Search Results (312)

Background/objectives: The interplay between genetic factors and nutritional patterns is critical in understanding metabolic health. This analysis evaluated the potential reciprocal relationships between the TNF-α -308 G/A gene polymorphism, the Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index (CDAI), and insulin-related variables in Spanish adults with obesity. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted in 292 adults with obesity. Anthropometric, biochemical, and dietary variables were assessed. TNF-α -308 G/A genotyping was performed. Associations and potential interactions between CDAI and genotype on insulin and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were examined using multivariate regression and two-way ANOVA. Results: Higher CDAI scores were significantly associated with lower insulin levels (p < 0.001) and HOMA-IR (p < 0.001), regardless of genotype. Carriers of the A allele (GA/AA) showed a non-significant trend toward higher insulin levels (p = 0.087) and a steeper decrease in insulin levels with increasing CDAI, with a significant interaction observed between TNF-α genotype and CDAI (interaction p = 0.003). Multivariate analyses confirmed that CDAI and TNF-α genotype were independently associated with insulin and HOMA-IR levels. However, interaction terms were not consistently significant across all models. Conclusions: These findings emphasize the potential of antioxidant-rich diets to help modulate the influence of pro-inflammatory genotypes on insulin resistance, highlighting the relevance of integrating genetic and dietary factors in managing obesity-related metabolic risks. Further studies are warranted to confirm these preliminary findings and to better understand the mechanisms underlying gene–diet interactions in metabolic regulation. Full article

The transition towards adulthood represents a complex period in which the development of personal identity culminates in young adults, whilst, at the same time, many undertake university studies in order to access the job market. The aim of the present study was to analyse the associations between self-concept, motivation, and learning strategies in the Spanish university context using structural equations to examine sex as a modifying factor. A descriptive, cross-sectional, and ex post facto study was conducted with a representative sample of 2736 students. The results revealed a positive association between academic self-concept and the three basic psychological needs, with the needs of autonomy and competence being of particular importance amongst the males. It was determined that the satisfaction of all of the needs favoured the development of learning strategies in both genders, with the exception of the need for relatedness, which was not relevant. Finally, it was demonstrated that the females employed better elaboration strategies, whilst the males were better able to regulate effort. It can, therefore, be concluded that the promotion of self-determined motivation favours the development of a positive self-image and learning strategies, with it being crucial for students to be intrinsically motivated. This may help university students avoid dropping out from degree courses. Full article

This study addresses a critical deficiency in real estate management by examining how contractual arrangements between property owners and facility managers (FMs) can mitigate reputational damage arising from third-party liability incidents. While Spanish regulations impose comprehensive conservation and maintenance duties on property owners, current contractual frameworks inadequately protect owners from reputational risks when damages occur due to FMs’ negligence or operational failures. This conceptual study employs a systematic analysis of 16 Spanish regulations governing real estate conservation and maintenance duties, complemented by an examination of the statutory contract law and a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis to evaluate the proposed solutions. The analysis reveals four distinct liability attribution blocks, ranging from quasi-objective owner liability to full objective installation holder liability. Current service contracts between owners and FMs provide insufficient reputational protection, as civil liability remains with the property owners regardless of the FMs’ performance. This study identifies specific contractual mechanisms—combining statutory work contracts with representative mandates and installation ownership transfers—that effectively redirect tort liability from owners to FMs. While this study focuses on Spanish regulatory frameworks as a methodologically necessary foundation for theoretical development, the conceptual framework provides transferable mechanisms for adaptation to other civil law jurisdictions. This study constitutes the first comprehensive analysis bridging legal architecture and facility management to propose novel liability transfer mechanisms within established frameworks. Full article

Trans fats are linked to numerous chronic diseases and cellular dysfunction; however, Spain has not implemented effective regulatory measures to restrict their presence in food products. This study addressed these gaps by analyzing trans fat content in commercial pastries sold in Spain and their biological impacts on mesenchymal stem cells, further examining its compliance with international guidelines. Also, a novel and scalable method for extracting fatty acids from pastry samples was developed and applied, enabling precise analysis using gas chromatography alongside sensory property assessments. The findings revealed significant variability in TFA levels across samples. To assess the biological implications of these TFAs, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) were cultured to perform dose–response experiments using two selected pastry samples with the highest TFA content. Cellular adhesion, cytotoxicity, and proliferation were evaluated through MTT assays, bright-field, and fluorescence staining using FITC and DAPI markers. Results demonstrated dose-dependent impacts of TFAs on MSC viability, including reduced adhesion and proliferation alongside increased cytotoxicity. This study underlines the need for stricter regulatory frameworks to monitor TFA levels worldwide, including in Spain’s food industry. Additionally, it highlights the potential health risks associated with excessive TFA consumption, particularly concerning cellular health and growth mechanisms, which provide insights into its potential bioaccumulation implications. These findings provide a foundation for further research into dietary guidelines and industrial practices aimed at minimizing TFA exposure while promoting public health safety. Full article

The present study addresses the need for valid and reliable tools to assess employability thinking among young people in training. In a labor market increasingly shaped by transversal skill demands, the objective was to construct and validate a scale adapted for secondary and post-secondary non-tertiary students. Grounded in strategic frameworks such as the Europe 2020 Strategy, the European Skills Agenda, and relevant Spanish legislation, an abbreviated version of the Graduate Skills and Attributes Scale (GSAS) was administered to a representative sample of 949 Andalusian students enrolled in compulsory secondary education, baccalaureate, or vocational training. A cross-sectional and exploratory research design was adopted, with all procedures conducted in accordance with ethical and legal standards and approved by the University of Granada’s ethics committee. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed, leading to a refined 28-item version of the instrument. Items were grouped into four well-defined factors: ethical self-regulation and achievement orientation, effective communication and collaborative working, proactivity and commitment to learning, and analytical thinking and information handling. The factors demonstrated high internal consistency and structural validity. These findings indicate that the scale is a clear and effective tool for assessing employability-related competencies and may assist in the design of educational interventions aimed at improving students’ professional development. Full article

Background/Objectives: The co-occurrence of Attention-deficit/hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is very common and worsens adaptive functioning. This systematic review evaluates both pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions in this underserved population. Methods: Registered on PROSPERO (CRD42024526157), a systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science until 5 April 2025. The review includes (a) pilot studies and RCTs, (b) participants aged <18 years, (c) diagnoses of ASD and ADHD based on DSM-IV/V or ICD-9/10, (d) at least one group receiving any intervention, and (e) publications in English, Italian, Spanish, or German. Newcastle Ottawa Scale tools for non-randomized studies and the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tools for randomized controlled trials were used to assess studies’ quality. Results: A total of 32 studies were included: 87.5% concerning pharmacological treatments. Specifically, methylphenidate (MPH, n = 11), atomoxetine (ATX, n = 11), guanfacina (n = 4), clonidine (n = 1), or atypical antipsychotics (n = 1) were examined. MPH and ATX were most frequently studied, with both showing positive effects in reducing ADHD core symptoms compared to placebo. ATX also reduces stereotyped behaviors and social withdrawal, although more withdrawals due to adverse events (AEs) were reported for ATX than MPH. Four studies (12.5%) examined non-pharmacological interventions, including treatment with virtual reality tools, digital platforms, educational animations, and biomedical protocols; improvements in emotion recognition, behavioral regulation, attention, and social functioning were found. Conclusions: While limited data prevent definitive conclusions, MPH and ATX appear to be relatively safe and effective on hyperactivity-impulsivity symptoms, even in individuals with ASD. Evidence on non-pharmacological treatments is limited, and further studies are needed to better establish their therapeutic potential. Full article

Background: MSLQ is a self-report instrument that measures motivational orientations and learning strategies of college students and is widely used to measure self-regulated learning. MSLQ has not been translated into Spanish and validated in the Spanish-speaking Latin American population. Objective: The objective of the study is to adapt, validate, and perform a factorial reduction of 9 out of 15 scales of the MSLQ instrument and correlate the scales with the grade point average (GPA) of a sample of health sciences university students. Methods: Nine scales (48 items) of the MSLQ were translated into Spanish and adapted to the Mexican population. Students were invited directly in their classrooms and filled out an electronic questionnaire with personal variables and these nine scales of the MSLQ instrument. We performed exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (EFA and CFA) and based on the EFA a reduced version of the instrument was proposed. Results: A total of 439 students were included. The CFA showed unacceptable fit parameters with the original scale, therefore an item reduction and rearrangement were performed according to the EFA, and this yielded a reduced version with six scales and 25 items which showed acceptable fit parameters. This new reduced version rearranged the items of the effort regulation scale (ERE) into two different scales newly created in this version: time regulation (TRE) and self-regulation (SRE). The scales that disappeared in the reduced version were: intrinsic goal orientation (IGO), meta-cognitive self-regulation (MSR), and elaboration (ELA). Conclusions: The reduced version showed acceptable fit parameters that included the creation of two new scales (TRE and SRE). In addition, two scales were reduced (TVA and CTH), three scales were modified (MSE, TSE and ERE), two were unmodified (RHE and ORG), and two scales were eliminated (IGO and ELA). Full article

The estrous cycle involves hormonal fluctuations that influence serotonin (5-HT) concentrations and immune cell activity. During the follicular phase, estrogen increases 5-HT synthesis, enhancing cellular responses to inflammation. In contrast, in the luteal phase, progesterone suppresses immune function, reducing 5-HT availability. Age-related changes in hormone concentrations can affect these processes, potentially altering cellular responses and 5-HT dynamics in the oldest females. This study hypothesizes the relationship between 5-HT and blood cells in healthy cyclic mares, considering age as an influencing factor. Understanding these interactions offers insights into reproductive health and immune regulation in equine species. The aim was to describe the interaction between 5-HT and blood cells in twenty-five healthy cyclic Spanish Purebred mares, evaluating the effect of aging. For this purpose, the mares were classified into two age groups as follows: from 4 to 9 years (n = 12 younger mares) and from 10 to 15 years (n = 13 older mares). Younger and older mares showed an opposite 5-HT trend at +5 and +16 day of cycle (d), with greater concentrations in younger mares (p < 0.05) and lower values in older mares (p < 0.05) than at −5 and 0 d. Older mares showed a lower 5-HT concentration at +5 and +16 d (p < 0.05) than younger mares. Mares of both ages showed a superimposed WBC trend, with the greatest number both at −5 and 0 d (p < 0.05). Older mares showed a lower WBC number at −5 d (p < 0.05), and lower NFS and LYMPH numbers both at +5 and +16 d (p < 0.05) than younger mares; the latter showed the lowest NFS number at +16 d, and LYMPH number at +5 and +16 d. Mares of both ages showed a similar trend for the N/L ratio. Older mares showed a lower MON number at +5 d (p < 0.05), greater PLTs at +5 and +16 d (p < 0.05) than younger mares, and a greater PLT number at −5 and 0 d than at +5 and +16 d (p < 0.05). The activity of 5-HT is regulated by its rate of synthesis, release, and metabolism according to age. Aging reduced the 5-HT concentrations and the number of WBCs, NFSs, LYMPHs, and MONs, inducing correlations among these and 5-HT in healthy young and old cyclic mares. Full article

The management through co-hydrothermal carbonization (co-HTC) of swine manure (SM) and soybean hulls (SH), a by-product of animal feeding, is established as a strategy for their material and/or energy recovery. The effect of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) temperature (210–240 °C) and mass ratio (1:0, 1:1, 1:3, 0:1) on hydrochar characteristics revealed that an improved hydrochar (C (51–59%), HHV (21–24 MJ/kg), N (~2%), S (~0.3%), and ash (<9%)) is produced with respect to hydrochar obtained from individually treated wastes. Regarding biofuel characteristics, hydrochar obtained from the SM/SH mass ratio (1:3) at 240 °C complied with the requirements of the ISO/TS 17225-8:2023 (N < 2.5%; S < 0.3%; HHV > 17 MJ/kg; ash < 12%) and showed high energy content (23.2 MJ/kg) and a greater thermal stability than the hydrochar obtained from individual wastes. Hydrochar retained relatively high amounts of nutrients such as phosphorus (6.5–9.7 g/kg), potassium (2.0–3.5 g/kg), and calcium (9–20 g/kg), which supports their use as soil improvers. Moreover, all hydrochar fulfill the standards (Spanish Royal Decrees 1051/2022, 824/2024 and EU Regulation 2019/1009) for sustainable nutrition in agriculture soils in terms of heavy metals concentration. The co-HTC of swine manure and soybean hulls demonstrated a promising transformation of waste materials into biofuel and/or soil improvers. Full article

Over the last two decades, the number of people who practice activities in the natural environment has increased and the demand for teachers for these activities has grown. It is necessary to analyze the impact of different psychosocial and emotional factors, such as self-concept, self-esteem, satisfaction with life and well-being, in teachers of special regime sports education, as regulated training in the Spanish educational system. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between physical, emotional and social self-concept and self-esteem and to study the influence of self-esteem between self-concept and life satisfaction in teachers. The participants of the study were 788 teachers of special regime sports education, from the regulated training educational system of Spain. The instruments used were the Self-Concept-Scale-AF5, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Questionnaire and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. To present the results of the study, a structural equation model, PLS-SEM, was developed based on the theoretical framework analyzed, with an explanatory-predictive approach. The evidence showed the coefficients of determination for self-esteem (R² = 0.395; Q² = 0.268) and life satisfaction (R² = 0.334; Q² = 0.237) as being the appropriate adjustment. The acquisition of an adequate self-concept and correct self-esteem allows practitioners of sports disciplines in the natural environment to have greater life satisfaction. Full article

Achieving a Sustainable Healthy Diet (SHD) is one of the goals of public policy programmes to improve human health and the health of the planet. It is a complex objective that requires the participation of all actors in the food system. One group is scientists who are involved in the study of food in a variety of disciplines. This paper aims to analyse the views that Spanish researchers from different disciplines have on the concept of an SHD and the factors that, in their opinion, hinder or facilitate its promotion in Spain. We carried out a Delphi survey structured in three rounds with scientists from Agricultural Sciences, Natural Sciences, Health Sciences, and Social Sciences. The results show that the experts are in agreement that an SHD is based on nutritious food, with low environmental impact, secure, safe, and accessible. They believe that the main obstacle to promoting SHDs comes from the power of the food processing and distribution industry to influence the system and the difficulties governments face in promoting SHDs. They stress that the main areas for action are food education, regulation of the food system, and changing the framework of governance and the relations between actors in the food system. The process of reaching consensus shows important overlaps between disciplines, especially between experts from Social and Human Sciences and Health Sciences, while those in Natural and Exact Sciences tend to be at the opposite extreme to those in Agricultural Sciences. Full article

This study examined the association between bullying and cyberbullying (both victims and perpetrators) and resource management strategies for learning in students aged 10 to 16. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1330 Spanish students (48.95% boys; mean age = 13.22 ± 1.75 years). Learning strategies were assessed using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), bullying levels with the European Bullying Intervention Project Questionnaire (EBIP-Q), and cyberbullying with the European Cyberbullying Intervention Project Questionnaire (ECIP-Q). ANCOVA and binary logistic regression were used to analyze associations and exposure risk. Girls who were victims of bullying and cyberbullying showed significantly lower scores in study time management (−5.9%, p = 0.001 for bullying; −6.2%, p = 0.025 for cyberbullying) and effort self-regulation (−7.7%, p < 0.001; −8.3%, p = 0.002). Victimized girls were also up to 4.2 times more likely to struggle with effort self-regulation. Female aggressors exhibited up to 10.2% lower effort self-regulation, while male cyberbullies had 9.6% lower study time management compared to their peers and a 4.4 times greater risk of low effort self-regulation (p < 0.001). These findings emphasize the importance of designing targeted school interventions to strengthen self-regulation strategies, particularly for female victims and male cyberbullies, contributing to improved academic outcomes. Full article

(1) Background: Neurofeedback (NFB) and biofeedback (BFB) have been shown to reduce stress, enhance physiological self-regulation, improve cognitive performance, and accelerate response times. Stimulating the sensorimotor rhythm (12–15 Hz) is particularly effective in improving working memory and selective attention. However, most studies on air force pilots focus on addressing post-traumatic stress disorder rather than investigating how these interventions might enhance performance and safety during flights, as explored in the present study. (2) Methods: Twelve Spanish Air Force fighter pilot trainees (mean age = 22.83 (0.94) years) participated in the study. Six pilots underwent 24 sessions of combined NFB and BFB training (experimental group), while six served as controls. (3) Results: The experimental group demonstrated improved heart rate variability during baseline, alarm sounds, math tasks, and real flights, which is indicative of greater parasympathetic modulation. A significant decrease in the Theta/SMR ratio was observed in the experimental group during the same conditions, suggesting improved focus, with lower values than the control group. Cognitive performance improved in the experimental group, with higher accuracy and a greater number of completed operations during math tasks. Regarding dual-task performance, the experimental group showed lower reaction time and a better ratio taps/reaction post-intervention. Psychological benefits included reduced cognitive, somatic, and state anxiety levels, along with increased self-confidence. (4) Conclusions: Neurofeedback and biofeedback training, integrated with real flights, simulators, and virtual reality, can enhance physiological regulation, cognitive performance, and emotional resilience, contributing to improved performance and safety in air force pilots. Full article

The problem addressed in this paper is the identification and management of risks associated with the implementation and operation of green hydrogen in the Spanish port system. The growing demand for clean energy and environmental regulations are driving the adoption of green hydrogen as a viable solution to decarbonize shipping. However, this transition comes with significant challenges, including safety, infrastructure, and hydrogen handling risks. In the existing literature, several authors have used methodologies such as qualitative and quantitative risk analysis, techniques such as FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis), and the evaluation of impacts and probabilities of occurrence to identify and manage risks in similar projects. These approaches have made it possible to identify potential threats and propose effective mitigation measures. In this work, a combined methodology is proposed that includes the identification of threats, risk assessment through risk matrices, and classification of these risks for their proper management. The SWIFT method (Structured What-If Technique) and the use of impact-probability matrices are applied. The main conclusion of the work is that, although green hydrogen has great potential for the decarbonization of the port sector, its implementation requires careful management of the risks identified. The proposed mitigation measures are essential to ensure the safety and viability of green hydrogen projects in Spanish ports. Full article

This study explores the role of persistence in eco-innovative (EI) activities in enhancing firms’ resilience during crises, focusing on the Spanish food and beverage industry. It distinguishes between two types of eco-innovators: efficiency-focused eco-innovators, who aim to reduce material and energy usage, and environmental eco-innovators, who seek to minimize direct harm to the environment. Additionally, the analysis evaluates the impact of regulation and institutional interventions on fostering eco-innovation during economic downturns. Using panel data from Spanish food and beverage companies between 2004 and 2016, we adopt a longitudinal approach to study how long-term commitments to EI influence green technology adoption. We identify three distinct periods: 2004–2007 (boom), 2008–2013 (crisis), and 2014–2016 (recovery). Finally, the study analyses the most effective institutional interventions and corporate green strategies for fostering the green transition during challenging times. The analysis provides theoretical insights and tailored managerial and policy recommendations. Full article