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Gamifying educational practices is a trend in the field of education, especially in universities. Knowing which dimensions are significant in active gamified methodologies allows understanding the extent to which a dimension depends on another if there is a correlation between them. Through the GAMEX (gameful experience in gamification) scale, which measures gamified experiences ("Journal of Interactive Marketing," Elsevier 43:98-115, 2018), the aims of this study were to: 1) explore, using the structural equations model, the viability of the GAMEX model formulated to analyse the gamified experience level of university students; and 2) determine the influence of the GAMEX variables on the students' degree of mastery in gamified experiences. The sample was constituted by 405 university students. A structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was carried from a PLS (partial least squares) approach, using SmartPLS software. The results show the reliability of the different constructs considered in the proposed model. The items presented acceptable reliability levels and strong consistency with the dimensions of the model. The model emphasises the multidimensional character of gamified experience and supports the students' mastery over the different gamified experiences.

BACKGROUND: Loneliness has been declared an epidemic associated with negative physical, mental, and cognitive health outcomes such as increased dementia risk. Less is known about the relationship between loneliness and advanced neuroimaging correlates of Alzheimers disease (AD). OBJECTIVE: To assess whether loneliness was associated with advanced neuroimaging markers of AD using neuroimaging data from Framingham Heart Study (FHS) participants without dementia. METHODS: In this cross-sectional observational analysis, we used functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI), amyloid-β (Aβ) PET, and tau PET imaging data collected between 2016 and 2019 on eligible FHS cohort participants. Loneliness was defined as feeling lonely at least one day in the past week. The primary fcMRI marker was Default Mode Network intra-network connectivity. The primary PET imaging markers were Aβ deposition in precuneal and FLR (frontal, lateral parietal and lateral temporal, retrosplenial) regions, and tau deposition in the amygdala, entorhinal, and rhinal regions. RESULTS: Of 381 participants (mean age 58 [SD 10]) who met inclusion criteria for fcMRI analysis, 5% were classified as lonely (17/381). No association was observed between loneliness status and network changes. Of 424 participants (mean age 58 [SD = 10]) meeting inclusion criteria for PET analyses, 5% (21/424) were lonely; no associations were observed between loneliness and either Aβ or tau deposition in primary regions of interest. CONCLUSIONS: In this cross-sectional study, there were no observable associations between loneliness and select fcMRI, Aβ PET, and tau PET neuroimaging markers of AD risk. These findings merit further investigation in prospective studies of community-based cohorts.

Abstract Karst represents approximately 15% of the planet’s surface, hundreds of millions of people live on and rely on these aquifers for water supply and agricultural irrigation. In karstic landscapes, groundwater is exposed in sinkholes, inundated caves, and artesian wells, which are two-way communication spots. When the phreatic level is exposed, the groundwater can change substantially as a result of anthropogenic impacts, modifying the water quality and the environmental integrity by incoming excess nutrients, contaminants, pathogens, and other hazardous substances such as metals and microplastics. In this paper, we develop and test a multimetric index to evaluate the condition status of dolines located within urban areas, including seven indicators: trophic index, fecal bacteria, fecal viruses, microplastics, heavy metals, zooplankton biodiversity, and fish biodiversity. Lastly, we made a proof of concept for the index in the dolines on the island of Cozumel (Mexico), resulting in evaluations from fair to good. The index is powerful due to its sensitivity to pathogens and exotic invasive species. This additive weighted index allows to assess the condition status of dolines in urban areas anywhere in the world; if required, modifications are possible.

This work describes research focused on the recovery of ellagic acid (EA) using solid-state fermentation-assisted extraction (SSF) with Aspergillus niger GH1 and Mexican rambutan peel as support. Several culture conditions (temperature, initial moisture, levels of inoculum, and concentration of salts) were evaluated using a Placket–Burman design (PBD) for screening culture factors followed by a central composite design (CCD) for enhancing the EA. Antioxidant activity and polyphenol content were evaluated in SSF. Temperature (28.2 °C), inoculum (2 × 107 spores/g), and NaNO3 (3.83 g/L) concentration were identified as a significant parameter for EA in SSF. This enhancing procedure resulted in an increase in EA recovery [201.53 ± 0.58–392.23 ± 17.53 mg/g] and, with two steps of purification, [396.9 ± 65.2 mg/g] of EA compound was recovered per gram of recovered powder. Fermentation extracts reflect inhibition of radicals and the presence of polyphenol content. This work proposes to identify the ideal conditions of fermentation in order to obtain a higher yield high-quality compound from agro-industrial wastes through SSF.

This study examines future teachers' self-perception regarding competences related to the environmental impact of digital technologies. The sample includes 1948 participants (235 men and 1713 women) selected through incidental sampling from the Faculty of Education Sciences at the University of Seville. The validated instrument used was the Teacher's Digital Competence and Eco-responsible Use of Technology Scale. Results indicated that the participants had received less than optimal training and had limited knowledge about technologies and their environmental impact. The study concludes that it is necessary to establish training on the development of environmental competences and their link to educational technologies, starting from the institution, with the aim of guaranteeing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Objective: To evaluate and characterize the cognitive changes in COVID-19 participants at 6-month follow-up, and to explore a possible association with clinical symptoms, emotional disturbance and disease severity. Methods: This single-center longitudinal cohort study included participants aged 20 and 60 years old to exclude cognitive impairment age-associated with confirmed COVID-19 infection. The initial evaluation occurred 10 to 30 days after hospital or ambulatory discharge, with a subsequent follow-up at 6 months. Patients who had a history of cognitive impairment, neurological conditions, or serious psychiatric disorders were not included. Information on demographics and laboratory results was gathered from medical records. Cognitive outcomes were assessed with a neuropsychological battery including attention, verbal and visual memory, language and executive function tests. Results: A total of 200 participants were included in the study, and 108 completed the follow-up visit. At the 6-month follow-up, comparing the means from baseline with those of the follow-up evaluation, significant overall improvement was observed in verbal and visual memory subtests (p = 0.001), processing speed (p = 0.001), executive function (p = 0.028; p = 0.016) and naming (p = 0.001), independently of disease severity and cognitive complaints. Anxiety and depression were significantly higher in groups with Subjective Cognitive Complaints (SCC) compared to those without (p < 0.01 for both). Conclusions: Persistent symptoms are common regardless of disease severity and are often linked to cognitive complaints. Six months after COVID-19, the most frequently reported symptoms included headache, dyspnea, fatigue, cognitive complaints, anxiety, and depression. No cognitive impairment was found to be associated with the severity of COVID-19. Overall, neuropsychological and psychopathological improvement was observed at 6 months regardless of disease severity and cognitive complaints.

Abstract Although mangrove forests are great carbon sinks, they also release carbon dioxide (CO2) from soil, plants, and water through respiration. Many studies have focused on CO2 effluxes only from soils, but the role of biogenic structures such as pneumatophore roots has been poorly studied. Hence, CO2 effluxes from pneumatophores were quantified at sediment-air (non-flooded sediment) and water–air (flooded sediment) interfaces along a salinity gradient in three mangrove types (fringe, scrub, and basin) dominated by Avicennia germinans during the dry and rainy seasons in Yucatan, Mexico. Pneumatophore abundance explained up to 91% of CO2 effluxes for scrub, 87% for fringe, and 83% for basin mangrove forests at the water–air interface. Overall, CO2 effluxes were inversely correlated with temperature and salinity. The highest CO2 effluxes were in the fringe and the lowest were in the scrub mangrove forests. Flooding decreased CO2 effluxes from the dry to the rainy season in all mangrove forests. These results highlight the contribution of pneumatophores to mangrove respiration, and the need to include them in our current carbon budgets and models, but considering different exchange interfaces, seasons, and mangrove ecotypes.

BackgroundThere is evidence that major depressive disorder (MDD) comes with multiple cognitive impairments including deficits in perception and memory. Music cognition is one of the least explored cognitive functions in relation to MDD, with some studies pointing to mild amusic deficits. These findings, however, are derived only from performance-based tests. Our objectives were to explore differences in music perception and memory between individuals with MDD and a control group, in both performance test and self-report of amusic dysfunction, and to assess the correlation between these measures.MethodWe recruited 62 participants, including MDD individuals (n = 34) diagnosed with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview and controls (n = 18). All the participants were evaluated with the Montreal Battery for Evaluation of Amusia (MBEA) and the Amusic Dysfunction Inventory (ADI).ResultsNone of the assessed dimensions from the MBEA or the ADI showed statistical differences between groups. Some significant associations were found between ADI's Vocal Production and the MBEA's three tests of the melodic dimension (Scale, Contour and Interval) and between MBEA's Scale and Memory, Meter and ADI's Melodic Perception, and tests of Memory from each respective instrument.ConclusionResults suggest that perception and memory of basic music stimuli are not among the cognitive deficits within MDD, however, they may be indirectly affected by other cognitive phenomena common to this psychopathology, such as poor sustained concentration due to mental fatigue.

Supercritical fluid technology is an advanced field that offers remarkable versatility and it applies to a broad range of processes. However, the scaling-up of the supercritical fluid impregnation process is still scarcely explored. This research investigates the technical analysis of the supercritical fluid impregnation scaling-up of olive (Olea europaea L.) leaf extract into polypropylene (PP) films. The impregnation scale was increased up to 20-fold while maintaining constant ratios among the extract volume, film area, CO2 amount, and vessel geometry. The study compares homogeneity, total extract loading, and ABTS antioxidant activity of impregnated films at both scales. Homogeneity was assessed using CIELAB coordinates and desorption electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (DESI-MS) imaging. Films impregnated at 250 bar and 55 °C for 1 h in 100 ml and 500 ml vessels were uniform in colour, whereas those from the larger vessel were less homogeneous. To evaluate the effect of time on impregnation at the largest scale, impregnation was conducted for 1, 6, 24, and 48 h. Homogeneity and ABTS antioxidant activity improved over time, and DESI-MS images showed a gradual decrease in oleuropein signal intensity over time. After 6 h, PP films achieved a total extract loading of 14.02 mg g−1 of polymer, 23 % ABTS antioxidant activity, with a global diffusion coefficient of the extract compounds in PP films of 3.42 × 10−13 m2 s−1. While this study offers valuable insights into scaling up the supercritical fluid impregnation of olive leaf extract into PP films, several limitations remain. Future research is required for a more comprehensive understanding and practical application of the process.

Marruecos conoció durante muchas décadas unas políticas públicas de desarrollo que apenas tuvieron éxito, y más aún si cabe si se habla en términos sociales. La puesta en marcha de la Iniciativa Nacional para el Desarrollo Humano (INDH) se considera un punto de inflexión en estas políticas en el ámbito de la lucha contra la pobreza y las desigualdades. Con el fin de “descubrir” “las tendencias sectoriales de la INDH, en esta investigación se analiza la intervención de esta Iniciativa en la provincia de Chefchaouen. Para ello, se han examinado todos los proyectos implementados y se ha creado una base de datos en función del volumen de proyectos, inversión total y subvención recibida según sectores. Se destaca la orientación “razonable” hacia la mejora del capital humano, a la educación. Sin embargo, se revela también la insuficiencia de actuaciones en actividades productivas, y la ausencia de otras con enorme potencial, como la turística.

Abstract Background An elevated neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in blood has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, an elevated NLR has also been implicated in many other conditions that are risk factors for AD, prompting investigation into whether the NLR is directly linked with AD pathology or a result of underlying comorbidities. Herein, we explored the relationship between the NLR and AD biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of cognitively unimpaired (CU) subjects. Adjusting for sociodemographics, APOE4, and common comorbidities, we investigated these associations in two cohorts: the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) and the M.J. de Leon CSF repository at NYU. Specifically, we examined associations between the NLR and cross-sectional measures of amyloid-β42 (Aβ42), total tau (t-tau), and phosphorylated tau181 (p-tau), as well as the trajectories of these CSF measures obtained longitudinally. Results A total of 111 ADNI and 190 NYU participants classified as CU with available NLR, CSF, and covariate data were included. Compared to NYU, ADNI participants were older (73.79 vs. 61.53, p

The use of Smartphones, Tablets and Social Networks has grown exponentially in recent years as a means of communicating, interacting, sharing and working collaboratively. Increasingly, young people are recognising that they are establishing a greater relationship with technologies for educational and leisure purposes, to meet new people, create new languages and even to become dependent on them. The aim of our study is to know, analyse and determine the degree of addiction of young people from twelve Spanish universities. To do this, we applied an adaptation of the "Social Media Addiction Scale-Student Form" (SMAS-SF, Sahin, 2018) which was answered by 1870 students from seven Autonomous Communities (Andalusia, Asturias, Castile and Leon, Catalonia, Galicia, Murcia and the Basque Country). The results obtained show significant differences between the young people of the different Autonomous Communities; moreover, the students do not perceive themselves as people addicted to technology and social networks.

Metropolitan Mexico City (MMC) children and young adults exhibit overlapping Alzheimer and Parkinsons’ diseases (AD, PD) and TAR DNA-binding protein 43 pathology with magnetic ultrafine particulate matter (UFPM) and industrial nanoparticles (NPs). We studied magnetophoresis, electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry in 203 brain samples from 14 children, 27 adults, and 27 ALS cases/controls. Saturation isothermal remanent magnetization (SIRM), capturing magnetically unstable FeNPs ̴ 20nm, was higher in caudate, thalamus, hippocampus, putamen, and motor regions with subcortical vs. cortical higher SIRM in MMC ≤ 40y. Motion behavior was associated with magnetic exposures 25–100 mT and children exhibited IRM saturated curves at 50–300 mT associated to change in NPs position and/or orientation in situ. Targeted magnetic profiles moving under AC/AD magnetic fields could distinguish ALS vs. controls. Motor neuron magnetic NPs accumulation potentially interferes with action potentials, ion channels, nuclear pores and enhances the membrane insertion process when coated with lipopolysaccharides. TEM and EDX showed 7–20 nm NP Fe, Ti, Co, Ni, V, Hg, W, Al, Zn, Ag, Si, S, Br, Ce, La, and Pr in abnormal neural and vascular organelles. Brain accumulation of magnetic unstable particles start in childhood and cytotoxic, hyperthermia, free radical formation, and NPs motion associated to 30–50 μT (DC magnetic fields) are critical given ubiquitous electric and magnetic fields exposures could induce motion behavior and neural damage. Magnetic UFPM/NPs are a fatal brain cargo in children’s brains, and a preventable AD, PD, FTLD, ALS environmental threat. Billions of people are at risk. We are clearly poisoning ourselves.

Background Although related, the precise mechanisms linking obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are unclear. Platelets are mediators of CVD risk and thrombosis and prior studies suggested associations of OSA and platelet activity. The aim of this study is to assess the link between OSA, platelet activity, and CVD‐related risk factors. Methods and Results We studied the association of OSA‐measures and platelet aggregation in participants dually enrolled in the SHHS (Sleep Heart and Health Study) and FHS (Framingham Heart Study). We applied linear regression models with adjustment for demographic and clinical covariates and explored interactions with OSA and CVD‐related factors, including age, sex, body mass index, hypertension, OSA diagnosis (apnea‐hypopnea index 4%≥5), and aspirin use. Our final sample was of 482 participants (60 years [14.00], 50.4% female). No associations were observed between apnea‐hypopnea index 4% and platelet aggregation in the main sample. Stratified analysis revealed an association in aspirin users (n=65) for our primary exposure (apnea‐hypopnea index 4%, β=0.523; P

El cierre físico de las instituciones educativas durante la pandemia planteó nuevos retos para los autores educativos que tuvieron que adoptar sobre la marcha nuevas herramientas virtuales para su proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. En este sentido, el presente trabajo analiza de forma cuantitativa el uso de un simulador virtual disponible en la web como una estrategia educativa vinculada a las prácticas de laboratorio desarrolladas durante la pandemia en la asignatura de Microscopía y Microanálisis en una universidad ecuatoriana. Siguiendo las premisas de los docentes para el desarrollo de la práctica, 30 estudiantes experimentaron el manejo del simulador y contestaron a un cuestionario ad hoc, donde se evaluó tanto el uso del simulador como las competencias académicas adquiridas. Los resultados evidencian valores altos positivos en la percepción estudiantil y se concibió al uso del simulador como una experiencia interesante e innovadora. Esto discute el uso de entornos virtuales como una alternativa académica a las disciplinas con un componente práctico.

Este artículo reflexiona sobre las características constitutivas de las identidades políticas en el espacio universitario durante un momento de transición institucional. Este período de la Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México puede ser caracterizado por el consenso sobre la necesidad de modificaciones por parte de los actores universitarios. Aunque coincidieron en el objetivo, las autoridades definieron su proyecto en el eje narrativos de la “revolución”, mientras que los estudiantes organizados lo hicieron en el de la “democracia”; ello les dotó de un bagaje argumental fundado en nociones que los definieron frente a sus oponentes en la geometría política universitaria.

El dossier aborda la complejidad inherente a las identidades políticas de los actores universitarios y los movimientos estudiantiles en la historia reciente de América Latina. Los casos estudiados transcurren entre los años sesenta y finales de los ochenta, período en el cual se desataron grandes cambios político-ideológicos en la región que condicionaron las propias lecturas acerca de las prácticas, los discursos y los símbolos sobre los activismos universitarios y estudiantiles. A partir de la pesquisa de experiencias asociadas a países como Argentina, Brasil, Costa Rica, Chile, Uruguay y México, el dossier procura discutir las ópticas esquemáticas y reconocer la plasticidad que evidencian las identidades políticas de los actores universitarios y estudiantiles, las cuales se despliegan en una gama diversa que abarca derechas e izquierdas, pero también corrientes que no pueden ubicarse fácilmente en clasificaciones dicótomas. Esto con la finalidad de contribuir a una comprensión de las universidades como espacios políticos y de disputa.