“Einstein Worked his Socks off”. Conceptions of Intelligence in University Teaching Staff

There is vast amount of research that links implicit theories of intelligence with several learning-relevant variables in both learners and teachers alike. However, there is a gap in the literature, as there is almost no research done with university teachers.   Furthermore, most scientific research polarizes incremental and fixed views of intelligence in spite of data that show there is heterogeneity in participants’ views.  This study explores the implicit theories of intelligence of university teachers (N = 20), employing a category system for the analysis of semi-structured interviews designed to capture heterogeneity. Participants were asked to express their opinion about several small vignettes regarding intelligence. The number of participants’ explanations related to intelligence and the complexity in their argumentation was considered.  Results show differences in both measures among different fields of knowledge and gender, but not in relation to years of teaching experience. Future implications for research, intervention, and implicit theories measurement are discussed

Power combining amplifiers for mobile millimetre wave block up converters

The use of power combining techniques allows the realization of millimetre wave solid state amplifiers with output power levels that are not achievable from a single solid state source. The need for efficient and low cost amplifiers for mm-wave systems has propitiated an intense area of research during the last years in power combining techniques. This thesis presents the development of compact and efficient power amplifiers based on new power combining structures using solid state devices. In addition, the implementation of a mm-wave block up-converter (BUC) is included, with the aim to evaluate the performance of the amplifier in a real system. The developed power combiner is based on a travelling wave architecture, which is demonstrated to be a very convenient solution at mm-wave frequencies because of its high efficiency and compactness. The new structure proposed, consists of a double side waveguide geometry which provides a 50% size reduction compared to existing solutions. This structure is validated by manufacturing a 12-way power combiner and amplifier prototype. In order to achieve the goal of testing the amplifier in a real system, an L-to-Ka band block up-converter is then designed and implemented. The performance of the block up-converter is demonstrated for a single and a double conversion architectures. Finally, the performance of the BUC is demonstrated under digital modulated signals

Follajes comercializados en dos mercados de flores del altiplano central mexicano

Los tradicionales mercados de flores Xochiquetzal del municipio de Tenancingo, Estado de México y Jamaica en el Distrito Federal, son importantes en la comercialización de especies de follajes, de los cuales se desconoce su filiación taxonómica, por lo que resulta relevante realizar su inventario. Para ello, se visitaron ambos mercados para la adquisición de las especies, y su posterior herborización e identificación taxonómica en el herbario de la facultad de Ciencias Agrícolas de la Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México. Adicionalmente se obtuvo información complementaria de cada una de ellas a través de encuestas aplicadas. Con los datos obtenidos se realizó el inventario y el catálogo de follajes de ambos mercados.Los resultados obtenidos muestran que el número de especies comercializadas en los dos mercados es de 87 especies, las cuales pertenecen a 57 géneros y 38 familias. El mayor número de especies de follajes se comercializan en forma de manojo (43%) y el menor número corresponde a racimos de frutos (3%); el mayor número de especies de follajes se comercializan en el mercado de Jamaica (71%) y sólo el 13% en el mercado de Tenancingo. La familia Araceae muestra un mayor número de especies de follajes (10%). Estos datos se deben a que sus especies tienen inflorescencias muy llamativas y que tienen una larga vida en florero. La información recopilada en el catálogo servirá de difusión y apoyo para establecer estrategias de conservación y uso sustentable de las especies comercializadas en los mercados, objeto de estudio

Heat and Cooling Demand and Market Perspective

In order to fully understand the national potentials for cogeneration, it is essential to identify the existing and prospective demand of heat and cooling by sector. A study will be performed on a MS level to describe the demand of heat and cooling by different sectors (i.e. industrial, residential), demand types (different temperatures) and supply technologies. This work aims to analyze the current situation and future trends of heat and cooling demand in the EU, as well as, the use and availability of industrial. Within each sector the demand will be presented for different segments. The focus is to map the demand of heat and cooling on temperature intervals possible to be supplied by district heating, district cooling or CHP. In order to capture the characteristics of heat, heat is split into different types; space heating, warm water, cooking, and industrial heat. For cooling, space cooling is the main type applicable to district cooling.JRC.F.6-Energy systems evaluatio

Surrogate endpoints for early-stage breast cancer: a review of the state of the art, controversies, and future prospects

Breast cancer subtypes; Neoadjuvant therapy; Surrogate markersSubtipos de cáncer de mama; Terapia neoadyuvante; Marcadores sustitutosSubtipus de càncer de mama; Teràpia neoadjuvant; Marcadors substitutsDrug approval for early-stage breast cancer (EBC) has been historically granted in the context of registration trials based on adequate outcomes such as disease-free survival and overall survival. Improvements in long-term outcomes have made it more difficult to demonstrate the clinical benefit of a new cancer drug in large, randomized, comparative clinical trials. Therefore, the use of surrogate endpoints rather than traditional measures allows for cancer drug trials to proceed with smaller sample sizes and shorter follow-up periods, which reduces drug development time. Among surrogate endpoints for breast cancer, the increase in pathological complete response (pCR) rates was considered appropriate for accelerated drug approval. The association between pCR and long-term outcomes was strongest in patients with aggressive tumor subtypes, such as triple-negative and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive/hormone receptor-negative breast cancers. Whereas in hormone receptor-positive/HER2-negative EBC, the most accepted surrogate markers for endocrine therapy–based trials include changes in Ki67 and the preoperative endocrine prognostic index. Beyond the classic endpoints, further prognostic tools are required to provide EBC patients with individualized and effective therapies, and the neoadjuvant setting provides an excellent platform for drug development and biomarker discovery. Nowadays, the availability of multigene signatures is offering a standardized quantitative and reproducible tool to potentiate the efficacy of standard treatment for high-risk patients and develop de-escalated treatments for patients at lower risk of relapse. In this article, we first evaluate the surrogacies used for long-term outcomes and the underlying evidence supporting the use of each surrogate endpoint for the accelerated or regular drug approval process in EBC. Next, we provide an overview of the most recent studies and innovative strategies in a (neo)adjuvant setting as a platform to accelerate new drug approval. Finally, we highlight some clinical trials aimed at tailoring systemic treatment of EBC using prognosis-related factors or early biomarkers of drug sensitivity or resistance

Blood parameters as biomarkers in a Salmonella spp. disease model of weaning piglets

peer-reviewedBackground The weaning pig is used as an experimental model to assess the impact of diet on intestinal health. Blood parameters (BP) are considered a useful tool in humans, but there is very scarce information of such indicators in the weaning pig. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the use of different BP as indicators in an experimental model of salmonellosis. Methodology Seventy-two 28-day-old piglets were divided into four groups in a 2x2 factorial arrangement, with animals receiving or not a probiotic combination based on B. infantis IM1® and B. lactis BPL6 (109 colony forming units (cfu)/d) and orally challenged or not a week later with Salmonella Typhimurium (5x108 cfu). Blood samples of one animal per pen (N = 24) were taken four days post-inoculation for the evaluation of different BP using an I-stat® System and of plasmatic concentrations of zinc, iron and copper. Principal findings Results reported marginal deficiencies of zinc in piglets at weaning. Moreover, plasmatic zinc, copper and iron presented good correlations with weight gain (r 0.57, r -0.67, r 0.54 respectively; P < 0.01). Blood electrolytes (Na+, Cl- and K+) decreased (P < 0.01) only when the performance of the animals was seriously compromised and clinical symptoms were more apparent. Acid-base balance parameters such as HCO3-, TCO2 and BEecf significantly correlated with weight gain, but only in the challenged animals (r -0.54, r -0.55, and r -0.51, respectively; P < 0.05), suggesting metabolic acidosis depending on Salmonella infection. Glucose was affected by the challenge (P = 0.040), while Htc and Hgb increased with the challenge and decreased with the probiotic (P < 0.05). Furthermore, correlations of Glu, Htc and Hgb with weight gain were observed (P < 0.05). Overall, BP could be regarded as simple, useful indexes to assess performance and health of weaning piglets

Análisis de la influencia de la tensión en el comportamiento dinámico de membranas delgadas tipo film

El estudio teórico del comportamiento dinámico de membranas delgadas ha sido ampliamente estudiado a lo largo del tiempo, existiendo dos casos extremos, el caso de no estar sujeta a cargas (caso de placa) y el caso de estar sometida a cargas (caso de membrana). Para estos dos comportamientos extremos existen soluciones analíticas reconocidas y contrastadas. En este trabajo se propone el uso de Elementos Finitos para determinar el comportamiento dinámico de una membrana sometida a distintos niveles de tensión, y cuya respuesta no corresponde puramente ni a la respuesta de placa ni a la de membrana. Se aportan resultados de la respuesta de casos teóricos para distintas geometrías y/o materiales de membranas sometidas a distintos niveles de tensión, utilizando el método de Elementos Finitos.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech