The Use of Technologies in Second Language Learning: The Case of a Mexican University

Introduction: This research is about the use of technology in learning English as a Foreign Language at higher education in a public University in Mexico. This study is focused on how students use the technology for academic and non-academic issues to learn English. The object of the study a sample of twenty five percent of English language students (375 students) were considered. Students’ average age was 18-25. Methodology: For this research two instruments were used to gather data the first one a questionnaire designed for this purpose, the second one an interview to know what kind of gadgets students use to learn English in higher education and how this technology could be introduced in second language learning classrooms. The results: allowed concluding that most technological gadgets used by students were Cells and Laptops to surf the net and chat through social networks for non-academic issues and laptops and desktop computers to work on school duties with specific software

Antidiabetic polypill improves central pathology and cognitive impairment in a mixed model of Alzheimer's disease and type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is an important risk factor to suffer dementia, being Alzheimer's disease (AD) as the most common form. Both AD and T2D are closely related to aging and with a growing elderly population it might be of relevance to explore new therapeutic approaches that may slow or prevent central complications associated with metabolic disorders. Therefore, we propose the use of the antidiabetic polypill (PP), a pharmacological cocktail, commonly used by T2D patients that include metformin, aspirin, simvastatin, and an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor. In order to test the effects of PP at the central level, we have long-term treated a new mixed model of AD-T2D, the APP/PS1xdb/db mouse. We have analyzed AD pathological features and the underlying specific characteristics that relate AD and T2D. As expected, metabolic alterations were ameliorated after PP treatment in diabetic mice, supporting a role for PP in maintaining pancreatic activity. At central level, PP reduced T2D-associated brain atrophy, showing both neuronal and synaptic preservation. Tau and amyloid pathologies were also reduced after PP treatment. Furthermore, we observed a reduction of spontaneous central bleeding and inflammation after PP treatment in diabetic mice. As consequence, learning and memory processes were improved after PP treatment in AD, T2D, and AD-T2D mice. Our data provide the basis to further analyze the role of PP, as an alternative or adjuvant, to slow down or delay the central complications associated with T2D and AD

Population differentiation and selective constraints in Pelargonium line

[EN] The genomic structure of Pelargonium line pattern virus (PLPV), a tentative member of a proposed new genus within the family Tombusviridae, has been recently determined. However, little is known about the genetic variability and population structure of this pathogen. Here, we have investigated the heterogeneity of PLPV isolates from different origins by sequence analysis of a 1817 nt fragment encompassing the movement (p7 and p9.7) and coat protein genes as well as flanking segments including the complete 3` untranslated region. We have evaluated the selective pressures operating on both viral proteins and RNA genome in order to assess the relative functional and/or structural relevance of different amino acid or nucleotide sites. The results of the study have revealed that distinct protein domains are under different selective constraints and that maintenance of certain primary and/or secondary structures in RNA regulatory sequences might be an important factor limiting viral heterogeneity. We have also performed covariation analyses to uncover potential dependencies among amino acid sites of the same protein or of different proteins. The detection of linked amino acid substitutions has permitted to draw a putative network of intra- and interprotein interactions that are likely required to accomplish the different steps of the infection cycle. Finally, we have obtained phylogenetic trees that support geographical segregation of PLPV sequences. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.We are indebted to Dr. Jan van der Meij (Ball Flora Plant, Chicago) for providing PLPV isolate from USA, and to Dr. Marise Borja (Fundacion Promiva, Madrid) for the Spanish isolates and for valuable comments in the course of this work. We thank to Dr. Selma Gago (IBMCP, Valencia) for critical reading of the manuscript. We are also grateful to Dolores Arocas and Isabella Avellaneda for excellent technical assistance. This research was supported by grants BFU2006-11230 and BFU2009-11699 from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion (MICINN, Spain), ACOM09/040 from Generalitat Valenciana (to C.H.), and by grant BFU2009-06993 (MICINN) (to S.F.E.). A.C. was recipient of predoctoral fellowships from the Generalitat Valenciana and from CSIC-Fundacion Bancaja and L.R. received a postdoctoral contract from the Juan de la Cierva program of MEC.Castaño Sansano, MA.; Ruiz Garcia, ML.; Elena Fito, SF.; Hernandez Fort, C. (2011). Population differentiation and selective constraints in Pelargonium line. Virus Research. 155(1):274-282. doi:10.1016/j.virusres.2010.10.022S274282155

CRÓNICAS DE LA UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DEL ESTADO DE MÉXICO

La Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México una institución múltiple, constituida por áreas diferentes, orientadas, cada una de ellas, al cumplimiento de labores específicas, de acuerdo con la estructura jurídica que le señalan su propia ley y los diferentes reglamentos derivados de la misma. En consecuencia, la urdimbre funcional de sus actividades diversas puede ser expresada, de una manera sencilla, mediante el siguiente esquema: - Área educativo-académica. - Área de investigaciones genéricas. - Área de comunicación y difusión cultura. - Área administrativa. - Área de proyección universitaria hacia la sociedad

Aportaciones en Ciencias Agronómicas y Ambientales

de investigadores e investigadores independientes. En ese sentido, queremos otorgar un reconocimiento a quienes tuvieron la voluntad y el tino de apoyar esta iniciativa sobre trabajos relacionados con la quimica, biología, agronomía y medio ambiente

Effect of different dietary vitamin E levels on growth, fish composition, fillet quality and liver histology of meagre (Argyrosomus regius)

Seven experimental isonitrogenous (50%) and isolipidic (16%) diets with different levels of α-tocopherol acetate (16, 100, 190, 285, 430, 880 and 1300 mg kg−1) were tested during 72 days to evaluate growth performance, tissue composition, fillet oxidation and liver histology in meagre juveniles, Argyrosomus regius. Growth performance, feed conversion ratio (FCR) and tissue composition were similar among treatments (P>0.05). In the liver, no major differences were recorded in lipid and fatty acid composition but higher lipid vacuolization were observed in diets E100, E190 and E880. Muscle fatty acid profiles showed an increment of the highly unsaturated fatty acid (HUFA) and a decrease of the saturated fatty acid with the increase of dietary vitamin E, which was accompanied with a reduction of the muscle TBARS responses.  Therefore, is suggested that diets for this species should be supplemented with 451mg kg−1of DL-α-tocopherol acetate (496 UI of vitamin E), as determine by broken-line regression analysis of muscle TBARS, to provide good overall growth performance and improved fish quality and storage stability. Moreover, results suggest that vitamin E deficiency or excess may deteriorate fish health.  Statement of relevance  The optimization of the dietary vitamin E level will contribute to formulate a suitable diet for meagre, a candidate for European aquaculture diversification, that until now is being fed with diets specific for other species. This study will narrow the knowledge gap that exists regarding meagre nutritional needs

Pediatric Parapneumonic Empyema, Spain

Increased incidence is principally due to highly invasive nonvaccine serotypes of pneumococci, especially serotype 1

Tailored Graphenic Structures Directly Grown on Titanium Oxide Boost the Interfacial Charge Transfer

The successful application of titanium oxide-graphene hybrids in the fields of photocatalysis, photovoltaics and photodetection strongly depends on the interfacial contact between both materials. The need to provide a good coupling between the enabling conductor and the photoactive phase prompted us to directly grow conducting graphenic structures on TiO2 crystals. We here report on the direct synthesis of tailored graphenic structures by using Plasma Assisted Chemical Vapour Deposition that present a clean junction with the prototypical titanium oxide (110) surface. Chemical analysis of the interface indicates chemical bonding between both materials. Photocurrent measurements under UV light illumination manifest that the charge transfer across the interface is efficient. Moreover, the influence of the synthesis atmosphere, gas precursor (C2H2) and diluents (Ar, O2), on the interface and on the structure of the as-grown graphenic material is assessed. The inclusion of O2 promotes vertical growth of partially oxidized carbon nanodots/rods with controllable height and density. The deposition with Ar results in continuous graphenic films with low resistivity (6.8x10-6 ohm x m). The synthesis protocols developed here are suitable to produce tailored carbon-semiconductor structures on a variety of practical substrates as thin films, pillars or nanoparticles.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures, original research pape

Extreme variations in the ratios of non-synonymous to synonymous nucleotide substitution rates in signal peptide evolution

Nucleotide sequences encoding signal peptidcs from the precursors of α-amylase/trypsin inhibitors from cereals are homologous to those corresponding to the precursors of thaumatin II and of plastocyanins. Non-synonymous (KA) and synonymous (KS) rates of nucleotide substitutions have been calculated for all possible binary combinations. Extreme variation in KA/KS ratios has been observed, from the 0.167 average found within the plastocyanin family to an average of 1.90 calculated for the inhibitors/thaumatin II transition. A similar calculation has been carried out for the signal peptide sequences of thionins. which are unrelated to those of the α-amylase trypsin inhibitor family, and an average KA/KS of 0.12 has been obtained. This variation can be largely explained in terms of an empirical index of stability related to amino acid composition and seems to be independent of functional constraints