Linda Courtenay Botterill y Alan Fenna: Interrogating Public Policy Theory. A Political Values Perspective

Review of the book from Linda Courtenay Boterill and Alan Fenna, Interrogating Public Policy Theory. A Political Values Perspective, New Horizons in Public Policy series, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2019, 198 pp.Recensión del libro de Linda Courtenay Botterill y Alan Fenna, Interrogating Public Policy Theory. A Political Values Perspective, New Horizons in Public Policy series, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2019, 198 pp

From woman to woman. The transformation of female image in contemporary art.

El presente trabajo tiene como finalidad analizar la imagen femenina en la pintura de finales del siglo XIX y principios del XX para, posteriormente, analizar cómo ésta ha influido en otras disciplinas del siglo XX e, incluso, del siglo XXI, como el cine, la fotografía y la publicidad. Para ello, se ha tomado como modelo el arquetipo de la femme fatale por ser uno de los que más llevados a la práctica en este periodo. Concretamente, las figuras elegidas han sido Eva y Salomé, cada una en relación a una serie de atributos que, en el caso de la primera, son la bestia y el fruto prohibido y, en la segunda, la danza y la muerte. Así, el trabajo se divide en dos apartados: la mujer y la bestia, con sus respectivos ejemplos en la pintura y la influencia de éstos en el cine y la publicidad, y la mujer en asociación a la fruta de la manzana en pintura, publicidad y fotografía. Respecto a la figura de Salomé, la estructura es la misma. Por un lado, la pintura que representan la danza de Salomé y cómo ésta ha influido en la ópera y en el cine y, por otra, la mujer y la muerte, nuevamente en pintura, fotografía y medios audiovisuales, respectivamente. Abstract: This work analyzes the female image in painting at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries to later analyze how it has influenced other disciplines of the 20th century and even the 21th century, such as cinema, art, photography and advertising. The archetype of the femme fatale has been taken as a model, as it is one of the most used in this period. Specifically, the chosen figures have been Eva and Salomé, each one in relation to attributes like the beast and the forbidden fruit, in the case of Eva, in the Salomé, dance and death. The work is divided into two sections: the woman and the beast, with their respective examples in painting and their influence on film and advertising; and women in association with apple fruit in painting, advertising and photography. Regarding to Salomé, the structure is the same. On the one hand, the paintings that represent Salomé’s dance and how it has influenced opera and cinema and, on the other hand, women and death in painting, photography and audiovisual media, respectivel

Lámpara adaptable a diferentes públicos y espacios capaz de crear distintos ambientes

Treball Final de Grau en Enginyeria en Disseny Industrial i Desenvolupament de Productes. Codi: DI1048. Curs acadèmic: 2020/2021El objetivo es diseñar una lámpara capaz de proporcionar diferentes iluminaciones (más directa o más difusa) jugando con mover sus módulos. Una lámpara que se pueda adaptar a diferentes ambientes, estilos y edades, que se pueda colocar en distintas posiciones (lámpara de mesa, de pie, de pared, de techo...), dotándola así de una versatilidad que no hay en el mercado y todo ello sin perder de vista la importancia de la estética, ni la presencia del cliente en el producto. Que sea él quien, según su criterio, decida cómo debe de ser o de estar posicionada para que se adapte a sus necesidades, haciendo de una lámpara para todos su propia lámpara

Orientación laboral para estudiantes con discapacidad intelectual de la Universidad de Murcia

Las personas con discapacidad intelectual se encuentran a diario con dificultades para realizar una inserción en el mercado laboral de forma autónoma y sus habilidades para la búsqueda de empleo son, a menudo, escasas. La presente intervención de inserción sociolaboral tiene como propósito preparar de forma individualizada y personalizada a un grupo de estudiantes con discapacidad intelectual de la Universidad de Murcia que participan en el título de estudios propios Todos Somos Campus sobre formación para el empleo. Así, se presentan diferentes estrategias para la mejora de la empleabilidad, tales como el refuerzo del autoconocimiento, del perfil profesional, de las cualidades más demandadas y de las habilidades en una entrevista, la confección del currículum y orientaciones sobre dónde buscar ofertas de empleo

Las prácticas en línea como herramienta para mejorar las competencias interculturales comunicativas entre estudiantes en Noruega y España : el caso del Español como Lengua Extranjera (ELE) y Ciencias Políticas

Este artículo presenta un proyecto de telecolaboración interdisciplinar entre una universidad noruega y otra española. Nuestro objetivo se centra en el desarrollo de competencias interculturales y la mejora de habilidades comunicativas. En el proyecto participan tanto estudiantes noruegos, futuro profesorado de español como lengua extranjera (ELE), como estudiantes españoles del grado en ciencias políticas, mediante prácticas extracurriculares en la universidad noruega en línea. La investigación se centra en el diseño de las tareas y el contenido de las prácticas, poniendo el énfasis en los diferentes roles tanto de los estudiantes como de las docentes/tutoras, el intercambio de información y el uso de la retórica simbólica utilizada durante la interacción.In the present paper, we are concerned with an interdisciplinary tele-collaboration project and partnership between a Norwegian and a Spanish university. The project involves Norwegian students (future teachers of Spanish as a foreign language) and Spanish students in Political Science. The latter carried out their external academic practices, in an online learning environment, at the Norwegian university. Our main focus is on the development of the students' intercultural and communicative competence. The research deals with content design and implementation for the tele-collaborative exchange, emphasising the different roles of both students and teachers/tutors, the exchange of information and understanding, and the use of symbolic rhetoric in student-student interactions

Genetic diagnosis of α1-antitrypsin deficiency using DNA from buccal swab and serum samples

Background: α1-Antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is associated with a high risk of developing lung and liver disease. Despite being one of the most common hereditary disorders worldwide, AATD remains under-diagnosed and prolonged delays in diagnosis are usual. The aim of this study was to validate the use of buccal swab samples and serum circulating DNA for the complete laboratory study of AATD. Methods: Sixteen buccal swab samples from previously characterized AATD patients were analyzed using an allele-specific genotyping assay and sequencing method. In addition, 19 patients were characterized by quantification, phenotyping and genotyping using only serum samples. Results: the 16 buccal swab samples were correctly characterized by genotyping. Definitive results were obtained in the 19 serum samples analyzed by quantification, phenotyping and genotyping, thereby performing the complete AATD diagnostic algorithm. Conclusions: Buccal swab samples may be useful to expand AATD screening programs and family studies. Genotyping using DNA from serum samples permits the application of the complete diagnostic algorithm without delay. These two methods will be useful for obtaining more in depth knowledge of the real prevalence of patients with AATD

Propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Motivación Académica de los Adolescentes (EMAA) en una muestra representativa de estudiantes de instituto de la República Dominicana

Within the growing body of research that has focused on academic success, academic motivation has gathered considerable attention. The aim of this this research is to present the first validation of the Adolescents’ Academic Motivation Scale (AAMS). Total sample was composed by 1712 students of secondary education from two districts in the Dominican Republic. The main measurement outcome was the AAMS. Results from the CFA were satisfactory: χ2(5) = 57.73, p < .001; CFI = .970; RMSEA = .079 [.061, .097], and SRMR = .024. IRT analyses favored the two-parameter logistic model, indicating that items were not equally discriminant. Structural Equation Model with latent variables in which academic motivation was a significant predictor of grades resulted in excellent fit: χ2(53) = 182.76, p < .001; CFI = .980; RMSEA = .038 90% CI [.032, .044], and SRMR = .025. In sum, this work presents an exhaustive psychometric analysis of the AAMS in a representative sample of high school Dominican students.Entre el creciente cuerpo de investigación que se ha centrado en el éxito académico, la motivación académica ha captado considerable atención. El objetivo de esta investigación es presentar la primera validación de la Escala de Motivación Académica de los Adolescentes (EMAA). La muestra total estuvo compuesta por 1712 estudiantes de secundaria de dos distritos de la República Dominicana. La medida principal fue la EMAA. Los resultados del AFC fueron satisfactorios: χ2(5) = 57.73, p < .001; CFI = .970; RMSEA = .079, 90% CI [.061, .097], y SRMR = .024. Los análisis de TRI favorecieron al modelo logístico de dos parámetros, indicando que los ítems no fueron igualmente discriminativos. El Modelo de Ecuaciones Estructurales en el que la motivación académica predecía de forma estadísticamente significativa las calificaciones obtuvo un ajuste excelente: χ2(53) = 182.76, p < .001; CFI = .980; RMSEA = .038 [.032, .044], and SRMR = .025. En resumen, este trabajo presenta un exhaustivo análisis psicométrico de la EMAA en una muestra representativa de estudiantes dominicanos de instituto

Estilo de liderazgo en un órgano de control externo. El caso de la Sindicatura de Comptes de la Comunitat Valenciana

Este artículo analiza los patrones de liderazgo en la Sindicatura de Comptes de la Comunitat Valenciana durante sus tres décadas de existencia. Como organización pública de relevancia estatutaria ha experimentado una modernización sostenida para adecuar sus estructuras al entorno sociopolítico. Uno de los factores que explican el calado de los cambios de la Sindicatura es el liderazgo y el modelo directivo (Bass 1985) de sus síndicos mayores en las distintas fases del ciclo de vida (Levitt, 1965; Adizes, 1994). Por consiguiente, partiendo de un estudio longitudinal de la caracterización de los liderazgos de los síndicos mayores entre 1985-2015 se expondrán los principales rasgos que han caracterizado cada una de las fases de esta institución para desempeñar su papel con eficacia y generar legitimidad. This article analyzes the leadership patterns in the Sindicatura de Comptes of the Valencian Community during its three decades of existence. The purpose of this institution of self-government is the control of the public funds of all the Valencian autonomous public sector. As a public organization of statutory relevance, it has undergone a sustained modernization to adapt its structures to the socio-political environment. One of the factors that explain the significance of the changes of the Syndicate is the leadership and the management model (Bass 1985) of its 'síndics majors' in the different phases of the life cycle (Levitt, 1965). Therefore, starting from a longitudinal study of the characterization of the leadership of the 'síndics majors' between 1985-2015 will be exposed the main features that have characterized each of the phases of this institution to play its role effectively and generate legitimacy. This article analyzes the leadership patterns in the Sindicatura de Comptes of the Valencian Community during its three decades of existence. The purpose of this institution of self-government is the control of the public funds of all the Valencian autonomous public sector. As a public organization of statutory relevance, it has undergone a sustained modernization to adapt its structures to the socio-political environment. One of the factors that explain the significance of the changes of the Syndicate is the leadership and the management model (Bass 1985) of its «síndics majors» in the different phases of the life cycle (Levitt, 1965). Therefore, starting from a longitudinal study of the characterization of the leadership of the «síndics majors» between 1985-2015 will be exposed the main features that have characterized each of the phases of this institution to play its role effectively and generate legitimacy

Application of a diagnostic algorithm for the rare deficient variant Mmalton of alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency: a new approach

Background and objectives: alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is associated with a high risk for the development of early-onset emphysema and liver disease. A large majority of subjects with severe AATD carry the ZZ genotype, which can be easily detected. Another rare pathologic variant, the Mmalton allele, causes a deficiency similar to that of the Z variant, but it is not easily recognizable and its detection seems to be underestimated. Therefore, we have included a rapid allele-specific genotyping assay for the detection of the Mmalton variant in the diagnostic algorithm of AATD used in our laboratory. The objective of this study was to test the usefulness of this new algorithm for Mmalton detection. Materials and methods: we performed a retrospective revision of all AATD determinations carried out in our laboratory over 2 years using the new diagnostic algorithm. Samples with a phenotype showing one or two M alleles and AAT levels discordant with that phenotype were analyzed using the Mmalton allele-specific genotyping assay. Results: we detected 49 samples with discordant AAT levels; 44 had the MM and five the MS phenotype. In nine of these samples, a single rare Mmalton variant was detected. During the study period, two family screenings were performed and four additional Mmalton variants were identified. Conclusion: the incorporation of the Mmalton allele-specific genotyping assay in the diagnostic algorithm of AATD resulted in a faster and cheaper method to detect this allele and avoided a significant delay in diagnosis when a sequencing assay was required. This methodology can be adapted to other rare variants. Standardized algorithms are required to obtain conclusive data of the real incidence of rare AAT alleles in each region

Rapid detection of Mmalton α1-antitrypsin deficiency allele by real-time PCR and melting curves in whole blood, serum and dried blood spot samples

Background: α1-Antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is an autosomal codominant disorder associated with a high risk of developing lung and liver disease. The most common deficient alleles are known as Z and S. However, another deficient variant, called Mmalton, which causes a deficiency similar to variant Z, is considered to be the second cause of severe AATD in Spain. Nevertheless, the Mmalton allele is not recognizable by usual diagnostic techniques and therefore, its real prevalence is underestimated. We describe a rapid real-time PCR and melting curves assay designed for the detection of Mmalton AATD. Methods: we tested the applicability of this new technique for the identification of the Mmalton allele in AATD screening using whole blood, dried blood spot (DBS) and serum samples. Mmalton heterozygote and homozygote samples and samples without this allele were included in the study. Results: this new assay is able to detect homozygous and heterozygous genotypes in the same reaction and in a single step, giving matching results with those obtained by SERPINA1 gene sequencing. Conclusions: this technology is optimal for working with small amounts of DNA, such as in DBS and even with residual DNA present in serum samples, allowing improvement in routine algorithms of AATD diagnosis or large-scale screening. This method will be useful for obtaining more in depth knowledge of the real incidence of the Mmalton variant