of sex hormones this may indicate a link between periodontal disease and prostate cancer. ^ Methods. All participants were derived from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination survey (NHANES III) data. For the purpose of our study, serum samples for hormones measurements such as testosterone, free testosterone, estradiol, free estradiol and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and periodontal examination data were available for 1,101 of these men. ^ Results. After adjusting for known risk factors, periodontal disease was significantly associated with sex hormones as testosterone, free testosterone, estradiol and free estradiol. The association of periodontal disease and sex hormone levels were not significantly different between ethnicity groups. ^ Discussion. The results indicate the need for further study of periodontal disease and serum levels of testosterone, free testosterone, estradiol and free estradiol in men.^

The role of cardiorespiratory fitness and weight status on 24-hr ambulatory blood pressure among adolescents

BACKGROUND: This observational research study investigated the association of cardiorespiratory fitness and weight status with repeated measures of 24-hr ambulatory blood pressure (24-hr ABP). Little is known about these associations and few data exist examining the interaction between cardiorespiratory fitness and weight status and the contributions of each on 24-hr ABP in youth. ^ METHODS: This research study used secondary analysis data from the "Adolescent Blood Pressure and Anger: Ethnic Differences" study. This current study sample included 374 African-American, Anglo-American, and Mexican-American adolescents 11-16 years of age. Mixed-effects models were used for testing the relationship between weight status and cardiorespiratory fitness and repeated measures of ambulatory blood pressure over 24 hours (24-hr ABP). Weight status was categorized into "normal weight" (BMI<85th percentile), "overweight" (85th≤BMI<95th), and "obese" (BMI≥95th). Cardiorespiratory fitness, determined by heart rate recovery (HRR), was defined as the difference between heart rate at peak exercise and heart rate at two minutes post-exercise, as measured by a height-adjusted step test and stratified into two groups: low and high fitness, using a median split. Ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) was monitored for a 24-hr period on a school day using the Spacelabs ambulatory monitor (Model 90207). Blood pressure and heart rate were recorded at 30 minute intervals throughout the day of recording and at 60 minute intervals during sleep. ^ RESULTS: No significant associations were found between weight status and mean 24-hr systolic blood pressure (SBP) or mean arterial pressure (MAP). A significant and inverse association between weight status and mean 24-hr diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was revealed. Cardiorespiratory fitness was significantly and inversely associated with mean 24-hr ABP. High fitness adolescents had significantly lower mean 24-hr SPB, DBP, and MAP measurements than low fitness adolescents. Compared to low fitness adolescents, high fitness adolescents had 1.90 mmHg, 1.16 mmHg, and 1.68 mmHg lower mean 24-hr SBP, DBP, and MAP, respectively. Additionally, high fitness appeared to afford protection from higher mean 24-hr SBP and MAP, irrespective of weight status. Among normal weight adolescents, low fitness resulted in higher mean 24-hr SBP and MAP, compared to their fit counterparts. Among adolescents categorized as high fitness, increasing weight status did not appear to result in higher mean 24-hr SBP or MAP. Cardiorespiratory fitness, rather than weight status, appeared to be a more dominant predictor of mean 24-hr SBP and MAP. ^ CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this research is the first study to investigate the independent and combined contributions of cardiorespiratory fitness and weight status on 24-hr ABP, all objectively measured. The results of this study may potentially guide and inform future research. It appears that early cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention should focus on improving cardiorespiratory fitness levels among all adolescents, particularly those adolescents least fit, regardless of their weight status, while obesity prevention efforts continue.^

Association of coping styles & adolescent substance use

Adolescent substance use is a serious public health concern with long-lasting consequences. Although specific coping behaviors have been associated with adolescent substance use, less is known about the role of multidimensional coping styles that account for both positive and negative coping behaviors. This study examined the association of coping styles and substance use (alcohol, marijuana, and other illicit drugs) of 1,019 ethnically diverse high school students. Coping styles were categorized by high or low negative coping behaviors (e.g. distraction, social withdrawal, self-criticism, blame others, wishful thinking, resignation, and negative emotional regulation) and high or low positive coping behaviors (e.g. cognitive restructuring, problem-solving, social support, and positive emotional regulation). My hypothesis that high positive coping, regardless of the use of negative coping behaviors, would be protective against substance use was rejected. Logistic regression analyses controlling for age, gender, race, and parent education indicated that adolescents who relied primarily on adaptive coping were 45-67% less likely to report lifetime or past year substance use than any other coping style. However, mixed copers (i.e. high in both positive and negative coping behaviors) were 2 to 3 times as likely to report substance use than their adaptive coping counterparts.^

A New Measurement for International Fragmentation of the Production Process: An International Input-Output Approach

The paper investigates the possibility of constructing a new measurement for analysing international fragmentation of the production process. It asserts that the current usage of relevant data, whether the trade shares of parts and components or the index of Vertical Specialisation, is quite unsatisfactory for measuring the phenomenon, since they critically lack the overall perspective of the entire structure of production chains. 　The new measurement is formulated such that it captures every aspect of the vertical sequence of production linkages. It is based on the input-output model of Average Propagation Lengths, recently developed by Eric Dietzenbacher and others, which show the average number of production stages that are passed through for an exogenous change in one industry to affect another. By applying this model to the data of the Asian International Input-Output Tables, the index is able to measure the international dimension of production sharing and division of labour in East Asia.

Evolution of session RPE and fatigue during a long term nutritional intervention in one professional basketball player

Some evidence shows that the rate of perceived exertion of one session (RPE-S) and fatigue (Fat) of athletes can be decreased by the intake of carbohydrates (HCO) during exercise. However, it is well known that professional athletes do not meet nutritional recommendations (NR) but a long term nutritional intervention (NI) can improve their dietary intake (DI). What is not known is whether these long-term changes in DI can influence RPE-S and Fat of training. Our aim was to conduct a long term NI to adapt the DI of one professional basketball player to current NR and evaluate the influence of these changes on long-term RPE and Fat.

Knowledge spirals, situational leadership and informal learning applied on b-learning methodology

The methodology “b-learning” is a new teaching scenario and it requires the creation, adaptation and application of new learning tools searching the assimilation of new collaborative competences. In this context, it is well known the knowledge spirals, the situational leadership and the informal learning. The knowledge spirals is a basic concept of the knowledge procedure and they are based on that the knowledge increases when a cycle of 4 phases is repeated successively.1) The knowledge is created (for instance, to have an idea); 2) The knowledge is decoded into a format to be easily transmitted; 3) The knowledge is modified to be easily comprehensive and it is used; 4) New knowledge is created. This new knowledge improves the previous one (step 1). Each cycle shows a step of a spiral staircase: by going up the staircase, more knowledge is created. On the other hand, the situational leadership is based on that each person has a maturity degree to develop a specific task and this maturity increases with the experience. Therefore, the teacher (leader) has to adapt the teaching style to the student (subordinate) requirements and in this way, the professional and personal development of the student will increase quickly by improving the results and satisfaction. This educational strategy, finally combined with the informal learning, and in particular the zone of proximal development, and using a learning content management system own in our University, gets a successful and well-evaluated learning activity in Master subjects focused on the collaborative activity of preparation and oral exhibition of short and specific topics affine to these subjects. Therefore, the teacher has a relevant and consultant role of the selected topic and his function is to guide and supervise the work, incorporating many times the previous works done in other courses, as a research tutor or more experienced student. Then, in this work, we show the academic results, grade of interactivity developed in these collaborative tasks, statistics and the satisfaction grade shown by our post-graduate students.

Design of online practical lessons in colorimetry

Applied colorimetry is an important module in the program of the elective subject "Colour Science: industrial applications”. This course is taught in the Optics and Optometry Degree and it has been used as a testing for the application of new teaching and assessment techniques consistent with the new European Higher Education Area. In particular, the main objective was to reduce the attendance to lessons and encourage the individual and collective work of students. The reason for this approach is based on the idea that students are able to work at their own learning pace. Within this dynamic work, we propose online lab practice based on Excel templates that our research group has developed ad-hoc for different aspects of colorimetry, such as conversion to different colour spaces, calculation of perceptual descriptors (hue, saturation, lightness), calculation of colour differences, colour matching dyes, etc. The practice presented in this paper is focused on the learning of colour differences. The session is based on a specific Excel template to compute the colour differences and to plot different graphs with these colour differences defined at different colour spaces: CIE ΔE, CIE ΔE94 and the CIELAB colour space. This template is implemented on a website what works by addressing the student work at a proper and organized way. The aim was to unify all the student work from a website, therefore the student is able to learn in an autonomous and sequential way and in his own pace. To achieve this purpose, all the tools, links and documents are collected for each different proposed activity to achieve guided specific objectives. In the context of educational innovation, this type of website is normally called WebQuest. The design of a WebQuest is established according to the criteria of usability and simplicity. There are great advantages of using WebQuests versus the toolbox “Campus Virtual” available in the University of Alicante. The Campus Virtual is an unfriendly environment for this specific purpose as the activities are organized in different sectors depending on whether the activity is a discussion, an activity, a self-assessment or the download of materials. With this separation, it is more difficult that the student follows an organized sequence. However, our WebQuest provides a more intuitive graphical environment, and besides, all the tasks and resources needed to complete them are grouped and organized according to a linear sequence. In this way, the student guided learning is optimized. Furthermore, with this simplification, the student focuses on learning and not to waste resources. Finally, this tool has a wide set of potential applications: online courses of colorimetry applied for postgraduate students, Open Course Ware, etc.

Evaluation of online tools as didactic resource in the university education

Recently, many efforts have been made in the academic world to adapt the new degrees to the new European Higher Education Area (EHEA). New technologies have been the most important factor to carry out this adaptation. In particular, the tools 2.0 have been spreading quickly, not just the Web 2.0, but even in all the educational levels. Nevertheless, it is now necessary to evaluate whether all these efforts and all the changes, carried out in order to obtain improved academic performance among students, have provided good results. Therefore, the aim of this paper is focused on studying the impact of the implementation of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in a subject belonging to a Master from the University of Alicante in the academic year (2010-2011). In special, it is an elective course called "Advanced Visual Ergonomics" from the Master of Clinical Optometry and Vision. The methodology used to teach this course differs from the traditional one in many respects. For example, one of the resources used for the development of this course is a blog developed specifically to coordinate a series of virtual works, whose purpose is that the student goes into specific aspects of the current topic. Next, the student participates in an active role by writing a personal assessment on the blog. However, in the course planning, there is an attendance to lessons, where the teacher presents certain issues in a more traditional way, that is, with a lecture supported with audiovisual materials, such as materials generated in powerpoint. To evaluate the quality of the results achieved with this methodology, in this work the personal assessment of the students, who have completed this course during this academic year, are collected. In particular, we want to know their opinion about the used resources, as well as the followed methodology. The tool used to collect this information was a questionnaire. This questionnaire evaluates different aspects of the course: a general opinion, quality of the received information, satisfaction about the followed methodology and the student´s critical awareness. The design of this questionnaire is very important to get conclusive information about the methodology followed in the course. The questionnaire has to have an adequate number of questions; whether it has many questions, it might be boring for the student who would pay no enough attention. The questions should be well-written, with a clear structure and message, to avoid confusion and an ambiguity. The questions should be objectives, without any suggestion for a desired answer. In addition, the questionnaire should be interesting to encourage the student´ s interest. In conclusion, this questionnaire developed for this subject provided good information to evaluate whether the methodology was a useful tool to teach "Advanced Visual Ergonomics". Furthermore, the student´s opinion collected by this questionnaire might be very helpful to improve this didactic resource.

Optimisation of analytical methods for the characterisation of oranges, clementines and citrus hybrids cultivated in Spain on the basis of their composition in ascorbic acid, citric acid and major sugars

Three HPLC methods were optimised for the determination of citric acid, succinic acid and ascorbic acid using a photodiode array detector and fructose, glucose and sucrose using a refractive index in twenty eight citrus juices. The analysis was completed in <16 min. Two different harvests were taken into account for this study. For the season 2011, ascorbic acid content was comprised between 19.4 and 59 mg vitamin C/100 mL; meanwhile for the season 2012, the content was slightly higher for most of the samples ranging from 33.5 to 85.3 mg vitamin C/100 mL. Moreover, the citric acid content in orange juices ranged between 9.7 and 15.1 g L−1, while for clementines the content was clearly lower (i.e. from 3.5 to 8.4 g L−1). However, clementines showed the highest sucrose content with values near to 6 g/100 mL. Finally, a cluster analysis was applied to establish a classification of the citrus species.

Changes in Access to Health Services of the Immigrant and Native-Born Population in Spain in the Context of Economic Crisis

Aim: To analyze changes in access to health care and its determinants in the immigrant and native-born populations in Spain, before and during the economic crisis. Methods: Comparative analysis of two iterations of the Spanish National Health Survey (2006 and 2012). Outcome variables were: unmet need and use of different healthcare levels; explanatory variables: need, predisposing and enabling factors. Multivariate models were performed (1) to compare outcome variables in each group between years, (2) to compare outcome variables between both groups within each year, and (3) to determine the factors associated with health service use for each group and year. Results: unmet healthcare needs decreased in 2012 compared to 2006; the use of health services remained constant, with some changes worth highlighting, such as the decline in general practitioner visits among autochthons and a narrowed gap in specialist visits between the two populations. The factors associated with health service use in 2006 remained constant in 2012. Conclusion: Access to healthcare did not worsen, possibly due to the fact that, until 2012, the national health system may have cushioned the deterioration of social determinants as a consequence of the financial crisis. Further studies are necessary to evaluate the effects of health policy responses to the crisis after 2012.

3D teaching: the ideal complement for professionals in design and construction

Today, the requirement of professional skills to university students is constantly increasing in our society. In our opinion, the content offered in official degrees need to be nourished with different variables, enriching their global professional knowledge in a parallel way; that is why, in recent years, there is a great multiplicity of complementary courses at university. One of the most socially demanded technical requirements within the architectural, design or engineering field is the management of 3D drawing software, becoming an indispensable reality in these sectors. Thus, this specific training becomes essential over two-dimension traditional design, because the inclusion of great possibilities of spatial development that go beyond conventional orthographic projections (plans, sections or elevations), allowing modelling and rotation of the selected items from multiple angles and perspectives. Therefore, this paper analyzes the teaching methodology of a complementary course for those technicians in the construction industry interested in computer-aided design, using modelling (SketchupMake) and rendering programs (Kerkythea). The course is developed from the technician point of view, by learning computer management and its application to professional development from a more general to a more specific view through practical examples. The proposed methodology is based on the development of real examples in different professional environments such as rehabilitation, new constructions, opening projects or architectural design. This multidisciplinary contribution improves criticism of students in different areas, encouraging new learning strategies and the independent development of three-dimensional solutions. Thus, the practical implementation of new situations, even suggested by the students themselves, ensures active participation, saving time during the design process and the increase of effectiveness when generating elements which may be represented, moved or virtually tested. In conclusion, this teaching-learning methodology improves the skills and competencies of students to face the growing professional demands of society. After finishing the course, technicians not only improved their expertise in the field of drawing but they also enhanced their capacity for spatial vision; both essential qualities in these sectors that can be applied to their professional development with great success.

Workshops in “Construction of Structures I”: A new teaching methodology in the Building Engineering Degree

Both the current economic situation in the construction sector and the continuous normative changes in the building area imply the use of new methodologies to enhance students’ competences in the degree of Building Engineer. The aim of this paper is to present, analyse and discuss the development of constructive workshops as a new teaching methodology used in the subject of Construction of Structures I at the University of Alicante to complement the constructive and technical knowledge acquired by our students and to enhance their communicative and representation skills essential for their professional practice in the future. The used methodology is based on the development of three-dimensional construction details (in groups of 3 or 4 students) to be shown in two A1-pannels exposed in the corridors of the Polytechnic School. Thus, students’ work approaches constructive problems in a global way by discussing simultaneously with teachers and other groups about the most suitable solution on each case. This contribution has multiperspective results and improves criticism of students in different areas, encouraging new learning strategies and active participation. What is more, on-line information and web applications have been used to prepare and organize this kind of workshops, allowing students to use new technologies as a complementary learning methodology. In conclusion, the use of these new workshops in the Degree of Building Engineer stimulates an interactive class versus a traditional lecture where the participative groups´ attitude and the development of oral presentations dissolve the traditional boundaries regarding public communication skills of the students in the Degree.

Construction of Structures I in Moodle: a new teaching methodology in the Degree of Building Engineer

The subject of Construction of Structures I studies, from a constructive point of view and taking into account current legislation, reinforced concrete structures used in buildings, through the acquisition of knowledge and construction criteria required in the profession of a Technical Architect. The contents acquired in this course are essential for further professional development of technicians and are closely related to many of the subjects taught in the same or other courses of the Degree in Technical Architecture at the University of Alicante. The aim of this paper is to present, analyze and discuss the development of a new methodology proposed in the mentioned subject, as it supposed an important change in the traditional way of teaching Construction and Structures I. In order to incorporate new teaching tools in 2013-2014, the course has been implemented by using a Moodle software tool to promote blended learning with online exercises. Our Moodle community allows collaborative work within an open-source platform where teachers and students share a new and personalized learning environment. Students are easily used to the interface and the platform, value the constant connection with teachers or other fellows and completely agree with the possibility of making questions or share documents 24 hours a day. The proposed methodology consists of lectures and practical classes. In the lectures, the basics of each topic are discussed; class attendance, daily study and conducting scheduled exercises are indispensable. Practical classes allow to consolidate the knowledge gained in theory classes by solving professional exercises and actual construction problems related to structures, that shall be compulsorily delivered online. So, after the correction of the teacher and the subsequent feedback of students, practical exercises ensure lifelong learning of the student, who can download any kind of material at any time (constructive details, practical exercises and even corrected exams). Regarding the general evaluation system, goals achievement is assessed on an ongoing basis (65% of the final mark) along the course through written and graphic evidences in person and online, as well as a individual development of a workbook. In all cases, the acquisition of skills, the ability to synthesize, the capacity of logical and critical thinking are assessed. The other 35 % of the mark is evaluated by a complementary graphic exam. Participation in the computing platform is essential and the student is required to do and present, at least 90% of the practices proposed. Those who do not comply with the practices in each specific date could not be assessed continuously and may only choose the final exam. In conclusion, the subject of Construction of Structures I is essential in the development of the regulated profession of Technical Architect as they are considered, among other professional profiles, as specialists in construction of building structures. The use of a new communication platform and online teaching allows the acquisition of knowledge and constructive approaches in a continuous way, with a more direct and personal monitoring by the teacher that has been highly appreciated by almost 100% of the students. Ultimately, it is important to say that the use of Moodle in this subject is a very interesting tool, which was really well welcome by students in one of the densest and important subjects of the Degree of Technical Architecture.

Development of multidisciplinary workshops between different subjects as an innovative teaching methodology for the acquisition of professional skills of the future architect

The implantation of the new Architecture Degree and the important normative changes in the building sector imply the need to use new teaching methodologies that enhance skills and competences in order to response to the increasing requirements demanded by society to the future architect. The aim of this paper is to present, analyze and discuss the development of multidisciplinary workshops as a new teaching methodology used in several Construction subjects of the Architecture Degree in the University of Alicante. Workshops conceived with the aim to synthesize and complement the technical knowledge acquired by the students during the Degree and to enhance the skills and competencies necessary for the professional practice. With that purpose, we decided to experiment on current subjects of the degree during this academic year, by applying the requirements defined in the future Architecture Degree in a practical way, through workshops between different subjects, superposing the technical knowledge with the resolution of constructive problems in the development of an architectural project. Developing these workshops between subjects we can dissolve the traditional boundaries between different areas of the Degree. This multidisciplinary workshop methodology allows the use of all the global knowledge acquired by students during their studies and at the same time, it enhances students’ ability to communicate and discuss their ideas and solutions in public. It also increases their capacity of self-criticism, and it foments their ability to undertake learning strategies and research in an autonomous way. The used methodology is based on the development of a practical work common to several subjects of different knowledge areas within the "Technology Block" of the future Architecture Degree. Thus, students work approaching the problem in a global way discussing simultaneously with teachers from different areas. By using these new workshops we stimulate an interactive class versus a traditional lecture. Work is evaluated continuously, valuing the participative pupil´s attitude, working in groups in class time, reaching weekly objectives and stimulating the individual responsibility and positive interdependence of the pupil inside the working group. The exercises are designed to improve students’ ability to transmit their ideas and solutions in public, knowing how to discuss and defend their technical resolutions to peers and teachers (Peer Reviewing), their capacity for self-criticism and their capacity to undertake strategies and autonomous learning processes at the same time they develop a personal research into new technologies, systems and materials. Students have shown their majority preference for this teaching methodology by the multidisciplinary workshops offered in the last years, with very satisfactory academic results. In conclusion, it can be verified nowadays the viability of the introduction of new contents and new teaching methodologies necessary for the acquisition of the skills in the future Architecture Degree, through workshops between several subjects that have had a great acceptance in students and positive contrasted academic results.

Report of ... annual meeting of the National Association of Commissioners of Agriculture.

Description based on: 1919; title from cover.