Repositorio Universidad Europea del Atlántico
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Enhanced detection of diabetes mellitus using novel ensemble feature engineering approach and machine learning model
No full textDiabetes is a persistent health condition led by insufficient use or inappropriate use of insulin in the body. If left undetected, it can lead to further complications involving organ damage such as heart, lungs, and eyes. Timely detection of diabetes helps obtain the right medication, diet, and exercise plan to lead a healthy life. ML approach has been utilized to obtain rapid and reliable diabetes detection, however, existing approaches suffer from the use of limited datasets, lack of generalizability, and lower accuracy. This study proposes a novel feature extraction approach to overcome these limitations by using an ensemble of convolutional neural network (CNN) and long short-term memory (LSTM) models. Multiple datasets are combined to make a larger dataset for experiments and multiple features are utilized for investigating the efficacy of the proposed approach. Features from the extra tree classifier, CNN, and LSTM are also considered for comparison. Experimental results reveal the superb performance of CNN-LSTM-based features with random forest model obtaining a 0.99 accuracy score. This performance is further validated by comparison with existing approaches and k-fold cross-validation which shows the proposed approach provides robust results
Can Women Maintain Their Strength Performance Along the Menstrual Cycle?
No full textThis study aimed to explore the effect of the menstrual cycle (MC) phases (i.e., early follicular phase [EFP], late follicular phase [LFP], and mid-luteal phase [MLP]) on the repetitions performed to momentary failure in back squat and bench press exercises, as well as to determine subsequent fatigue (i.e., change in countermovement jump [CMJ], perceived effort, and muscle soreness). Twelve physically active eumenorrheic women performed a back squat and bench press set to momentary failure at 80% of the one-repetition maximum during the EFP, LFP, and MLP. The results revealed that subjects were able to perform 2.2 [0.2 to 4.2] more repetitions in the LFP with respect to the EFP for the back squat exercise (p = 0.009), but no significant differences were observed for the bench press (p = 0.354). The EFP displayed a larger CMJ height drop (−0.86 [−1.71 to −0.01] cm) with respect to the LFP (0.01 [−0.57 to 0.58] cm) and the MLP (−0.36 [−1.15 to 0.43] cm). Neither the perceived effort of each set to failure nor the resulting muscle soreness differed between MC phases. Therefore, practitioners should be aware that the MC could condition the repetitions available to momentary failure and the resulting allostatic load
Effects of enzymatic treatment on the in vitro digestion and fermentation patterns of mulberry fruit juice: A focus on carbohydrates
No full textThe aim of this study was to investigate the effects of enzymatic treatments (pectinase, pectin lyase, and cellulase) on the in vitro digestion and fermentation characteristics of whole mulberry fruit juice. The analysis focused on changes in carbohydrate properties within the black mulberry fruit matrix during simulated digestion and fermentation. Human fecal microbiota were collected and introduced to the fruit matrix to monitor the fate of both soluble and insoluble polysaccharides during fermentation. The results revealed that enzymatic treatments enhanced the solubilization of carbohydrates from mulberry fruits, with pectinase showing the most significant effect. Throughout the process of in vitro digestion, there was a gradual increase in the percentage of solubilized carbohydrates from the mulberry juice substrate. The digested suspensions underwent dialysis to remove degradation fragments, and a lower quantity of carbohydrate in the enzyme-treated groups compared to the control. Polysaccharide populations with varying molecular weights (Mw) were obtained from the soluble fractions of mulberry residues for subsequent fermentation. An increase in Mw of soluble polysaccharides was detected by HPSEC during fermentation in certain cases. The gut microbiota demonstrated the ability to convert specific insoluble fractions into soluble components, which were subsequently subjected to microbial utilization. Enzymatic treatments during mulberry juice preparation can potentially positively impact health by influencing gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) modulations. Enzymes could serve as valuable tools for producing functional fruit and vegetable juices, with the need to specify processing conditions for specific raw materials remaining a subject of further investigation
Anthocyanins: what do we know until now?
No full textDiets enriched in plant-based foods are associated with the maintenance of a good well-being and with the prevention of many non-communicable diseases. The health effects of fruits and vegetables consumption are mainly due to the presence of micronutrients, including vitamins and minerals, and polyphenols, plant secondary metabolites. One of the most important classes of phenolic compounds are anthocyanins, that confer the typical purple-red color to many foods, such as berries, peaches, plums, red onions, purple corn, eggplants, as well as purple carrots, sweet potatoes and red cabbages, among others. This commentary aims to briefly highlight the progress made by science in the last years, focusing on some unexpected aspects related with anthocyanins, such as their bioavailability, their health effects and their relationship with gut microbiot
Molecular Mechanisms of the Protective Effects of Olive Leaf Polyphenols against Alzheimer’s Disease
Get PDFAlzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the cause of around 60–70% of global cases of dementia and approximately 50 million people have been reported to suffer this disease worldwide. The leaves of olive trees (Olea europaea) are the most abundant by-products of the olive grove industry. These by-products have been highlighted due to the wide variety of bioactive compounds such as oleuropein (OLE) and hydroxytyrosol (HT) with demonstrated medicinal properties to fight AD. In particular, the olive leaf (OL), OLE, and HT reduced not only amyloid-β formation but also neurofibrillary tangles formation through amyloid protein precursor processing modulation. Although the isolated olive phytochemicals exerted lower cholinesterase inhibitory activity, OL demonstrated high inhibitory activity in the cholinergic tests evaluated. The mechanisms underlying these protective effects may be associated with decreased neuroinflammation and oxidative stress via NF-κB and Nrf2 modulation, respectively. Despite the limited research, evidence indicates that OL consumption promotes autophagy and restores loss of proteostasis, which was reflected in lower toxic protein aggregation in AD models. Therefore, olive phytochemicals may be a promising tool as an adjuvant in the treatment of AD
El uso de organizadores textuales para comprensión lectora en lengua meta, una experiencia durante la pandemia por la Covid-19
Get PDFEl presente estudio muestra una investigación realizada en la Universidad Europea del Atlántico, Santander, en la que se perseguía realizar una propuesta de mejora para el trabajo de la comprensión lectora en la asignatura de Inglés Instrumental II. Esta propuesta tenía que recoger estrategias de lectura y el uso de organizadores visuales textuales. Para ello se analizaron 11 lecturas del libro de texto Macmillan Hub B1+/B2- y se complementaron las actividades con un entrenamiento en estrategias de lectura y el uso de un organizador textual específico según la necesidad del texto. Para la aplicación se valoró por un lado el desempeño previo y posterior en comprensión lectora y el desempeño de 5 actividades de evaluación continua en comprensión de textos. La muestra del estudio, n=57, fueron estudiantes de segundo curso del Grado en Ciencias de la Actividad Física y el Deporte y el Grado en Psicología, divididos en Grupo Experimental, GE, (n=31) y Grupo de Control, GC, (n=26). Los resultados mostraron diferencias significativas de hasta 2.8 puntos sobre 10 en el caso del GE respecto al de control. Por tanto, se considera que el uso de estrategias de lectura combinadas con el entrenamiento en el uso de organizadores visuales del texto contribuye a una mejora en la comprensión lectora
Trastorno de estrés postraumático y terapia de desensibilización y reprocesamiento por movimientos oculares
No full textEl Trastorno de Estrés Postraumático (TEPT) es un trastorno en el que tras la exposición a uno o más eventos traumáticos, se presenta una gran variedad de síntomas tales como la reexperimentación persistente del trauma, la evitación conductual y cognitiva de los estímulos asociados al evento traumático y la hiperactivación basal. Uno de los tratamientos más utilizados para su intervención es la terapia de desensibilización y reprocesamiento por movimientos oculares (EMDR), recomendada a día de hoy como tratamiento eficaz para el TEPT por: la Asociación Americana de Psiquiatría (APA), la Sociedad Internacional para el estudio del Estrés Traumático (ISTSS), la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) y las guías NICE. La terapia EMDR es un tratamiento psicoterapéutico estructurado que consta de ocho fases (Hensley, 2010; Shapiro, 2001). En la presente revisión sistemática, se busca dar respuesta al grado de eficacia que tiene el EMDR en la intervención para población con sintomatología de TEPT en comparación con otras intervenciones psicológicas
Growth and Yield of Strawberry Cultivars under Low Nitrogen Supply in Italy
Get PDFNitrogen plays a vital role in plants’ biochemical and physiological functions, and it contributes significantly to increasing plant yield and fruit quality. Plants that efficiently absorb and utilize nitrogen enhance the efficiency of fertilizers, reducing their input costs and preventing ecosystem damage. Thus, an adequate nitrogen supply can significantly improve plant growth, fruit quality, and nutritional value. This research focused on evaluating the plant vegetative and productive performance and fruit quality of three short-day strawberry genotypes (“Cristina”, “Romina”, and “Sibilla”) that were fertilized with different amounts of nitrogen, in a crop that was protected under a plastic tunnel. The trial was conducted during two cultivation cycles. The nitrogen rates were 113, 90, and 68 kg/ha for the first year, and 118, 97, and 76 kg/ha for the second. Reduced nitrogen inputs did not significantly affect plant height, indicating that decreased nutritional intake does not harm plant development. The fruit sugar content value remained stable across all nitrogen supplies, as did the fruit titratable acidity. The cultivars maintained a medium fruit firmness at a 60% nitrogen supply, and the Chroma index was not affected. This study found that reducing nitrogen inputs did not have a significant negative impact on the three tested cultivars, making them suitable for cultivation with reduced nitrogen inputs to reduce the environmental impact and save growers’ inputs
Adalbert STIFTER, «La misericordia» y «Muerte de una joven»
Get PDFLos cuentos se ambientan en un trasfondo cristiano con el fin de provocar cierta catarsis a través de los contextos que plantean: por un lado, una pequeña niña enferma que se halla postrada en la cama y, por otro, una madre que llora la pérdida prematura de su joven hija.A través de estos cuentos, Stifter retrata diferentes actitudes propias de la naturaleza humana ante las dificultades terrenales. En «La Misericordia» se puede identificar la reacción infantil de una niña, agobiada por haber pecado y recelosa de Dios y de su virtud del perdón; asimismo, en «Muerte de una joven», se manifiesta el desgarro de una madre por la pérdida de un ser querido y la falta de esperanza en la vida eterna, consecuencia de la obnubilación tras haberse dejado dominar por el dolor.Igualmente, la actitud de Dios se evidencia en ambos cuentos por medio de sus actos: en el primero, se demuestra cómo Dios escucha y cuida de todos, además del hecho de que, para Él, la persona vale por encima de todo, ya que perdona a la niña sus pecados y la sana de su enfermedad. Del mismo modo, en el segundo cuento, Dios explica a través del ángel la necesidad de tener esperanza en la vida eterna, pues se lleva a cada alma en el momento en el que la encuentra más madura y la bendice con la vida eterna, libre de los castigos y sufrimientos propios del mundo terrenal. Por tanto, en el cuento se concibe la muerte como un acto de misericordia de Dios, pues «después de morir, recibe en su alma inmortal su retribución eterna». (Catecismo de la Iglesia Católica, art. 12: 1021). Por último, cabe destacar que, mediante el retrato de dichas actitudes, Stifter describe el mundo ideal en el que muestra cuáles serían las actitudes esperadas ante estas situaciones y lo contrasta con su vida personal llena de frustración ya que, como se señaló anteriormente él, a diferencia de los cuentos, no tuvo un final feliz
Exploring the Antioxidant, Neuroprotective, and Anti-Inflammatory Potential of Olive Leaf Extracts from Spain, Portugal, Greece, and Italy
No full textThe leaves of the olive tree (Olea europaea L.) are one of the major solid wastes from the olive industry. Globally, the European Union is the largest producer of olive by-products, with Spain, Italy, Greece, and Portugal accounting for almost the entire production. Many questions remain to be solved concerning olive leaves (OL), including those related to possible differences in composition and/or biological activities depending on their geographical origin. In the present work, OL from Spain, Italy, Greece, and Portugal have been characterized according to their phytochemical profile, antioxidant capacity, neuroprotective activity, and anti-inflammatory effects. The Spanish and Italian OL samples presented the highest antioxidant and neuroprotective activities, while the Greek OL showed the lowest. These results were strongly associated with the content of oleoside methyl ester and p-hydroxybenzoic acid for the Spanish and Italian samples, respectively, whereas the content of decarboxymethyl elenolic acid dialdehyde form (hydrated) was negatively associated with the mentioned biological activities of the Greek samples. No country-related effect was observed in the anti-inflammatory activity of OL. Comprehensively, this work could provide a useful tool for manufacturers and R&D departments in making environmentally friendly decisions on how OL can be used to generate nutraceutical products based on the composition and origin of this by-product