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Introduction. Sexuality and equality education are considered areas of relevant pedagogical research and intervention within current educational contexts in view of the violence and inequalities derived from the patriarchal system. Aims. This paper presents the main results of a research study that seeks to analyze the competence in sexuality and equality of university students during teacher training in Spain (Castilla la Mancha University). Method. For this, the study used a quantitative methodology and administered a nine-dimension questionnaire to 371 students. Results. The study revealed the weak acquisition of competence in sexuality and equality and the persistence of stereotyped images of sexualities. Furthermore, these findings show that future teachers have a weak equality-based professional practice due to an educational approach that lacks a gender perspective. Conclusions. The main conclusions highlight the evident formative needs in sexuality and equality and the absence of transforming feminist knowledge. All this can affect the development of quality education in sexuality and equality in students' future educational practices.

Purpose: In light of the world's accelerating march towards a sustainable future, the education for sustainable healthcare must be sufficiently acknowledged in health professions curricula. Early integration of these competences into nursing degree programme emphasizes its importance and applicability. This paper aims to investigate the effectiveness of an educational sustainability intervention in higher education to change nursing students' attitudes towards sustainability and climate change, and environmental awareness. Design/methodology/approach: A quasi-experimental study was performed with repeated measures between September 2019 and May 2023. Undergraduate students were introduced to sustainability and climate change in the context of healthcare using scenario-based learning and augmented reality over the courses in nursing degree. Participants' attitudes and awareness were collected by online questionnaires. Findings: The educational intervention showed effectiveness in significantly improving attitudes towards climate change and sustainability, and the environmental awareness for changing their clinical practice (p < 0.01). However, students struggled to apply sustainability and address unsustainable practices in healthcare settings. Originality/value: This study shows an effective model of curricular sustainability that can be implemented in other universities and health disciplines. The findings highlighting the importance of sustainability education in nursing and its potential to drive positive change in healthcare practice and society at large. Embedding key topics aligned with sustainable development goals in the curriculum prepares nursing or health workforce to address planetary health and implement sustainable practices that provide climate-smart care.

Basic science process skills (SPSs) constitute a key dimension of the scientific competence that should be developed from an early age. Therefore, preservice elementary teachers (PETs) who are preparing to teach science should have a sufficient mastery about it. This study presents a questionnaire that allows gradual levels of performance in SPSs to be established regarding formulating questions and hypotheses, identifying variables, measurement, planning an inquiry, and interpreting data. The questionnaire was validated in three phases: 1) during its design, with the external collaboration of a panel of experts, 2) by piloting of a draft versions of the questionnaire on a small sample of PETs, and 3) by applying the questionnaire to a sample of 435 PETs. Data analysis indicated that these were acceptably reliable, and the validity of the questionnaire was also verified. They also revealed the PETs' deficient levels of SPSs. This was especially so regarding identifying suitable questions for school inquiry, understanding precision in measurement, and interpreting data in a table. There was further support for the validity of the questionnaire and the reliability of the outcomes in that it corroborated other results in the literature on the subject that were obtained with different tools and methods.

Alternative teaching methodologies are required for grade-9 students diagnosed with difficulties learning chemistry. This study examines the progress made in learning atomic structure by 11 Spanish Students Diagnosed with Learning Difficulties (SDLD, experimental group), including those with poor academic performance, specific learning difficulties in reading, writing, and mathematics, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and borderline intellectual disability according to the Spanish curriculum. The study was conducted as part of the Program for Improving Learning and Performance (PMAR) and utilized the game "Atomizados", specifically designed for this purpose. A written test on atomic structure was used to evaluate learning with three learning levels established (naïve, transitional, and informed). The findings indicate that 63.63% of the SDLD (experimental) achieved an informed learning level (understanding the internal structure of the atom) as a result of utilizing a generative learning strategy. The Mann-Whitney U test demonstrated that this learning was statistically significantly greater than that achieved by other students diagnosed with learning difficulties who did not use the game (SDLD control group). No significant differences were found between the SDLD experimental group and two other groups of grade-9 students with no learning difficulties (NSDLD control groups). However, differences were detected between SDLD (control) and NSDLD (control) in favor of the latter groups. The average for these control groups was a transitional level (identifying some elements of the atomic structure) in the best cases. SDLD (experimental) exhibited a very positive perception of the game's influence on learning chemistry, highlighting its attractiveness, interest, and potential for generating classroom participation.

Social constructivism is a learning approach in which students actively construct their own knowledge by way of experiences and interactions with others. As such, it is important to highlight both individual and group-based reflection practices in pre-service teacher training as a key aspect for improving teaching practice. This paper presents the results of the design and implementation of a training programme of 7 sessions (8.5 h of class participation plus 25 h of personal homework) for pre-service secondary school science teachers, who were asked to design a gamification resource and an e-rubric to evaluate it. Subsequent improvement of this e-rubric was enhanced by performing different reflection activities at key moments. The programme was carried out by 50 Spanish pre-service teachers from Málaga (Spain). Data collection centred on the e-rubrics designed, the emotions experienced and the possible transfer to real-life practice performed six months later. The impact of reflections on the evaluation was studied by analysing the evolution of the categories proposed by the participants for the e-rubric at different times, with marked changes being found during design and preparation of the gamification resource, and only very minor changes post-implementation. In addition, a group-based criteria consensus session favoured a more in-depth reflection. Interest was the main emotion experienced by pre-service teachers, especially during preparation and use of the resource. The programme also had a marked impact on transfer of the e-rubric into practice, as did the designed resource, although to a lesser extent.

Mobile learning (mLearning) is now being increasingly used in university education, with positive impacts on the motivation and predisposition of students when learning. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the use of mobile applications as a learning resource in applied biomechanics, with regard to attitudinal variables (interest, motivation, applicability and learning experience) and its efficacy in the learning of general physics contents. A quasi-experimental design was proposed, with the random assignment of participants to experimental and control groups, with the post-trial measurement of a sample of 76 university students studying Applied Biomechanics, who were given an ad-hoc questionnaire in order to evaluate attitudinal aspects, as well as a test of knowledge. With regard to attitudinal aspects, higher scores were observed among the group which used the applications as learning instruments (the experimental group) when evaluating their interest in biomechanics (t = 2.79; p < 0.05; d = -0.641), the applicability of the applications in real life (t = 7.34; p < 0.001; d = -1.687) and the general evaluation of the practical sessions (t = 6.45; p < 0.001; d = -1.481). At the conceptual level, significant differences were observed in the contents worked on with the KinematicLab Jump© application. Our results show the positive effect of the use of applications on important attitudinal aspects in the learning of university students, without any relevant effect on the acquisition of conceptual learning.

Historical reenactment is becoming a top-tier teaching tool in the countries of Southern Europe. In Spain specifically, this discipline is experiencing a boom as a heritage education method, particularly in informal settings. This article is the outcome of a qualitative research study of the results obtained from one hundred and fifteen educators from historical reenactment groups. The study analyses the methods used by the exponents of this discipline to teach war in the Middle Ages, specifically in three Spanish castles dating from the 11th to the 12th centuries. It has made it possible to analyse how the educational discourses are organised in relation to Medieval war within military spaces from this period, and how historical reenactment is a coadjutant in the construction of teaching/learning spaces from a heritage education perspective.

The plant kingdom can be learned more successfully if tasks involve direct contact with elements of the plant world and students have the possibility of working cooperatively in small groups within the secondary school classroom. This paper analyses student understanding of the general and floral physiology of angiosperms within a teaching-sequence in which cooperative learning was applied to 74 Spanish secondary school students aged 12-13 years. The influence of group work and the use of plant elements on learning was assessed by comparing two tasks administered individually before and after the sequence. Subsequent application of Fisher's exact test detected statistically significant differences between the two milestones in favour of cooperative learning and the use of plants. We can therefore conclude that this active method for learning the plant kingdom enables students to get physically closer to the subject of the plant kingdom whilst developing their scientific knowledge via group work.

The COVID-19 lockdown has negatively affected individuals' welfare. However, there has been no research published heretofore about the levels of self-concept (SC) in adolescents, nor how having practised martial arts (MA) or any physical activity (PA) before the lockdown may have influenced the SC in that time. Hence, this study aimed to analyze some demographic, physical, and psychosocial parameters in Spanish adolescents throughout the COVID-19 quarantine through a cross-sectional investigation, establishing correlations among these factors. Methods: The present study had a descriptive, comparative, and cross-sectional design. The sample comprised of 54 (39.7%) male and 82 (60.3%) female Spanish adolescents aged 12-18 (M = 14.49; SD = 1.80). An ad-hoc questionnaire collected sociodemographic data; the self-concept Form 5 (AF5) questionnaire obtained data on SC dimensions. Results: There were some differences among the SC dimensions, with family and academic dimensions having higher values than the physical and emotional ones. Females' academic SC was higher than that of males (p = 0.019). The practice of PA before the lockdown was positively associated with physical (p < 0.001) and social (p = 0.012) SC, yet there was no significant association between the previous practice of MA and SC (p > 0.050). Conclusions: the findings suggest that the COVID-19 lockdown negatively affected Spanish adolescents by decreasing their total SC and some dimensions of it, although PA may buffer psychological harmfulness in adolescents.

Socio-scientific issues demonstrate the relationship between science, technology, and society by considering currently unresolved questions. The problem of plastics and their pollution is just one example with important implications for the planet. The aim of this paper is to revisit socio-scientific issues and see them as a way of developing citizens' critical thinking skills through chemistry education. In light of the problems posed by plastics, we present evidence tested with Spanish grade-8 students of how critical thinking skills can be developed through chemistry education in terms of the vision of chemistry, understanding acquisition, a holistic approach to problems, critical analysis of information, argumentation, decision making, personal autonomy, and communication. This study also presents some examples of how progress in the development of critical thinking by students has been evaluated.

The aim of this study is to determine the factors that significantly influence the acceptance and intent to use smartphones and tablets as resources for learning in university contexts, as well as the relationships established between them. For their analysis, we followed a contextualized model of evaluation starting with the methodological framework of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), proposed by Venkatesh and collaborators (2003). For this, a data collection instrument was designed, validated to our context and optimized for mobile learning and the education community. A total of 370 university students participated in the study. From the statistical analysis conducted, it was shown that the instrument constructed had a notable internal consistency, showing a high validity for collecting information in relation to five of the eight factors of which it was composed, although it should be revised in relation to the other three. Also, through the data collected, a high pre-disposition was observed for the use of mobile devices for learning, with a direct effect on the constructs validated, as well as the socio-demographic variables (age, gender, degree year and field of knowledge) that could be considered moderating variables of this pre-disposition. Although these results could be put into context in future studies, it can be concluded that the instrument design can be a good indicator of the pre-disposition towards the use of mobile learning strategies.

The digital era has perpetuated new pedagogies of collective participation in networks that requires reflection in the conventional education area, because of YouTube, as audiovisual platform of outstanding international recognition, concentrates an extensive repertoire of informal learning practices among young people. In this case, the research focuses on a form of literary expression driven by the new Booktube community, which is dedicated to the recommendation of books and the promotion of reading by focusing their messages through the videoblog format. This aspect, closely popularized in the platform, allow us to deepen new youth practices outside classroom that refer to the promotion of books and critical and judicious expression on aspects related to content, formats, genres and authors in a context supported by the media ecology. In order to deepen the reasons why youth reads currently, we developed a literature review starting with the transmedia literacy concept evaluating narrative and aesthetic competences and applying a content analysis and a case study that collects channels of two Spanish booktubers with high impact and community: Javier Ruescas and Fly like a Butterfly. Results discern an affinity space linked to the opinion of peers that promotes reading and writing, and the ability to interpret, describe, compare and reflect about the literary context.

This study addresses three issues linked to teaching practices in higher education and the implementation of teaching-learning methods in a changing context: (1) the profile of teachers using virtual platforms and blended learning (according to professional category, gender, teaching experience, and branch of knowledge), (2) the use of blended learning (according to the type of studies, number of students, and activities), and (3) the relationship between teachers' instruction and the use of blended learning. A quantitative, descriptive-correlational design and a sample of 982 teachers at 35 Spanish public universities have revealed that the profile of the teaching staff using blended learning corresponds to those in the field of social sciences and law, with a stable professional category, who report using virtual means in support of face-to-face teaching. The results confirm the need for teacher training and the design of institutional plans for monitoring and subsequent support.

Purpose: To examine the role of psychological need thwarting in mediating physical education teachers' work pressures stemming from school authorities and burnout. Method: A total of 345 physical education teachers (M = 47.46; SD = 8.79) completed some online validated questionnaires. Results: Structural equation modeling first revealed that pressures from school authorities predicted needs thwarting which, in turn, predicted burnout. In a second model, in which burnout was deemed as a multidimensional construct, autonomy and competence thwarting was found to predict both emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Discussion: These findings suggest that when teachers find themselves pressured by school authorities to act in certain way, they are more likely to feel more exhausted and to adopt more cynical attitudes toward their students due to the thwarting of their basic needs. Practical implications related to school and national policies are discussed. Conclusion: External pressures affect PE teachers' emotional states and educational policies should address this issue.

Our research provides a comprehensive model using self-determination theory (SDT) and cognitive load theory (CLT) to study the antecedents of academic performance in the context of flipped learning (FL). Using partial least squares (PLSs), we analyze the impact of intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, self-pacing, and cognitive load on students' academic performance in management studies. Our results show that solely underlying some factors of SDT--the sense of competence, relatedness, and extrinsic motivation--improve the performance of tertiary students in the context of FL. Our findings point to the need to support initiatives aimed at the application of FL in management studies.

The social dimension of chemistry is relevant and present in numerous socio-scientific issues, for example, the use of plastics. These issues can be covered at school by implementing strategies such as role-playing, which allow different perspectives to be understood, thereby helping to promote changes in attitude. This paper presents a pilot-study about the design and results obtained in the role-playing game "Should we ban single-use plastics?", which covers the problem of plastics in a secondary school chemistry class by way of argumentation and decision making. Role-playing allows students to represent the viewpoints of different important actors in this area both in favor of a ban on their use (fisherman, environmental scientist, teenager, biodegradable material manufacturer) and against (manufacturer of disposable surgical products, teenager, worker in a plastic cutlery factory, director of an oil company). This role-playing was implemented virtually for a class of grade-8 school students (secondary schoolers in Spain). The main findings include the promotion of learning about the chemical aspects of plastics and the change in attitude of some students regarding this issue after preparing and using arguments and counterarguments based on scientific evidence in a debate. Role-playing is well received by students and helps them to experience positive emotions. Students were found to be very critical of the issue addressed, and the COVID-19 pandemic appeared to affect their decisions.

Situational judgment tests have gained popularity in educational and psychological measurement and are widely used in personnel assessment. A situational judgment item presents a hypothetical scenario and a list of actions, and the individuals are asked to select their most likely action for that scenario. Because actions have no explicit order, the item generates nominal responses consisting of the actions selected by the individuals. This article shows how to factor-analyze the nominal responses originated from such a test, including the estimation of the number of latent factors and a factor invariance analysis in a multiple group design. The method consists of applying the MNCM, a multidimensional extension of the nominal categories model by Bock. The article includes the results of two studies: (1) a simulation study about Type-I error rate, statistical power, and recovery of the parameters in a multigroup factorial invariance design and (2) a real data example using responses to a situational judgment test measuring gender stereotypes to illustrate the approach. Results suggest the use of the Akaike information criterion, Bayesian information criterion, and corrected Bayesian information criterion indices to guide the selection of the number of factors with nominal responses. All the analyses are conducted using the computer program "Mplus." The code is included as Supplemental Material (available online) for the readers so that they can adapt it to their own purposes.

The relationship between science and society has, for many years, been the subject of debate in different fields, and various proposals have been made regarding the kind of science education that citizens require. The present study considers an understanding of the nature of science (NOS) to be one of the key competences that citizens should acquire as part of their science education. Hence, our aim was to identify NOS aspects among the key scientific competences for citizenship identified by a panel of Spanish experts. The analysis is based on a review of the recent literature on the NOS, and especially on the results of a previous Delphi study in which 31 experts were asked to propose key aspects of scientific competence for citizenship. The present study involved three stages: identification of NOS themes in the experts' initial proposals, analysis of how their importance ratings of these themes changed over the course of the Delphi rounds, and analysis of variability among the experts according to their professional group. We identified 12 NOS themes that, in line with recent publications in this field, included those related to the practice of science. A stable consensus was only observed for one theme: "critical attitude." These results provide further evidence of the well-documented difficulty of defining and selecting NOS themes. However, the analysis also suggests that "critical attitude" is one of the key themes that should form part of science education for citizens.

Project-based learning and artistic creation provide future secondary teachers with an opportunity to experience and to reflect on the importance of including a gender perspective in education. This article describes a case study where students of the Postgraduate course in Secondary Teacher Training explore the image of the female body in comics, publicity, beauty contests and the world of fashion with the aim of planning and designing a project that can be undertaken by school-age children and promoting the discussion of issues such as equity and equality of rights and opportunities for women and men in subjects they will later on have to teach in a secondary school classroom.

YouTube has grown into an unprecedented music industry where informal learning practices converge among young musicians now considered authentic internet (micro)celebrities. Due to the rise of music video trends on the platform and the educative demands to explore youth interaction on the internet, this study analyses the self-perception of youtubers in terms of multimedia, hypermedia, intertextual and transmedia competencies. For this purpose, we developed a questionnaire on musical competencies (TransMuQ), in which 603 young youtubers from Spanish and English-speaking countries participated. We found that YouTube's performers consider themselves proficient in the aesthetics, participation and interaction, multimodal languages, technology, content creation and risk and individual management dimensions. After an extensive theory on the experimental analysis of these competencies in citizenship, we propose a new approach towards interactive codes of young YouTube musicians. The research provides a clarifying positivism about what youtubers themselves believe they are learning in the era of ephemeral digital content.

The high rate of rurality and population ageing are two of the principal characteristics that make Galicia a region with certain peculiarities that require actions to promote an active role for its senior citizens. Through a service-learning project embedded within a broader framework of arts-based research, student teachers designed an artistic workshop that they implemented in a rural community centre. This workshop allowed the creation of visual narratives that were especially appropriate to recover elders' memories. By means of a case study, the impact of the service-learning project developed during the training of the students was analysed. The results enable us to ascertain students' perceptions related to the benefits and impact of the project in their training. Students have a positive opinion regarding the opportunity of experiencing a service-learning project that allowed them to create a documentary film where they portrayed the life histories of the elderly people. For the City Council (the partner in this project), as well as for the participants in the workshops, it was also an enriching experience that can be transferred to other contexts. The positive effects of the project reflect student teachers' commitment to society and opportunities for experiential learning in teacher training courses.

This study aimed to describe and relate the well-being perception and injury incidence of soccer players in an entire soccer season. For 37 weeks, twenty-eight male professional soccer players (25.2 ± 4.3 years old; 22.8 ± 1.4 kg/m2) daily scored (from 1: bad; to 5: perfect) well-being perception (fatigue, sleep, muscle soreness, stress and mood and Hooper Index (HI) as general status). Injuries were also registered. Results showed that players had the lowest well-being perception during Preseason (in terms of HI, fatigue, muscle soreness and stress), being lower than EarlySeason (ps < 0.05, ds > 1.0) and/or InSeason (ps < 0.05, ds > 1.0). The injury incidence was 8.3 ± 9.2/1000 h, being always higher in training compared to competition (35.0 vs 11.1/1000 h). A lower stress perception (worse) correlated with a higher rate of new injuries during PreSeason (r = -0.84), while a greater muscle soreness and fatigue correlated with the new injuries occurring in the following week during the whole season (r = -0.38 and r = -0.39, respectively). As a conclusion, the well-being perception of professional soccer players was especially low during Preseason, with fatigue, muscle soreness and stress as the most affected items that correlated with injury incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the research was to determine how teachers in Spain perceived the introduction of competence based science teaching in the classroom. The research was carried out during the transition between the LOE and LOMCE Education Laws (academic year 2014-2015). Data were collected using an ad hoc questionnaire comprising 19 items requiring responses on a 5-point Likert scale. The sample comprised 443 science teachers in compulsory education in Spain. The results indicated that the way teachers perceived science and its scope and application in the classroom was unlikely to lead to the effective development of the scientific competence. Significant findings were discussed relating to the participating teachers' initial training, gender, type of school and stage of education. As a final component the didactic implications of teaching scientific competence were considered.

The authors examine the educational and training requirements of entry-level graduates employed in the freight transport, distribution, and logistics sector. Five skill and knowledge categories are considered. By comparing the perceived importance of certain skills for companies and the performance of graduates, education and training gaps are identified. These gaps are compared for Ireland and Spain, two countries with different industrial and managerial contexts. Descriptive analysis of a sample of 108 firms reveals major gaps. The country comparison shows that Spanish graduates have more skill and knowledge deficiencies than Irish graduates. Despite the smaller gaps for Irish graduates, data variability is greater than for Spanish graduates.

The number of one-to-one mobile programs in elementary schools as a resource to substitute the textbook has become popular worldwide. However, findings of studies that seek to enable understanding of how the daily use of these mobile devices affects student's engagement in the classroom are heterogeneous. The authors utilized and adapted a self-system model of motivational development in order to better understand the mechanisms behind the promotion of academic engagement in one-to-one iPad programs. For this, an analysis using structural equations was conducted on data collected from a network of 20 elementary schools and 1,011 5th and 6th grade students in Spain, who used iPads daily in their Language and Mathematics courses. The results showed that certain activities--according to the course--with the iPad influenced the students' engagement, while promoting authentic learning and satisfying their needs. The study contributes with a comprehensive approach and knowledge about the reasons behind the success or failure of these types of programs on learner engagement.

This case study reviews the impact of the design and implementation of Arts projects in secondary teacher training that aim to introduce a gender perspective. Students work as an artistic group where each individual contributes from his/her field of knowledge. The teachers of the course propose an initial challenge and provide a follow-up during all the process offering assistance and documentation when required. The research allowed us to know the degree of acceptance and future use of project-based learning in the professional activities of our students. Personal commitment with projects can be enhanced by experiencing projects directly during course study.

This study concerns a framework for designing Teaching-Learning Sequences that aims to integrate the implementation of scientific practices in the context of daily problems. Said framework consists of three stages (formulation of the design principles, instructional design and design of the learning activities). It is based on four design principles: (1) the context-scientific model relationship as the axis around which the teaching-learning sequence is based, (2) scientific practices as tools for treating the problem and constructing the scientific model, (3) use of driven questions, and (4) promotion of knowledge transfer. Similarly, the choice of context, the proposal of questions, the drafting of objectives, selection of knowledge, design of the sequence of activities and design of the evaluation are important during instructional design. This framework has been used to design a teaching-learning sequence based on learning the lactic fermentation model in the context of yoghurt preparation such that argumentation, inquiry and modelling play a key role in the educational treatment. Implementation of this teaching-learning sequence has shown an improvement in the lactic fermentation models proposed by Spanish students aged 14-16 years. These findings are considered to be initial evidence for the utility of the teaching-learning sequence and the framework.

The present study explores the relationship between Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) and Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety (FLCA) and a number of teacher-centered variables within the Spanish classroom context. Participants were 210 former and current learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) from all over Spain who filled out an online questionnaire with Likert scale items. A moderate negative relationship emerged between FLE and FLCA. Participants who had an L1 English speaker as a teacher reported more FLE and less FLCA than those with a foreign language user of English. Teacher characteristics predicted close to 20% of variance in FLE but only 8% of variance in FLCA. The strongest positive predictor of FLE was a teacher's friendliness while a teacher's foreign accent was a weaker negative predictor. Teacher-centered variables predicted much less variance for FLCA. Participants experienced more FLCA with younger teachers, very strict teachers, and teachers who did not use the foreign language much in class. The findings confirm earlier research that FLE seems to be more dependent on the teachers' pedagogical skills than FLCA.

Enterovirus D68 (EV‐D68) is an emerging agent for which data on the susceptible adult population is scarce. We performed a 6‐year analysis of respiratory samples from influenza‐like illness (ILI) admitted during 2014‐2020 in 4‐10 hospitals in the Valencia Region, Spain. EV‐D68 was identified in 68 (3.1%) among 2210 Enterovirus (EV)/Rhinovirus (HRV) positive samples. Phylogeny of 59 VP1 sequences showed isolates from 2014 clustering in B2 (6/12), B1 (5/12), and A2/D1 (1/12) subclades; those from 2015 (n = 1) and 2016 (n = 1) in B3 and A2/D1, respectively; and isolates from 2018 in A2/D3 (42/45), and B3 (3/45). B1 and B2 viruses were mainly detected in children (80% and 67%, respectively); B3 were equally distributed between children and adults; whereas A2/D1 and A2/D3 were observed only in adults. B3 viruses showed up to 16 amino acid changes at predicted antigenic sites. In conclusion, two EV‐D68 epidemics linked to ILI hospitalized cases occurred in the Valencia Region in 2014 and 2018, with three fatal outcomes and one ICU admission. A2/D3 strains from 2018 were associated with severe respiratory infection in adults. Because of the significant impact of non‐polio enteroviruses in ILI and the potential neurotropism, year‐round surveillance in respiratory samples should be pursued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) significantly impact air quality and atmospheric chemistry, influencing ozone formation and secondary organic aerosol production. Despite their importance, the uncertainties associated with representing VOCs in atmospheric emission inventories are considerable. This work presents a spatiotemporal assessment and evaluation of benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) emissions and concentrations in Spain by combining bottom-up emissions, air quality modelling techniques, and ground-based observations. The emissions produced by High-Elective Resolution Modelling Emission System (HERMESv3) were used as input to the Multiscale Online Nonhydrostatic AtmospheRe CHemistry (MONARCH) chemical transport model to simulate surface concentrations across Spain. Comparing modelled and observed levels revealed uncertainty in the anthropogenic emissions, which were further explored through sensitivity tests. The largest levels of observed benzene and xylene were found in industrial sites near coke ovens, refineries, and car manufacturing facilities, where the modelling results show large underestimations. Official emissions reported for these facilities were replaced by alternative estimates, resulting in varied improvements in the model's performance across different stations. However, uncertainties associated with industrial emission processes persist, emphasising the need for further refinement. For toluene, consistent overestimations in background stations were mainly related to uncertainties in the spatial disaggregation of emissions from industrial-use solvent activities, mainly wood paint applications. Observed benzene levels in Barcelona's urban traffic areas were 5 times larger than the ones observed in Madrid. MONARCH failed to reproduce the observed gradient between the two cities due to uncertainties arising from estimating emissions from motorcycles and mopeds, as well as from different measurement methods and the model's capacity to accurately simulate meteorological conditions. Our results are constrained by the spatial and temporal coverage of available BTX observations, posing a key challenge in evaluating the spatial distribution of modelled levels and associated emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a global ageing of the world's population. Ageing is associated with multiple pathologies, reductions in physical activity, and losses in cognitive function. This study aimed to analyse the associations between the frequency of leisure-time physical activity (PAF) in middle-aged Spaniards and subjective cognitive limitations (SCLs): self-reported problems for remembering or concentrating (data extracted from the 2017 National Health Survey and the 2020 European Health Survey in Spain). Furthermore, the study aimed to evaluate risk factors that could be related to a higher probability of developing SCLs. This was a cross-sectional study with 15,866 middle-aged Spaniards. The associations between FAP and SCLs were analysed using chi-square. Also, the risk factors for SCLs were evaluated using binary multiple logistic regression. The median age of participants was 55 years, with 49% men and 51% women. Associations were found between PAF and SCLs (p < 0.001). The highest prevalence of SCLs was found in physically inactive people and the lowest in very active people (13.7% vs. 5.8%, p < 0.05), and people with SCLs had a higher prevalence of inactivity than those without SCLs (47.2% vs. 33.8%, p < 0.05). Physical inactivity, low educational level, low social class, and being female were the main risk factors for SCLs. Among the actions to prevent cognitive limitations, as well as interventions in people with cognitive limitations, it would be advisable to include physical activity programmes, both as a preventive measure to delay cognitive limitations and to reduce the risk of other pathologies in people who already have them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of electronic cigarettes (ECs) is a major problem globally. Susceptibility and curiosity are important factors that develop prior to the onset of substance use, such as ECs, and are therefore considered as predictors. Both factors are used to obtain an extended index of susceptibility (ESIe-c), which allows the identification of adolescents who are at risk of starting to use these devices. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of EC consumption and to assess the association of possible predictors with susceptibility to use and experimentation with ECs among adolescents. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 377 adolescents (53.0% female). Participants were compared according to their experimentation with ECs. A total of 45.9% had already used electronic cigarettes, and 20.8% were current users. Among those who had not tried electronic cigarettes, 43.3% had a medium-high susceptibility to EC initiation. Consumption among close friends, receiving offers of consumption and alcohol consumption were associated with initiation. There was an inverse association between a medium susceptibility index electronic cigarette score and the consumption of cigarettes and positive affect; on the other hand, the lack of premeditation was associated with a higher susceptibility index score. Intrapersonal factors and social factors seem to influence the ESIe-c and onset of EC use, respectively. The main conclusion in this study is that susceptibility is influenced by intrapersonal factors such as affectivity and impulsivity through the lack of premeditation, and by social factors such as EC consumption by best friends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been an increase in the interest of tourists in the environment and enjoying it in recent years. This research aims to: a) Identify the motivational dimensions in the protected natural parks and b) Analyze the different segments in the protected natural parks. The research was conducted in the Posets-Maladeta protected area in Spain. The sample comprises 422 surveys got in situ. Data analysis involved the execution of factor analysis and non-hierarchical K-means segmentation. The findings suggest the presence of nine motivational dimensions in the protected natural park studied: self-development, interpersonal relationships, security measures, establishing personal bonds, escape, ego-defensive function, nature, entertainment, and rewards. In addition, within this protected natural park is confirmed the presence of two distinct segments: one focused on nature and the other encompassing multiple motives. The results contribute management guidelines for natural park managers for the benefit of communities and visitors. Additionally, this work can serve as a valuable addition to the academic literature concerning ecotourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent literature has shown the importance of preservice elementary science teachers (PESTs) having a deep understanding of argumentation, as this factor may affect the nature of the class activities that are taught and what students learn. A lack of understanding of this factor may represent an obstacle in the development of science education programmes in line with the development of scientific competences. This paper presents the results of the design and implementation of a training programme of 6 sessions (12 h of class participation plus 8 h of personal homework) on argumentation. The programme was carried out by 57 Spanish PESTs from Malaga, Spain. The training programme incorporates the innovative use of certain strategies to improve competence in argumentation, such as teaching PESTs to identify the elements of arguments in order to design assessment rubrics or by including peer assessment during evaluation with and without rubrics. The results obtained on implementing the training programme were evaluated based on the development of PESTs' argumentation competence using Toulmin's argumentative model. Data collection methods involved two tasks carried out at the beginning and the end of the programme, i.e., pre- and post-test, respectively. The conclusion of the study is that students made significant progress in their argumentation competence on completing the course. In addition, PESTs who followed the training programme achieved statistically better results at the end than those in the control group (n = 41), who followed a traditional teaching programme. A 6-month transfer task showed a slight improvement for the PESTs of the experimental group in relation to the control group in their ability to transfer argumentation to practice.

Pelvic floor dysfunctions (PFD) are highly prevalent among females who do athletics, a sport requiring jumping, strength, and running. Although educational approaches are useful options, the educational need for this particular population remains unknown. The objective of the present study was to describe the level of knowledge regarding PFD and its relationship with symptomatology and gender stereotypes in female athletes in Spain. A total of 255 female athletes completed an anonymous online survey to explore their knowledge regarding urinary incontinence (UI), pelvic organ prolapse (POP), anal incontinence (AI), and sexual dysfunction (SexD), as well as their PFD symptoms and gender stereotyped beliefs related to sport. Educational level and sports characteristics (training volume, experience, and athletic modality) were also explored. Participants demonstrated a low level of knowledge in terms of POP (52.5%), AI (64.0%), and SexD (40%), but not for UI (70.8%). The proportion of PFD complaints was 63.5% for dyspareunia, 51.8% for urine leakage, 42.4% for pelvic pain, 17.3% for AI, and 9.0% for POP, with no associations with knowledge (p > 0.05). Lower knowledge about UI and SexD was related to greater gender stereotypes (p < 0.05) and rejection of professional healthcare (p = 0.010). As a conclusion, the level of knowledge about PFD was low in female athletes who train and compete in athletics in Spain, mainly with regard to sexual dysfunction. Although 63.5% of athletes had dyspareunia and 51.8% urinary leakages, symptomatology was not associated with level of knowledge. However, a lower level of knowledge was associated with more stereotyped beliefs and rejection of professional healthcare for PFD. These findings confirm the need to design appropriate educational interventions to disseminate information on all the types of PFD, particularly sexual contents. The potential influence of gender stereotypes makes it appropriate to include the gender perspective in these interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the degree of integration of patient safety in the training of medical faculties at universities in Spain. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted. An assessment was made of the curse syllabi of Spanish medical schools, summarizing the proportion of faculties that present each of the topics recommended in the WHO's curriculum guide. Results: Of the 49 faculties, access to the curse syllabus of the subjects for the academic year 2023-2024 was obtained from 38 (78%). Although 82% of the faculties integrated some patient safety topic, only 56% included between 1 and 3 of the 11 topics recommended by WHO. The maximum number of integrated topics was 7, and this was only achieved by 1 faculty. Conclusion: There is progress in the incorporation of fundamental concepts in patient safety, but the comprehensive implementation of all topics recommended by the WHO in Spanish medical schools is insufficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A carcass is defined as a temporary resource that can support high levels of diversity compared to other resources. The level of diversity often depends on the environmental conditions in which the corpse is found. Calliphoridae (Diptera) are the most important necrophagous insects used in forensic investigations because this family is common, widespread, abundant, and usually the first to colonize a corpse. However, understanding the processes responsible for variation in calliphorid species abundance and richness along gradients in ecology remains a key challenge. In this study, we analyzed the influence of altitude on the abundance and diversity of Calliphoridae species in corpses at three different altitudes (400, 900, and 1500 m a.s.l.) in a mountainous area of southeastern Spain. The results revealed a gradient of decreasing abundance with increasing altitude. An altitudinal substitution of species was observed, with Chrysomya albiceps being found at the lowest altitude and Calliphora vicina at the highest altitude. Seasonal variation was also noted, with Ch. albiceps being the dominant species in the warmer months and C. vicina being the dominant species in winter. Our results confirm the importance of Calliphorids as seasonal, altitudinal, and environmental indicators, given the wide distribution and abundance of this family. This information is of great interest on the interpretation of data in forensic practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfires present a significant risk to societies globally due to population growth, concentrated activities, climate change, and extreme environmental conditions. To establish effective fire suppression and management policies, it is crucial to determine whether the distance between ignition points and urban areas is increasing or decreasing. This study analyzes 101,597 fires in Spain and California between 2007 and 2015, where ignition points and all built-up areas were precisely geolocated in 2014. The study employs the Mann–Kendall test to determine trends and analyze the relative distance of wildfires to human buildings over time. The results indicate that wildfires are becoming statistically significantly closer in several areas. It is also observed that the majority of wildfires are moving away from buildings, although this is not a significant finding. These results suggest the possibility of further research into the reasons behind these observations and possible future developments and their consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Journal of Ornithology is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In large cities, the decay of deprived neighborhoods externalizes the consequences of present-day urban social inequality. Residents of these areas often show discomfort with living in a poor environment. Adopting Hirschman's classic Exit, Voice and Loyalty model, this study analyzes the reactions of residents to dissatisfaction in San Diego, a deprived neighborhood in Madrid. A qualitative methodology was applied to analyze the discourses of residents by conducting fourteen focus groups with diverse profiles according to gender, age, socio-labor situation, and geographical origin. The results reflect that, in a deprived neighborhood, there are limits to reactions, so that exit (moving out) is only partially manifested, and voice (social mobilization) is only temporarily activated, conditioned by the situation and organizational capacity. Loyalty, on the contrary, appears as an option that improves coexistence, but it remains attached to long-term residents and hardly welcomes newcomers, especially immigrants. The explanatory capacity of Hirschman's model is here expanded by exploring the use of resistance as a complementary response. This strategy, as a political reaction, complements voice and reinforces agency by seeking concrete improvements in the daily life of the residents. These qualitative research results provide important insight into neighbors' reactions in deprived areas, where exit and voice, as main options, are limited, and resistance becomes a significant potential for them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conclusions of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) following the peer review of the initial risk assessments carried out by the competent authorities of the rapporteur Member State, Spain, and co‐rapporteur Member State, the Netherlands, for the pesticide active substance quinolin‐8‐ol are reported. The context of the peer review was that required by Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 844/2012. The conclusions were reached on the basis of the evaluation of the representative use of quinolin‐8‐ol as a fungicide and bactericide against soil‐borne pathogens in tomato cultivation in permanent greenhouses applied by drip irrigation. The reliable end points, appropriate for use in regulatory risk assessment are presented. Missing information identified as being required by the regulatory framework is listed. Concerns are reported where identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that mortgage recourse systems, by discouraging default, magnify the impact of nominal rigidities. They cause deeper and more persistent recessions. This mechanism can account for up to 31% of the recovery gap during the Great Recession between the U.S. mostly a non-recourse economy, and Spain, a recourse economy. General equilibrium effects explain most of the differences between mortgage systems. With recourse, highly indebted homeowners dramatically cut consumption in a crisis, and account for a larger share of the aggregate consumption decline. However, without recourse, mortgages would be more expensive for riskier households, and homeownership rates would be lower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide was the main source of death from external causes in Spain in 2020, with 3,941 cases. The importance of identifying those mental disorders that influenced hospital readmissions will allow us to manage the health care of suicidal behavior. The feature selection of each hospital in this region was carried out by applying Machine learning (ML) and traditional statistical methods. The results of the characteristics that best explain the readmissions of each hospital after assessment by the psychiatry specialist are presented. Adjustment disorder, alcohol abuse, depressive syndrome, personality disorder, and dysthymic disorder were selected for this region. The most influential methods or characteristics associated with suicide were benzodiazepine poisoning, suicidal ideation, medication poisoning, antipsychotic poisoning, and suicide and/or self-harm by jumping. Suicidal behavior is a concern in our society, so the results are relevant for hospital management and decision-making for its prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite the substantial evidence of the relationship between diet and mortality, the role of beverage consumption patterns is not well known. The aim of this study was to assess the association of the adherence to a Healthy Beverage Score (HBS) and all-cause mortality in a representative sample of the Spanish adult population. Methods and findings: We conducted an observational cohort study using data from the Study on Nutrition and Cardiovascular Risk in Spain (ENRICA), which included 12,161 community-dwelling individuals aged ≥18 years recruited in 2008 to 2010 and followed until January 2022. At baseline, food consumption was collected using a validated diet history. The HBS consists of 7 items, each of which is scored from 1 to 4 (highest adherence). The HBS ranges from 7 to 28 points with a higher score representing a healthier pattern. Adherence was assigned as a higher consumption of low-fat milk, and coffee and tea, a lower consumption of whole-fat milk, no consumption of fruit juice, artificially sweetened beverages, or sugar-sweetened beverages, and no or moderate consumption of alcohol. Total mortality was ascertained by linkage to the Spanish National Death Index. Statistical analyses were performed with Cox models and adjusted for the main confounders, including sociodemographic, lifestyle, dietary variables, and morbidity. After a mean follow-up of 12.5 years (SD: 1.7; range: 0.5 to 12.9), a total of 967 deaths occurred. For all-cause mortality, the fully adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for the highest versus lowest sex-specific quartiles of HBS was 0.72 (95% confidence interval [0.57, 0.91], p linear-trend = 0.015), corresponding to an 8.3% reduction in the absolute risk of death. A linear relationship between the risk of death and the adherence to the HBS was observed using restricted cubic splines. The results were robust to sensitivity analyses. The main limitation was that repeated measurements on beverage consumption were not available and beverage consumption could have changed during follow-up. Conclusions: In this study, we observed that higher adherence to the HBS was associated with lower total mortality. Adherence to a healthy beverage pattern could play a role in the prevention of premature mortality. Montserrat Rodríguez-Ayala and coworkers assess the relationship between a Healthy Beverage Score (HBS) and mortality in a representative sample of >12,000 individuals from Spain. Author summary: Why was this study done?: Most dietary patterns focus solely on solid foods, and the role of beverages as a whole has received little attention. Our aim was to assess the relationship between a Healthy Beverage Score (HBS) and mortality in a representative sample of community-dwelling individuals from Spain. Our hypothesis was that high adherence to the HBS would be associated with lower mortality. What did the researchers do and find?: We included a representative sample of 12,161 adults (18 years and older) from Spain who were recruited in 2008 to 2010 and followed up until 2022. A total of 967 deaths occurred. Participants were categorized according to their adherence to the HBS. A higher total score was achieved with a higher consumption of low-fat milk, and coffee and tea, no consumption of whole-fat milk, fruit juice, artificially sweetened beverages, sugar-sweetened beverages, and no consumption or moderate consumption of alcohol. Each HBS item scored from 1 (minimum adherence) to 4 points (maximum adherence) and the HBS ranged from 7 to 28 points. The higher the HBS, the healthier. When comparing extreme categories, higher adherence to the HBS was associated with lower all-cause mortality in the Spanish adult population, with an 8.3% reduction in the absolute risk of death. What do these findings mean?: The adherence to the HBS could serve as a potential diet-based strategy to prevent premature mortality. The quality of beverage patterns could influence health outcomes in the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) significantly impact air quality and atmospheric chemistry, influencing ozone formation and secondary organic aerosol production. Despite their importance, the uncertainties associated with representing VOCs in atmospheric emission inventories are considerable. This work presents a spatiotemporal assessment and evaluation of benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) emissions and concentrations in Spain by combining bottom-up emissions, air quality modelling techniques and ground-based observations. The emissions produced by HERMESv3 were used as input to the MONARCH model to simulate surface concentrations across Spain. Comparing modelled and observed levels revealed uncertainty in the anthropogenic emissions, which were further explored through sensitivity tests. The largest levels of observed benzene and xylene were found in industrial sites near coke ovens, refineries and car manufacturing facilities, where the modelling results show large underestimations. Official emissions reported for these facilities were replaced by alternative estimates, allowing to heterogeneously improve the model's performance, highlighting that uncertainties representing industrial emission processes remain. For toluene, consistent overestimations in background stations were mainly related to uncertainties in the spatial disaggregation of emissions from industrial use solvent activities, mainly wood paint applications. Observed benzene levels in Barcelona's urban traffic areas were five times larger than the ones observed in Madrid. MONARCH failed to reproduce the observed gradient between the two cities due to uncertainties in estimating emissions from motorcycles and mopeds. Our results are constrained by the spatial and temporal coverage of available BTX observations, posing a key challenge in evaluating the spatial distribution of modelled levels and associated emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: When studying the effects of global change on biodiversity, it is far more common for the effects of climate change and land‐use changes to be assessed separately rather than jointly. However, the effects of land‐use changes in recent decades on species richness in areas affected by climate change have been less studied. We assess the temporal turnover in species richness of an avian community between a historical period and a modern one as a consequence of global change. Location: Semiarid Mediterranean ecosystem (southeastern Spain). Method: We fitted a hierarchical multispecies occupancy model for each period (1991–1992, and 2012–2017), obtaining avian species‐specific estimates of occupancy probability in relation to environmental covariates (elevation and forest cover). We analyse the relationships between changes in the bird community and environmental variables, analysing the temporal turnover of the species richness and the richness‐based species‐exchange ratio. Results: The estimated species richness accounting for detectability was higher than observed species richness, and decreased in the more recent period. Following our hypotheses, we observed a dual pattern of species richness increase associated with different elevations, showing different species turnover rates due to the joint effects of climate change and land‐use change. There is a trend towards greater species richness with higher elevations that is associated with climate change, where the species turnover rate is low. Also, species richness increased towards lower elevations, but with a high turnover rate. The latter can be due to species expansions throughout new habitat configurations in bordering forest systems associated with anthropic land‐use changes. Conclusions: Our study is of great interest to understand the temporal turnover of avian species richness associated with areas experiencing both climate and land‐use change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]