El teléfono móvil: disponibilidad, usos y relaciones por parte de los adolescentes entre 12 y 16 años

Presentamos los resultados de una investigación sobre el uso, la disponibilidad y algunos aspectos relativos a las relaciones que se establecen con diferentes personas en torno al teléfono móvil en una muestra de adolescentes (N=1211) entre 12 y 16 años de la provincia de Girona. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto la existencia de diferencias de género en cuanto a su disposición y uso, siendo las chicas las que en mayor porcentaje poseen un móvil y más horas dedican a usarlo. Los adolescentes prefieren hablar sobre lo que hacen con el móvil con los iguales, seguido de los hermanos o las hermanas y, en último lugar, con los adultos (progenitores y profesores o profesoras). Finalmente, se analiza cómo los adolescentes se muestran más interesados por e informados sobre Internet y el móvil en comparación con los otros cuatro medios audiovisuales explorados (televisión, ordenador, juegos para ordenador y videojuegos)

Formative Feedback in Blackboard Learn Environment for College Academic Literacy of Engineering Students

The COVID-19 pandemic spread the virtual mode to the masses through various learning platforms. In higher education, the possibilities offered by these platforms were used to innovate evaluation in e-learning environments. Due to the formative needs of engineering students regarding academic writing, the objective of the research is to determine the impact of virtual formative feedback on the academic literacy of engineering students in a writing course with the support of the virtual learning environments. The study corresponds to a pre-experimental investigation in a sample made up of 39 students. The Wilcoxon signed rank test gave an overall value of -5.388b. Therefore, it demonstrates that formative feedback has a positive impact on the development of academic literacy in the Blackboard virtual environment.Universidad Privada del NorteRevisión por pare

Nonlinear Dynamics of Dipoles in Microtubules: Pseudo-Spin Model

We perform a theoretical study of the dynamics of the electric field excitations in a microtubule by taking into consideration the realistic cylindrical geometry, dipole-dipole interactions of the tubulin-based protein heterodimers, the radial electric field produced by the solvent, and a possible degeneracy of energy states of individual heterodimers. The consideration is done in the frames of the classical pseudo-spin model. We derive the system of nonlinear dynamical ordinary differential equations of motion for interacting dipoles, and the continuum version of these equations. We obtain the solutions of these equations in the form of snoidal waves, solitons, kinks, and localized spikes. Our results will help to a better understanding of the functional properties of microtubules including the motor protein dynamics and the information transfer processes. Our considerations are based on classical dynamics. Some speculations on the role of possible quantum effects are also made.Comment: 14 pages, 15 figures. The high resolution figure files are available by reques

Forestación de bosques en sabanas de la altillanura colombiana: relevancia de las condiciones ambientales para el establecimiento de plántulas

One way to counteract climate change is to plant forests with high carbon storage capacity. In this study we report the results of a reforestation project in savannas of the Tomogrande Reserve, in Vichada Department, Colombia. We restricted fire in six one-hectare plots: in two seasonally inundated and two highland savannas we planted seedlings of trees found in the Orinoco Basin and nearby gallery forests and in two of them we did not plant seedlings (control plots). Out of 200 seedlings planted in well-drained savannas, only 17 % survived after two and a half years (33 % came from nearby forest and 12 % from other areas). None of the 182 seedlings planted in flooded savannas survived at the end of the study. The main mortality cause in well-drained savannas was wilting. We concluded that in addition to the control of fire, seedling establishment of forest trees in savannas is highly affected by climatic and light conditions and for this reason the trees with highest potential for restoration are the ones already found at the site in the same ecological conditions (e.g. forest edge).Una forma de contrarrestar el cambio climático es la generación de bosques con alta capacidad de almacenamiento de carbono. En este trabajo se reportan los resultados de una iniciativa de reforestación de bosque en sabanas de la rserva Tomogrande. Se crearon barreras contra el fuego en seis áreas: dos inundables y dos no inundables, para sembrar plántulas de bosques de la Orinoquia, y manteniendo dos más como control sin adición de plántulas. De 200 plántulas sembradas en sabanas no inundables, únicamente el 17 % de ellas sobrevivieron por más de dos años (33 % para las especies de bosques aledaños y 12 % para las de otros lugares de la Orinoquia). Ninguna de las 182 plántulas trasplantadas a zonas inundables sobrevivió por más de dos años. La principal causa de mortalidad en sabanas bien drenadas fue el marchitamiento. Se concluye que a pesar de que la ausencia de fuego puede ayudar al establecimiento de árboles, las condiciones climáticas y lumínicas de la sabana disminuyen las probabilidades de que las plantas de bosque se establezcan y las que logran mayor probabilidad de supervivencia son las especies que viven en los bosques de galería aledaños (especialmente en bordes de bosque)

Development and psychometric properties of the human papillomavirus‑quality of life (HPV‑QoL) questionnaire to assess the impact of HPV on women health‑related‑quality‑of‑life.

Purpose The HPV-Quality-of-Life (HPV-QoL) questionnaire was developed to determine the impact of Human-Papillomavirus (HPV) infection and related interventions on women health-related quality-of-life. This study provides the development and preliminary psychometric properties of a novel HPV-QoL questionnaire for adult women with HPV. Methods After reviewing literature and cognitive debriefing interviews in women who had experienced HPV-related conditions, instrument items and domains were developed. A draft questionnaire was pilot tested for comprehension and ease of completion. Psychometric evaluation of the final HPV-QoL scale was conducted in a psychometric study including 252 adult women derived to our centre by a positive HPV test in the cervical cancer screening program and/or presenting genital warts. Results The present study reveals that the HPV-QoL questionnaire, structured in four domains: general well-being [including psychological well-being and social well-being subdomains], health, contagiousness and sexuality, showed good metric properties of feasibility irrespective of age or educational level, and time to administer was less than 5 min. Internal consistency and temporal stability (reliability) showed values above the acceptable standards. The instrument showed its concurrent validity by means of a significant correlation with mental and sexual existing instruments; GHQ-12 and FSFI questionnaires, respectively, and also known groups validity showing significant differences among the subgroups regarding either sexual dysfunction or mental deterioration. Conclusion This study provides an HPV-QoL questionnaire with an innovative patient-reported outcomes specific measurement tool to assess HRQoL in women with HPV infection. The present study suggests this questionnaire has satisfactory psychometric properties, including validity and reliability. Results support the use of the HPV-QoL questionnaire as a HRQoL measurement instrument for daily medical practice and clinical research.pre-print927 K

Relación entre quimerismo xx/xy y el fenotipo pseudohermafrodita masculino en porcinos.

La causa genética del pseudohermafroditismo no está bien dilucidada, sin embargo se han reportado distintos casos de pseudohermafroditas masculinos los cuales en la mayoría de los casos se han tratado de explicar por efectos hormonales sobre las gónadas en formación durante el desarrollo embrionario. Además se ha explorado poco la relación de este fenotipo con la constitución genómica de los organismos que presentan la disfunción sexual. En el presente trabajo se encontró una fuerte relación entre el quimerismo cromosómico XX/XY y el fenotipo pseudohermafrodita masculino exhibido por dos ejemplares de porcinos Landrace X Largewhite similar a lo encontrado en freemartinismo de bovinos

The Symbiome of Llaveia Cochineals (Hemiptera: Coccoidea: Monophlebidae) Includes a Gammaproteobacterial Cosymbiont Sodalis TME1 and the Known Candidatus Walczuchella monophlebidarum

The genome and transcriptome of the endosymbiotic flavobacterium Candidatus Walczuchella monophlebidarum revealed its role in the synthesis of essential amino acids for its host, the wax cochineal Llaveia axin axin. There were, however, missing genes in the endosymbiont for some biosynthetic pathways. Here, we characterized TME1, another cochineal symbiont that may metabolically complement Walczuchella. TME1 was ascribed to the gammaproteobacterial genus Sodalis on a phylogenomic basis using gene sequences from 143 proteins core genome sequences and the core average nucleotide identity (ANI) confirmed its position. Additionally, we describe Sodalis as a coherent genus. TME1 genome is around 3.4 Mb and has complete gene sequences for the biosynthesis of 10 essential amino acids, for polyamines, flagella, nitrate respiration, and detoxification among many others. Transcripts from ovaries and bacteriomes allowed the identification of differentially transcribed genes from the endosymbionts and host. Highly transcribed genes were identified in TME1 and transcripts involved in amino acid biosynthesis were found. We review here that cosymbionts that derived from different bacterial classes and genera seem to be advantageous for insects that have Flavobacteria as the primary endosymbionts

Regular consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages increases the lipid-metabolic profile and adiposity among university students from Colombia

Objetivo Examinar si el consumo de bebidas azucaradas se relaciona con alteraciones en el perfil lipídico-metabólico y con marcadores de adiposidad en una muestra de estudiantes universitarios de Colombia. Métodos Estudio transversal en 280 voluntarios (73,9% varones) de 3 universidades de Colombia. El consumo de bebidas azucaradas se obtuvo mediante un cuestionario de frecuencia de ingesta en los últimos 7 días (BEVQ-15) en los dominios: bebidas azucaradas carbonatadas y refrescos de jugo. Se identificó la cantidad y la frecuencia de consumo (nunca, una vez, 2-3 veces y +4 veces/sem). Se obtuvieron datos bioquímicos de glucosa, colesterol total, triglicéridos, c-HDL, c-LDL, índice arterial e índice de Castelli. Se calculó el índice lipídico-metabólico según las concentraciones de triglicéridos, c-LDL, c-HDL y glucosa. La circunferencia de cintura, el índice de masa corporal, el índice de adiposidad corporal y el porcentaje de grasa corporal por impedancia bioeléctrica se usaron como marcadores de adiposidad. Resultados En el grupo de varones, los participantes que acusaron mayor consumo de bebidas azucaradas (+4 veces/sem) presentaron mayores valores de circunferencia de cintura, porcentaje de grasa corporal, colesterol total, triglicéridos, c-LDL, así como en los índices de Castelli y arterial (p = NS). En mujeres se observó esta relación en el índice de masa corporal, la circunferencia de cintura, el porcentaje de grasa corporal, los triglicéridos y el c-LDL (p tendencia 4 times per week). Data for biomarkers included total cholesterol, triglycerides, c-HDL, c-LDL, arterial index and Castelli index. Lipid-metabolic index was calculated through serum concentrations of triglycerides, c-HDL, c-LDL and glucose. Waist circumference, body mass index and fat mass percentage were evaluated via bioelectrical impedance and used as markers of adiposity. Results Male reported higher sugar-sweetened beverages consumption (> 4 times/wk) and elicited higher values of fat mass, waist circumference, total cholesterol, triglycerides, c-LDL and Castelli and arterial indices (P = NS). These relationships were also observed among women for body mass index, waist circumference, fat mass, triglycerides and c-LDL (P < .05). Furthermore, higher sugar-sweetened beverages consumption categories were negatively associated with lipid-metabolic index (P < .05) after adjustments by sex, age and body mass index. Conclusion A higher sugar-sweetened beverages consumption was associated with a major lipid-metabolic profile and also with higher concentrations of adiposity markers among university students from Colombia