Intercultural Mediation in Conflict Situations: A Didactic-Methodological Conception for Tourist Guides

This study investigates the treatment of conflict situations of an intercultural nature in the professional framework of tour guides Intercultural competence is considered not sufficiently studied within the framework of the postgraduate improvement of the language for professional purposes in the Cuban tourism sector The objective is focused on developing a didactic-methodological conception and the creation of a conceptual framework towards the development of intercultural competence in tour guides by making use of the theory of mediation The article focused on a new definition of intercultural competence and analyzed some reflections on the creation of a conceptual platform to evaluate this competence In the development of this study the conceptual model of the Macro Intercultural Competence Coping is presented suitable to base the intercultural components through the treatment of conflict situations Its application will facilitate a greater awareness of the characteristics of one s own culture the reactivation of cultural knowledge and the development of critical thinking for mediation in conflict situation

Aún viene el coco : origen, pervivencia y transformación de un clásico del miedo infantil

Este artículo se centra en la figura mitológico-folclórica del coco, analizando su origen etimológico, así como sus funciones y significados desde las primeras manifestaciones escritas en el siglo XV. Un trabajo de campo con encuestas y entrevistas realizado entre 2009 y 2016 nos permite conocer de primera mano las variaciones simbólicas de este personaje fantástico en Andalucía, pero también descubrir las continuidades y rupturas con respecto a cómo se provoca y se experimenta el miedo infantil en los siglos XX y XXI, desde una original indefinición vinculada a lo negro y oscuro, hasta las actuales mezcolanzas de la cibercultura, donde se hacen presentes las imágenes de seres terroríficos o inocentes de series televisivas, películas y videojuegos. El análisis del coco nos revela una de las maneras de representación de la otredad, a través de un personaje difuso y confuso, a medio camino entre el hombre, el animal y el monstruo.We discuss in this paper a mythological and folkloric figure, the coco, analyzing its etymological origin, as well as its functions and meanings from its first manifestations in the 15th century. A fieldwork with surveys and interviews done between 2009 and 2016 allows us to know first hand the symbolic variations of this fantastic beeing in Andalusia (Spain), but also to discover the continuities and breaks with regard to how the child's fear is provoked and experienced in the 20th and 21st century, from an original lack of definition linked to the black and dark, up to the current mixtures of the cyberculture, where become present the images of terrifying or innocent beings from television series, movies and video games. The analysis of the coco reveals a way of representation the otherness through a diffuse and confused character, halfway between the man, the animal and the monster

Co-digestion of two-phase olive-mill waste and cattle manure: Influence of solids content on process performance

The solids content is a key parameter in the development of anaerobic digestion as it can determine the proper operation and performance of the process. The influence of the total solids content on the mesophilic anaerobic co-digestion of two-phase olive-mill waste (2POMW) and cattle manure (CM) was investigated. Four different total solids (TS) concentrations, in a 75:25 mixture of 2POMW:CM, were studied in batch reactors of 2 L capacity: 10%TS (R10), 15%TS (R15), 20%TS (R20) and 28.6%TS (Reactor non-diluted). The methane yields and the organic matter removal efficiency for the reactor with 10 and 15% TS were significantly higher than in the reactors with a higher solids content (R20 and Rnd). The hydrolytic and acidogenic phases were not adversely affected by the total solid content since the concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) increased as TS per- centage increased. However, a clear effect on the methanogenic phase was observed, which led to the accu- mulation of VFAs in the reactors R15, R20 and Rnd. Experimental results have shown that the best conditions correspond to the reactor containing 10% TS. The volatile solids and VFA removal in reactor R10 were 57.5% and 93.7% respectively. Moreover, the methane yield and the specific methane production were 35.80 LCH4/ kgVSadded and 82.51 LCH4/kgVSremoved respectivelyThis research has been co-financed by the 2014-2020 ERDF Operational Programme and by the Department of Economic Transformation, Industry, Knowledge and University of the Regional Government of Andalusia. Project reference: FEDER-UCA18-107460

Acoso psicológico laboral (Mobbing) y su impacto en el clima y desempeño laboral en maestros del sistema público de enseñanza del área sur de Puerto Rico

This study was aimed at finding motivational and environmental factors (organizational climate) that exacerbate bullying behavior towards the teacher in two municipalities in the southern area of ​​Puerto Rico. It was inquired from the perspective of the teacher how the Department of Education of Puerto Rico handles situations of workplace harassment and in cases where there is mobbing how it has affected the teacher's work performance in these municipalities. A representative sample of 202 teachers from the public education system of Puerto Rico was used. Intentional non-probabilistic sampling was used. A questionnaire created and used by Del Álamo (2006) called: (A) Alamo Questionnaire on Labor Abuse was used. (B) The second instrument used was the Organizational Climate Questionnaire obtained from the Department of Health of Lima, Peru (Ugarte et al.,2009). The objectives that framed this research and that served as a frame of reference for the development of the thesis were achieved. The results and conclusions show us that: i) teachers affected by bullying will tend to perceive that their work performance decreases; ii) the negative or tense organizational climate makes the predisposition to harassment greater and that labor performance also decreases; iii) there is no formal protocol in the Department of Education to handle bullying situations; vi) the teachers reflected an equivalent proportion between submitting or facing the stalker; v) the largest number of participants identified the stalker as their immediate boss; vi) the consequences of psychological harassment at work are manifested at the physical level (cardiovascular disorders) and psychological (stress and depression). The recommendations of the study are the following: legal advice for teachers and guidance to school principals. It is expected that further research on the subject will be continued and that the Law in Puerto Rico be approved.Este estudio fue dirigido a hallar factores motivacionales y ambientales (clima organizacional) que exacerban conductas de acoso hacia el maestro en dos municipios del área sur de Puerto Rico. Se indagó desde la perspectiva del maestro cómo el Departamento de Educación de Puerto Rico maneja las situaciones de acoso laboral y en los casos donde existe mobbing cómo ha afectado el rendimiento laboral del maestro en estos municipios. Se utilizó una muestra representativa de 202 maestros del sistema de educación pública de Puerto Rico. Se realizó un muestreo no probabilístico de tipo intencional. Se usó un cuestionario creado y utilizado por Del Álamo (2006) llamado: (A) Cuestionario del Álamo sobre Maltrato Laboral. (B) El segundo instrumento utilizado fue el Cuestionario de Clima Organizacional obtenido del Departamento de Salud de Lima, Perú (Ugarte et al., 2009). Los objetivos que enmarcaron esta investigación y que sirvieron como marco de referencia para el desarrollo de la tesis fueron logrados. Los resultados y las conclusiones nos muestran que: i) los maestros afectados por el acoso tenderán a percibir que su rendimiento laboral disminuye; ii) el clima organizacional negativo o tenso hace que sea mayor la predisposición al acoso y que el rendimiento laboral también disminuya; iii) no existe un protocolo formal en el Departamento de Educación para manejar situaciones de acoso; iv) los maestros reflejaron una proporción equivalente entre someterse o enfrentarse al acosador; v) la mayor cantidad de participantes identificaron al acosador como su jefe inmediato; vi) las consecuencias del acoso psicológico en el trabajo se manifiestan a nivel físico (trastornos cardiovasculares) y psicológico (estrés y depresión). Las recomendaciones del estudio son las siguientes: asesoramiento legal para los maestros y orientación a directores escolares. Se espera que se continúen nuevas investigaciones sobre el tema y que se apruebe la Ley en Puerto Rico

Estudio preliminar del uso de la ecografía in vivo para predecir el momento óptimo de sacrificio en añojos de raza retinta

El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido valorar el uso de los ultrasonidos en la predicción de las características de la canal y de la carne in vivo, a fin de conocer el momento óptimo de sacrificio de canales y/o carne de terneros machos de raza Retinta

Phospho-kinase profile of triple negative breast cancer and androgen receptor signaling

BACKGROUND: The androgen receptor (AR) plays a central role in the oncogenesis of different tumors, as is the case in prostate cancer. In triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) a gene expression classification has described different subgroups including a luminal androgen subtype. The AR can be controlled by several mechanisms like the activation of membrane tyrosine kinases and downstream signaling pathways. However little is known in TNBC about how the AR is modulated by these mechanisms and the potential therapeutic strategists to inhibit its expression. METHODS: We used human samples to evaluate the expression of AR by western-blot and phospho-proteomic kinase arrays that recognize membrane tyrosine kinase receptors and downstream mediators. Western-blots in human cell lines were carried out to analyze the expression and activation of individual proteins. Drugs against these kinases in different conditions were used to measure the expression of the androgen receptor. PCR experiments were performed to assess changes in the AR gene after therapeutic modulation of these pathways. RESULTS: AR is present in a subset of TNBC and its expression correlates with activated membrane receptor kinases-EGFR and PDGFRβ in human samples and cell lines. Inhibition of the PI3K/mTOR pathway in TNBC cell lines decreased notably the expression of the AR. Concomitant administration of the anti-androgen bicalutamide with the EGFR, PDGFRβ and Erk1/2 inhibitors, decreased the amount of AR compared to each agent given alone, and had an additive anti-proliferative effect. Administration of dihydrotestosterone augmented the expression of AR that was not modified by the inhibition of the PI3K/mTOR or Erk1/2 pathways. AR expression was posttranscriptionally regulated by PI3K or Erk1/2 inhibition. CONCLUSION: Our results describe the expression of the AR in TNBC as a druggable target and further suggest the combination of bicalutamide with inhibitors of EGFR, PDGFRβ or Erk1/2 for future development

Galería de asustaniños de carne y hueso. Miedo y fascinación en torno a las categorías de la anormalidad en Andalucía

Research into bogeymen conducted in Andalusia in Spain reveals that children have not only been afraid of the Sacamantecas [Fat-extractor], the Hombre del saco [Sack Man] and other famous fictional characters. Their progenitors have also used real individuals to scare them into obedience. The social production of bogeymen operates through stereotypical categorization of marginalized individuals that fall into ‘abnormality’ archetypes: the drunkard, the drug addict, the criminal, the madman, the witch and the gypsy, but also the cripple, the beggar, the vagabond and even the peddler. Analysing the memories of those who were children between the 1930s and the end of the 20th century, this paper connects discourse on bogeymen with the symbolic universe regarding the categories of ‘abnormal’ individuals that appear in legends, stories, superstitions, false rumours and other narratives, spanning the divide between fiction and reality. In the process, we seek to understand the ambivalent images constructed around those who are considered anomalous, deviant, strange, monstrous, perverted and dangerous, and therefore censurable and fearsome, but who also are familiar and live on the sidelines of our daily lives, engendering not only rejection, but also curiosity and fascination.Una investigación llevada a cabo en Andalucía sobre los asustaniños revela que los menores no solo han temido al Sacamantecas, al Hombre del saco y otros personajes ficticios, sino que sus progenitores utilizaron a individuos de carne y hueso para incitarles a la obediencia, a través del miedo. La producción social de asustaniños reales se asienta sobre la categorización estereotípica de ciertos individuos marginales, bajo unos pocos arquetipos de anormalidad: el borracho, el drogadicto, el delincuente, el loco, la bruja, el gitano, pero también el lisiado, el mendigo, el vagabundo, incluso el vendedor ambulante. Centrándonos en el recuerdo de los que fueron niños entre los años 30 y el final del siglo XX, este trabajo relaciona los discursos sobre estos asustaniños y el universo simbólico en torno a estas categorías de anormales, rastreable en leyendas, cuentos, supersticiones, bulos y otros relatos, entre la ficción y la realidad. Se comprende así cómo se gestan las ambivalentes imágenes sobre quienes sin dejar de ser considerados anómalos, desviados, extraños, monstruosos, pervertidos y peligrosos, luego censurables y temibles, también son cercanos, familiares, y despiertan tanto el rechazo como la curiosidad y la fascinación, viviendo en los márgenes de nuestra cotidianeidad

Antitumor activity of the novel multi-kinase inhibitor EC-70124 in triple negative breast cancer

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.-- et al.Disseminated triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an incurable disease with limited therapeutic options beyond chemotherapy. Therefore, identification of druggable vulnerabilities is an important aim. Protein kinases play a central role in cancer and particularly in TNBC. They are involved in many oncogenic functions including migration, proliferation, genetic stability or maintenance of stem-cell like properties. In this article we describe a novel multi-kinase inhibitor with antitumor activity in this cancer subtype. EC-70124 is a hybrid indolocarbazole analog obtained by combinatorial biosynthesis of Rebeccamycin and Staurosporine genes that showed antiproliferative effect and in vivo antitumoral activity. Biochemical experiments demonstrated the inhibition of the PI3K/mTOR and JAK/STAT pathways. EC-70124 mediated DNA damage leading to cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. Pathway analyses identified several deregulated functions including cell proliferation, migration, DNA damage, regulation of stem cell differentiation and reversion of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype, among others. Combination studies showed a synergistic interaction of EC-70124 with docetaxel, and an enhanced activity in vivo. Furthermore, EC-70124 had a good pharmacokinetic profile. In conclusion these experiments demonstrate the antitumor activity of EC-70124 in TNBC paving the way for the future clinical development of this drug alone or in combination with chemotherapy.Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (BFU2012-39151 and RD12/0036/0003 to AP), and the AECC (to AP). Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PI13/01444) ACEPAIN and CRIS Cancer Foundation (to AO). JCM is a recipient of a Miguel Servet fellowship program (CP12/03073).Peer Reviewe

Voces infantiles sobre lo tenebroso: Nuevas y viejas caras del miedo en niños de Sevilla

This paper explores the experiences, practices and discourses of fear of children aged between 9 and 10. A comparative analysis between these and the experiences and memories of adults of their childhood fears reveals multiple developments, such as the diminishing popularity and sinisterness of traditional bogeymen (the sack man, witches, etc.). These have been replaced by characters, plots and situations deriving from films and video games, which have been transformed into both oral accounts and other products of audio-visual culture. A combination of written, oral and visual forms, global stereotypes and local adaptations, and real and fantastic elements, children’s narratives of fear stem from many sources and clichés that are fueling each other at a rapid pace. Versus this tendency towards condemning and combating everything relating to childhood fears—at school and at home—this study demonstrates the continued influence and dual nature of terrifying practices and discourses. These are just as frightening as they are appealing for children who do not consume passively but also recreate, spread, discuss, challenge, explore, play and invent, especially as regards their favourite fears, such as those associated with haunted places.Inserto en una investigación sobre los asustaniños en Andalucía, este artículo indaga la experiencia, práctica y discursos del miedo en niños de 9 y 10 años. La comparación con la vivencia y la memoria que guardan los adultos sobre sus miedos infantiles, revela múltiples transformaciones como la pérdida de popularidad y el blanqueamiento de los asustaniños tradicionales (el coco, la bruja, etc.). En su lugar irrumpen personajes, tramas y situaciones derivadas de películas y videojuegos, que se transforman tanto en relatos orales como en otros productos de la cultura audiovisual. Mezcla de formas escritas, orales y visuales, arquetipos globales y adaptaciones locales, elementos reales y fantásticos, las narrativas del miedo presentes en los niños provienen de una multiplicidad de fuentes y tópicos, que se retroalimentan a gran velocidad. Frente a la tendencia —en escuela y familia— a condenar y combatir todo lo relacionado con el miedo infantil, el estudio demuestra la vigencia y la doble naturaleza de las prácticas y discursos terroríficos, tan temibles como atractivos para unos niños que no consumen pasivamente sino también recrean, propagan, debaten, cuestionan, exploran, juegan e inventan, especialmente en torno a sus miedos predilectos, como los derivados de espacios encantados