Examining language learners\u27 roles and perceptions in the development of Intercultural Communicative Competence: An analysis of Intercultura Spanish language learning materials from an Activity Theory perspective

With the increasing globalization, approaches to foreign language teaching have recognized the need to prepare learners for interactions with native speakers of the target language. Research studies in the areas of cross-cultural and intercultural communication have identified intercultural communicative competence (ICC) as a skill needed for such interactions. However, the majority of studies in these areas have focused on contradictions that arise from communication between two different cultural groups of learners without consideration to the roles they take in the discussions or their attitudes towards the materials. In addition, the majority of ICC studies have investigated ICC development in language courses using materials that have not been fully integrated into the courses. Attempts have been made to guide language educators in preparing learners for intercultural interactions, such as the goals outlined in the National Standards document (ACTFL, 2011). However, today’s foreign language classrooms are still confined to the use of textbooks as guiding principles for teaching. Unfortunately, textbooks have not fully incorporated research findings from the area of ICC. To address the lack of materials that integrate ICC findings and that are fully integrated in language courses, I developed the Intercultura materials. These materials contain cultural information from four Hispanic countries (Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Spain). In this study I proposed and investigated an innovative approach for the teaching of culture and development of ICC in the context of a foreign language classroom. The investigation focused on five research questions that aimed at the study of (a) participants’ roles in the discussion of cultural information, (b) development of ICC and connection to the components of the Intercultura materials, (c) differences in the pursuance of goals (i.e., understanding cultural information), (d) participants’ perceptions of and attitudes towards the Intercultura materials, and (f) participants’ preferences for the viewing of materials in or out–of–class. Two research methodologies were employed. Data consisting of participants\u27 (n=42) entries to eight discussion forums and sociograms obtained from the forums were analyzed qualitatively to answer research questions 1, 2, and 3. A mixed methods approach was used to investigate research questions 4 and 5. Quantitative (participants’ (n=115) ratings to Likert–scale items in an exit survey) and qualitative (responses to open-ended questions in the survey) data were used. Main findings showed that participants who had a stronger connection to the target culture or to a culture that differed from the mainstream US culture (e.g., first and second generation of immigrants, students who had experiences abroad) were able to take on the role of leaders and assist others in the development of a greater understanding of the cultural information presented to them. In regard to the development of ICC, instances of the dimension of interpreting and relating increased when participants viewed the materials outside of class. The use of what/how questions and integration of information from four countries in the Intercultura materials were contributing factors to the increase in the dimension of interpreting and relating. Overall, participants found different features of the Intercultura materials to be beneficial. Finally, participants preferred viewing materials out–of–class and offered valid reasons for choosing their own materials. The study has pedagogical implications in regard to task types for the development of ICC (i.e., use of what/how questions), the viewing of materials (in or out–of–class), and consideration of participants\u27 cultural backgrounds in discussions about culture

Tolerancia in vitro de Fusarium solani y Fusarium semitectum (anamorfos, Ascomycota) a la exposición a desinfectantes de superficie utilizados en acuicultura

An in vitro evaluation of the antifungal effect of acetic acid (AcH), buffered acetic acid (AcH+AcNa), potassium iodide (KI) and Iodopovidone (IP); on the growth rate (GR) of Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc. 1881 and Fusarium semitectum Berk. & Ravenel, 1875 was performed. Both fungal species were isolated from eggs of the Argentinian silverside Odontesthes bonariensis (Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1835). The studied substances are commonly used in fish farming as surface disinfectants. The tested concentrations of this substances exhibited antifungal activity for both strains at concentrations higher than their 96h median lethal concentrations (LC50-96h) for the treated eggs; concentrations below the (LC50-96h) exhibited little or no effect.Se evaluó in vitro el efecto del: acido acético (AcH), ácido acético tamponado (AcH+AcNa), ioduro de potasio (IK) y Iodopovidona (IP) sobre la tasa de crecimiento (TC) de Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc. 1881 y Fusarium semitectum Berk. & Ravenel, 1875. Ambas especies fueron aisladas de ovas de Odontesthes bonariensis (Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1835). Las sustancias estudiadas son comúnmente utilizadas en acuicultura como desinfectantes de superficie. Las concentraciones ensayadas con actividad fungicida para ambas cepas fueron mucho más elevadas que las correspondientes concentraciones letales medias a 96 horas (CL50-96h) para ovas de pejerrey. Concentraciones inferiores a la CL50 - 96h exhibieron un efecto fungistático escaso o nulo

In vitro tolerance of Fusarium semitectum and Fusarium solani (anamorphic, Ascomycota) exposed to surface disinfectant commonly used in aquaculture

Se evaluó in vitro el efecto del: acido acético (AcH), ácido acético tamponado (AcH+AcNa), ioduro de potasio (IK) y Iodopovidona (IP) sobre la tasa de crecimiento (TC) de Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc. 1881 y Fusarium semitectum Berk. & Ravenel, 1875. Ambas especies fueron aisladas de ovas de Odontesthes bonariensis (Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1835). Las sustancias estudiadas son comúnmente utilizadas en acuicultura como desinfectantes de superficie. Las concentraciones ensayadas con actividad fungicida para ambas cepas fueron mucho más elevadas que las correspondientes concentraciones letales medias a 96 horas (CL50-96h) para ovas de pejerrey. Concentraciones inferiores a la CL50 - 96h exhibieron un efecto fungistático escaso o nulo.An in vitro evaluation of the antifungal effect of acetic acid (AcH), buffered acetic acid (AcH+AcNa), potassium iodide (KI) and Iodopovidone (IP); on the growth rate (GR) of Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc. 1881 and Fusarium semitectum Berk. & Ravenel, 1875 was performed. Both fungal species were isolated from eggs of the Argentinian silverside Odontesthes bonariensis (Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1835). The studied substances are commonly used in fish farming as surface disinfectants. The tested concentrations of this substances exhibited antifungal activity for both strains at concentrations higher than their 96h median lethal concentrations (LC50-96h) for the treated eggs; concentrations below the (LC50-96h) exhibited little or no effect.Fil: Pacheco Marino, Suani Giovanna. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Botánica Spegazzini; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Cabello, Marta N.. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Botánica Spegazzini; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; ArgentinaFil: Salibián, Alfredo. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Luján; Argentin

Cervical necrotizing fasciitis and acute mediastinitis of odontogenic origin: a case series

Necrotising fasciitis (NF) is an uncommon infection. Early signs and symptoms include fever, severe pain and swelling, and redness at the wound site. Moreover, fulminant evolution and high mortality rate are typical of this pathology. In the present report we describes three cases of cervical necrotizing fasciitis complicated by acute mediastinitis. All patients were apparently immunocompetent adults. The main aim of the present report is to show the serious consequences that a dental infection might trigger. Furthermore, we highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in these cases. The constant interaction between different medical specialties is essential for ensuring a proper management of each case

Ingresos ordinarios y su impacto financiero en los museos privados de lima metropolitana, año 2021

El presente trabajo de investigación tiene como finalidad analizar el comportamiento de los ingresos ordinarios y su impacto financiero en los museos privados de Lima Metropolitana, año 2021, así como también evaluar el comportamiento de sus ingresos por servicios culturales, servicios educativos y donaciones. La investigación se divide en 5 capítulos: En primer lugar, tenemos el capítulo 1: marco teórico, en el que se definen los conceptos utilizados en el tema de investigación. En según lugar, se encuentra el capítulo 2: Plan de Investigación, compuesto por el problema de investigación, los objetivos y las hipótesis tanto generales como específicas. En el capítulo 3: Metodología de la Investigación, en ella se define el tipo de investigación utilizada y el tamaño de la muestra para el análisis cualitativo, en este punto se utiliza de instrumento los cuestionarios de la entrevista a profundidad. En el análisis cuantitativo se utilizará las encuestas como instrumento. A continuación, el Capítulo 4: Desarrollo de la Investigación, en este capítulo se aplicarán las entrevistas y encuestas. Además, se desarrollará un caso práctico para analizar el comportamiento de los ingresos ordinarios y su impacto financiero en los museos privados de Lima Metropolitana. Por último, en el Capítulo 5: Análisis de los Resultados, se presenta el análisis de los instrumentos y se finaliza con las conclusiones y recomendaciones de la investigación.The purpose of this research work is to analyze the behavior of ordinary income and its financial impact on private museums in Metropolitan Lima, year 2021, as well as to evaluate the behavior of their income from cultural services, educational services and donations. This work is divided into 5 chapters: In the first place, we have chapter 1: theoretical framework, where the basic concepts related to the research topic are defined. In second place, there is chapter 2: Research Plan, composed of the research problem, the objectives and the general and specific hypotheses. In chapter 3: Research Methodology, it defines the type of research used to be used for the research, in addition to the size of the sample for the qualitative analysis, at this point the interview questionnaire is used as an instrument. to depth. On the other hand, we have quantitative analysis, for which surveys will be used as an instrument. Next, Chapter 4: Research Development, in this chapter is the application of the techniques mentioned above, which are interviews and surveys. Likewise, a practical case will be developed to analyze the behavior of ordinary income and its financial impact on private museums in Metropolitan Lima. Finally, in Chapter 5: Analysis of the Results, the analysis of the instruments is presented to conclude with the conclusions and recommendations of the subject studied.Tesi

E-commerce y fidelización de clientes para la empresa 360 Fashion, Lima 2021

La presente investigación se realizó en la empresa de moda 360° Fashion, Lima 2021. Teniendo como objetivo principal determinar la relación entre la gestión Ecommerce y la fidelización de los clientes de la empresa de moda. La investigación corresponde al tipo aplicada con diseño no experimental, de corte transversal y correlacional causal. La población del estudio estuvo constituida por 70 clientes recurrentes de la empresa, la muestra estuvo constituida por 70 encuestados. El instrumento de medición empleado fueron dos cuestionarios tipo escala de Likert. Además, se emplearon estadísticos descriptivos y para la prueba de hipótesis se utilizó el modelo de Chi Cuadrado de Pearson. Los resultados señalan que el 57.1% de los encuestados perciben que la gestión E-commerce es excelente, el 28.6% bueno y el 14.3% regular. Mientras que, el 14.3% de los encuestados perciben que su fidelización presenta un nivel muy alto, el 40% alto y el 45.7% regular. Los resultados demuestran que los encuestados consideran que la gestión E-commerce y la fidelización de los clientes se relacionan entre sí; demostrándose, a través de la prueba de Chi2 de Pearson, dado que el X2e (9.822) es mayor al X2t (9.487) con cuatro grados de libertad, asimismo, con un P valor menor a la significancia estadística (0.044˂0.050). Llegando a la conclusión que la gestión E-commerce tiene relación significativa con la fidelización de los clientes de la empresa de moda 360° Fashion

In vitro tolerance of Fusarium semitectum and Fusarium solani (anamorphic, Ascomycota) exposed to surface disinfectant commonly used in aquaculture

An in vitro evaluation of the antifungal effect of acetic acid (AcH), buffered acetic acid (AcH+AcNa), potassium iodide (KI) and Iodopovidone (IP); on the growth rate (GR) of Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc. 1881 and Fusarium semitectum Berk. & Ravenel, 1875 was performed. Both fungal species were isolated from eggs of the Argentinian silverside Odontesthes bonariensis (Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1835). The studied substances are commonly used in fish farming as surface disinfectants. The tested concentrations of this substances exhibited antifungal activity for both strains at concentrations higher than their 96h median lethal concentrations (LC50-96h) for the treated eggs; concentrations below the (LC50-96h) exhibited little or no effect.Se evaluó in vitro el efecto del: acido acético (AcH), ácido acético tamponado (AcH+AcNa), ioduro de potasio (IK) y Iodopovidona (IP) sobre la tasa de crecimiento (TC) de Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc. 1881 y Fusarium semitectum Berk. & Ravenel, 1875. Ambas especies fueron aisladas de ovas de Odontesthes bonariensis (Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1835). Las sustancias estudiadas son comúnmente utilizadas en acuicultura como desinfectantes de superficie. Las concentraciones ensayadas con actividad fungicida para ambas cepas fueron mucho más elevadas que las correspondientes concentraciones letales medias a 96 horas (CL50-96h) para ovas de pejerrey. Concentraciones inferiores a la CL50 - 96h exhibieron un efecto fungistático escaso o nulo.Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Muse

Water liquid distribution in a bioinspired PEM fuel cell

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)Water management is a key factor in the operation of hydrogen fuel cells since its formation may lead to significant mass transport losses, oxygen diffusion limitation and membrane durability issues. In this work, the effect of different operating conditions on the liquid water distribution inside a 50 cm2 active area bio-inspired PEM fuel cell has been studied. Therefore, a set of experiments was designed varying cell pressure, the reactants relative humidity (anode and cathode), temperature, and cell current density. Liquid water distribution for each operating condition was determined using neutron imaging technique as it has been proved to be an excellent technique for this purpose, including quantitative analysis and water profiles in the different areas of the bio-inspired flow field. The results show that high relative humidity of the inlet gas flows, high pressure, low temperatures and low current density favor the accumulation of water in the flow field channels and GDL. Specifically, water accumulates preferentially in the anode side that make contact with the low part of the cathode foams inserted in the flow field, instead of blocking the closest area to the gases outlets points

Aplicación de Tecnologías de la Información Geográfica y Teledetección para la identificación, caracterización y puesta en valor de humedales de la Depresión del Ebro.

El presente trabajo explora las posibilidades que ofrecen los sistemas de información geográfica y las técnicas de teledetección para el estudio de la diversidad de humedales localizados en el sector central de la Depresión del Ebro. Se han identificado un total de 152 humedales distribuidos en 5 categorías: galachos (tipo G), endorreicos (tipo E), manantiales y fuentes (tipo F), en yesos (tipo Y) y de origen antrópico naturalizados (tipo N). Esta determinación tipológica ha sido contrastada con una nueva agrupación jerárquica obtenida a partir de información espectral. Mediante el uso de imágenes Sentinel 2 se ha extraído la información espectral de los valores de NDVI, NDII y NDSI de los humedales que presentan una superficie de lámina de agua suficiente para ser captada por el sensor sin problemas de contaminación espectral (60 humedales). A partir de estos valores se ha realizado una caracterización espectral y un análisis multitemporal de cada uno de los tipos de humedal. Además, se ha desarrollado una cartografía evolutiva de los humedales más representativos de cada tipo junto con los resultados de una encuesta para figurar la percepción social de la ciudad de Zaragoza y su entorno ante estos espacios. Los resultados obtenidos aportan información útil para realizar un diagnóstico global de la situación en la que se encuentran estos humedales, así como para establecer pautas y estrategias en materia de conservación, seguimiento y puesta en valor de los mismos.<br /

Renewable medium-small projects in Spain: Past and present of microgrid development

This paper reviews the on-going research studies and microgrid pilot projects focusing on the Spanish case because of its renewable energy potential with the objective set on highlights the main investigation drifts in the field such as the used technologies, control methods and operation challenges. That way, several smart grids have been commented and compared, finding that photovoltaic and wind power are the favourites energy generation technologies. Although batteries are the most widespread energy storage systems, green hydrogen has a strong presence, showing up in a third of the Spanish smart grids. Traditional control strategies are being displaced by advanced ones such as MPC or fuzzy logic due to its higher efficiency. The reader will have a clear view of the potential of renewable energy penetration in the form of smart grids in Spain, through the study of the equipment involved in the different facilities contribution and the main control strategies implemented, in a comparative analysis of the key aspect of this emerging technology.Consejería de Conocimiento, Investigación y Universidad - Junta de Andalucía PY18-RE-002