Identifying characteristics of parental involvement: aesthetic experiences and micro-politics of resistance in different schools through ethnographic investigations

This article focuses on the relevance that aesthetic practices play extending parental involvement and influence in school contexts in Spain. One rural, one urban and one peri-urban school have been included in the research. Participant observation and interviews were the main means of data production. In the results all the different schools promoted parents’ participation. However, differences in aesthetic practices and experiences were found. Parental involvement was developed in schools in different ways in relation to local contextual conditions and the salient characteristics of the geographic spaces the schools belonged to. Practical aesthetic knowledge produced multiple strategies of action

Del mundo en que vivimos a la dinámica de la Tierra: el particular recorrido de las Ciencias de la Tierra por la Educación Primaria y Secundaria

En este trabajo se analiza la situación de los contenidos de Ciencias de la Tierra en los currículos de Educación Primaria (EP) y Educación Secundaria Obligatoria (ESO), su distribución y adecuación, así como la forma en que se han recogido en los libros de texto de la LOMCE. Se detecta que en Educación Primaria los contenidos se presentan como un conjunto de etiquetas con escasas explicaciones y sin conexión con algunos de los modelos científicos de referencia y, en el paso a la enseñanza secundaria, no se tiene en cuenta lo tratado en la etapa anterior. En la ESO el enfoque es diverso y depende de las editoriales. Tomando como referencia los modelos existentes sobre la estructura interna de la Tierra, se aprecia que en los libros de texto se mezclan los componentes de los dos modelos científicamente aceptados (geoquímico y geodinámico) y apenas se justifica cómo se han construido los mismos. The features, distribution and adequacy of Earth Sciences contents in the Spanish Curriculum (LOMCE) of Primary and Secondary Education are analyzed in this work. The contents that appear in LOMCE textbooks are also studied. In Primary Education the contents are presented to the students as a set of labels with little explanation and no connection to scientific models; and, in the transition to Secondary Education, the topics covered in the previous stage are not taken into account. In Secondary Education, the approach is diverse and depends on the publishers’ decisions. Taking into account the existing models about the interior structure of the Earth, we can see that textbooks contain a blend of components from two models scientifically accepted (geochemical and geodynamic) and the authors provide almost no explanations about how the models have been constructed

Computational planning tools in ophthalmology: Intrastromal corneal ring surgery

This thesis addresses the problem of the simulation of intrastromal corneal ring segment surgery for the reduction of myopia and astigmatism, as well as the stabilisation of keratoconus (KC). This disease causes high myopia, irregular astigmatism and reduction of the patient's visual acuity to the point of blindness. Therefore there are several techniques to try to stabilise it and, thus, prevent its progression. For mild keratoconus, it is enough to use special spectacles or lenses to try to correct it, but in more advanced cases it would be necessary to use refractive surgery to try to stop the progression of the disease. The most common ones to avoid the cornea transplant (PK) are the cross-linking and the additive surgery of intrastromal rings. The current planning tools are empirical, based on the nomograms of the ring manufactures, and rely on the experience of the surgeon. Unfortunately, deterministic tools able to estimate the postsurgical visual results of this treatment do not exist. Therefore, the aim of the current thesis is to establish a realistic numerical framework to simulate intrastromal ring surgeries and estimate the mechanical and optical postsurgical outcomes. There are different types of rings depending on their angle and cross-section. There are two large groups of rings: segments which have an angle of less than 360º and those that cover the entire circumference. In the first group we find rings of triangular section such as the Keraring (Mediaphacos, BeloHorizonte, Brazil) and the Ferrara (AJL Ophthalmic Ltd, Spain) and rings of hexagonal section like the Intacs (Additional Technology Inc.). In the second group we can find the MyoRing (Dioptex, GmbH.) whose cross-section is the combination of a parabola and a circumference and the Intacs SK whose section is oval. Due to the complexity of the simulation, since multiple variables are involved, such as the type of rings, the model of the corneal material, the contact conditions between them, etc., two methodologies arised which simulated the insertion of the rings. Both are based on generating a hole in the corneal stroma, introducing the ring and closing the hole with the ring inside, establishing contact until the simulation is completed. In the first of the methodologies the hole was generated by introducing a pressure, while the second was used to an auxiliary tool, such as balloon angioplasty to introduce endovascular stents, which is displaced generating enough hole to insert the rings. As with all numerical simulations, they were not exempt of limitations, although with the first of the methodologies only circular cross--section rings were simulated and in some configurations, there was pressure inside the hole, so it was decided to focus on the second. Nevertheless, interesting conclusions were obtained: the greatest correction was obtained by placing the rings with the largest section near the apex, and whether the ring is located near the epithelium, the stresses generated in the stroma can cause the ring to extrude. With the second methodology based on a displacement control, it was possible to simulate most of the cross-sections and very interesting studies were carried out that gave conclusive results. The most important were: i) the most influential parameter is the depth of insertion; ii) considering the physiological depth of the surgery, the greater optical change is provided by the diameter of the ring, and the fine adjusted is reached with the size of the implant cross--section, i.e the diameter of the implant and the size of the cross--section are the key on regulating the refractive correction; iii) the friction between ring and stroma is important to consider it because a prediction of 2 or 3 diopters could be lost; iv) whether the KC progression is stress-driven, only MyoRing can stop its progression; v) when the covered arc of the segments is more than 320º, axisymmetric model could be used instead of tridimensional model, saving computational time; vi) the anisotropy of the model does not play an important role because the rings are much stiffer than corneal tissue; vii) the implants cannot consider such as second limbus since they act as a dynamic pivot that moves along the circadian cycles of intraocular pressure (IOP); viii) preliminary nomograms is built which allow the estimation of the optical outputs according to the size and typology of the ring and optical zone of implantation.Additionally, a characterisation of ring material was carried out by means two complementary methods: uncertainty analysis and iFEM optimisation, concluding that the manufacturing process of the rings could be the cause of the alteration of the material between the raw PMMA and the ring already prepared for its insertion.<br /

Estudio sistemático de la estabilidad biomecánica de lentes intraoculares C-loop: Enfoque a un diseño óptimo de los hápticos

El objetivo de este Trabajo Fin de Máster es estudiar la influencia de los parámetros que definen la geometría de las lentes intraoculares C-loop que afectan a la estabilidad mecánica en el saco capsular. Dando lugar a un diseño óptimo de lentes C-loop que minimiza el desplazamiento axial, la inclinación y la rotación.Se estudiaron un total de 144 variaciones geométricas de una lente intraocular C-loop no angulada. El conjunto de variaciones adecuado se determinó mediante un análisis factorial mixto, que permitió analizar el impacto de los diferentes diseños sobre la estabilidad mecánica de la lente (fuerza de compresión, desplazamiento axial, inclinación y rotación). Los parámetros de diseño estudiados fueron: la longitud, anchura, espesor y ángulo de apertura del háptico, la unión háptico-óptica y el inicio de la curvatura háptica. El impacto de los diferentes parámetros se evaluó mediante gráficos de Pareto y análisis estadísticos.La fuerza de compresión (o reacción) se ve afectada por la anchura del háptico, la unión háptico-óptica y la interacción entre ambas. El desplazamiento axial se ve afectado principalmente por la anchura y el grosor del háptico, así como por el tamaño de la unión háptico-óptica. La inclinación se ve afectada por el espesor háptico y la interacción entre la curvatura háptica y la unión háptico-óptica. La rotación se ve afectada por el inicio de la curvatura háptica, la unión háptico-óptica y la anchura del háptico. La principal conclusión de este TFM es que la unión háptico-óptica es uno de los parámetros más influyentes que afectan en las cuatro respuestas estudiadas de las lentes C-Loop. Cuanto más pequeña sea la unión háptico-óptica, mejor será la estabilidad biomecánica.<br /

Análisis económico de calidad del trabajo: Seguridad y salud en el trabajo

Por ser el trabajo y la salud dos campos de interés para las ciencias económicas, es importante estudiar cómoestas se han aproximado a la seguridad y la salud en el trabajo en las organizaciones.Es por ello, que el objetivo del presente trabajo es muy claro, ver qué porcentaje de accidentes laboralesocurren o han ocurrido hasta día de hoy, cómo se ven afectadas las empresas si ocurren estos accidentes yqué es lo que les suponen a las mismas. Además, también investigaremos el porqué de estos accidentes, quees lo que pasa para que ocurran en las empresas.<br /

La evolución del e-commerce en España y nuevas tendencias

Este trabajo pretende poner en valor la oportunidad que supone analizar datos en abierto a la hora de vislumbrar signos de cambio y nuevas tendencias en los mercados de consumo. La explotación de fuentes de microdatos, de fácil acceso a las organizaciones, supone hoy más que nunca una verdadera fuente de información útil para los departamentos de Marketing ya que permite respaldar la toma de decisiones en fuentes fiables y a su vez, ser más eficientes con la asignación de recursos y esfuerzos. Con el fin de abarcar esta cuestión, explotaremos y analizaremos dos bases de datos que el INE nos ofrece a través de su encuesta anual sobre el Equipamiento y Uso de Tecnologías de Información y Comunicación en los Hogares (TIC-H). Concretamente, analizaremos la compra por Internet de las categorías de productos más demandas en 2012 y 2016 a través de distintas técnicas de análisis multivariante y a su vez, se incluirán una serie de análisis exclusivos sobre el comercio electrónico en 2016. Así pues, este proyecto consta de 4 partes: introducción y marco teórico, metodología y análisis de datos y conclusiones

Electrophoretic Deposition of Transparent ZnO Thin Films from Highly Stabilized Colloidal Suspensions

The parameters that control the stability of ZnO-nanoparticles suspensions and their deposition by electrophoretic deposition were studied, so as to organize the assembly and compaction of nanoparticles. The addition of cationic polyelectrolyte - Polyethylenimine (PEI) - with different molecular weights was investigated, in order to study their effectiveness and the influence of the molecular weight of the organic chain on suspensions dispersion. It was found that PEI with the highest molecular weight provided better dispersion conditions. Cathodic EPD was performed under previously optimized suspensions conditions and over electropolished stainless steel substrates. Experimental results showed that the EPD process in these conditions allows obtaining dense transparent ZnO thin films. Deposition times and intensities were optimized by analyzing the resulting thin films characteristics. Finally, the deposits were characterized by FE-SEM, AFM, and different spectroscopic techniques

Contradicciones en la educación inclusiva a través de un estudio multiescalar

En un contexto en el que los servicios de educación han sido transformados en una dirección neoliberal, tanto la inclusión como la participación de las familias son aspectos destacados en una educación de calidad. Sin embargo, los efectos del Nuevo Mercado, en términos de participación, justicia y equidad, no han sido favorables para la elección de escuelas en áreas geográficas con desventaja social y económica. Este artículo intenta mostrar la comprensión que tienen estas escuelas como espacios educativos a partir del análisis en profundidad de una escuela. El estudio realizado desde un proyecto etnográfico multiescalar en ocho escuelas de Aragón, en España, a través de observación participante y entrevistas a maestros/as, alumnos, padres, madres, equipos psicopedagógicos e inspectores, muestra cómo los miembros de esta escuela se presentan a sí mismos de distinta manera a cómo lo hacen la administración, los medios de comunicación o los miembros de la misma ciudad. El conocimiento del lugar y espacio, la conexión de la vida de los alumnos con el curriculum y el desarrollo profesional de los profesores son estrategias que dan cuenta de las prácticas de educación inclusiva en la escuela. El artículo señala los diferentes discursos como consideraciones para la administración educativa. In a context where education services have been transformed in a neo-liberal direction, the inclusion and the participation of parents in schools is stressed as an important aspect of quality. Nevertheless, the effects of the new market, in terms of participation, justice and equity are negative on school availability and selection in disadvantage areas. This article tries to show the understandings of these schools as educational spaces, through a deep analysis of one school. The study carried out from an ethnographic research multi-scalar project in eight schools of Aragon in Spain from participant observation and interviews with teachers, students, parents, counsellors and inspectors, shows how members of schools are present as in a different way to representations of the administration, media or members of the town. Results show as the knowledge of spatial conditions, connection between students’ life and curriculum and professional development, are strategies closer to an inclusive school. This article highlights different contradictions to consider by the educational administration

Role of polyphenol oxidase in olive metabolism

Virgin olive oil (VOO) is the most important fat in the Mediterranean diet, which has many nutritional benefits and excellent organoleptic properties. These characteristics are mainly linked to the phenolic compounds present in VOO. The content of phenolic compounds in VOO is related to the initial content of phenolic glycosides in the olive fruit, which are later transformed by hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes to form the main phenolic components of VOO [1].The main enzyme involved in the oxidative degradation of phenolic compounds during the oil extraction process is the polyphenol oxidase (PPO). This enzyme may catalyse two different reactions, hydroxylation of monophenols to form orthodiphenols (monophenolase activity), or oxidation of these orthodiphenols to quinones (diphenolase activity). Thus, PPO could display an important role both in the degradation and biosynthesis pathways, which means that these pathways could be connected [1]. In consequence, the functional characterization of olive PPOs is needed to understand the metabolism of phenolic compounds.Two polyphenol oxidase genes (OePPO1 and OePPO2) have been identified from a transcriptome obtained from diverse olive varieties, with different phenolic contents, and submited to various biotic and abiotic stresses [3]. Both genes were synthesized, cloned and expressed in E. coli (BL21). Extraction and purification protocols of the recombinant proteins have been optimized using affinity chromatography [2]. Similarly, specific activity assays and HPLC analysis methods have been designed for the biochemical characterization of the recombinant proteins.The functional identity of both proteins has been verified, since both of them have shown to be active against orthodiphenols (hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein), and their catalytic characterization is being completed using natural phenolic substrates from olive fruit (oleuropein and verbascoside) and VOO (hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol and acetate of hydroxytyrosol).Later, expression studies by qRT-PCR will be carried out and, finally, the expression, functional genomics and metabolomics data will be analyzed together to determine the specific role of these enzymes in the metabolism of phenolic compounds in olive trees