Changes in growth rate, root morphology and water use efficiency of potted Callistemon citrinus plants in response to different levels of water deficit

Callistemon is widely used as a flowering shrub in gardening and landscaping in the Mediterranean area. However, prolonged or severe water stress may alter its physiological and morphological behaviour. Callistemon citrinus plants were grown in nursery conditions and subjected to three irrigation treatments: a control (watered to container capacity) and two water deficit treatments of 50 and 25% of the amount of water supplied in the control treatment (moderate and severe deficit irrigation, respectively). After 53 weeks, the moderate deficit irrigation plants showed a lower relative growth rate but increased root/shoot ratio, improved the root system and increased water use efficiency, while flowering and leaf colour were unaffected. However, severe deficit irrigation reduced flowering and affected leaf colour. Both deficit irrigation treatments reduced stomatal conductance, suggesting an efficient and adaptive stomatal control in this species. These reductions were marked after longer periods in plants submitted to severe deficit irrigation, which decreased photosynthesis and could delay plant recovery and cause permanent damage. Differences between stem and leaf water potential values have seen to be a good indicator of instantaneous shoot transpiration. Water consumption was influenced by the active periods of growth and inflorescence formation. It is concluded that moderate deficit irrigation can be used successfully in C. citrinus plant production to reduce water consumption while maintaining good overall quality. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (AGL 2008-05258-C02-1-2, AGL 2011-30022-C02-01) and Fundación Séneca (15356/PI/10).Peer Reviewe

Comparison of individual and combined effects of salinity and deficit irrigation on physiological, nutritional and ornamental aspects of tolerance in Callistemon laevis plants

The effect of water deficit, salinity and both applied simultaneously on several physiological and morphological parameters in the ornamental plant Callistemon laevis was studied to identify the tolerance mechanisms developed by this species to these sources of stress and to evaluate their adaptability to such conditions. C. laevis plants were grown in pots outdoors and subjected to four irrigation treatments lasting ten months: control (0.8dSm-1, 100% water holding capacity), water deficit (0.8dSm-1, 50% of the amount of water supplied in control), saline (4.0dSm-1, same amount of water supplied as control) and saline water deficit (4.0dSm-1, 50% of the water supplied in the control). Water and saline stress, when applied individually, led to a reduction of 12% and 39% of total biomass, respectively, while overall plant quality (leaf color and flowering) was unaffected. However, saline water deficit affected leaf color and flowering and induced an excessive decrease of growth (68%) due to leaf tissue dehydration and a high leaf Cl and Na concentration. Biomass partitioning depended not only on the amount of water applied, but also on the electrical conductivity of the water. Water stress induced active osmotic adjustment and decreased leaf tissue elasticity. Although both Na and Cl concentrations in the plant tissues increased with salinity, Cl entry through the roots was more restricted. In plants submitted to salinity individually, Na tended to remain in the roots and stems, and little reached the leaves. However, plants simultaneously submitted to water and saline stress were not able to retain this ion in the woody parts. The decrease in stomatal conductance and photosynthesis was more marked in the plants submitted to both stresses, the effect of which decreased photosynthesis, and this together with membrane damage delayed plant recovery. The results show that the combination of deficit irrigation and salinity in C. laevis is not recommended since it magnifies the adverse effects of either when applied individually. © 2015 Elsevier GmbH.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (project CICYT AGL 2011-30022-C02-01-02) and Fundación Séneca-Agencia de Ciencia y Tecnología de la Región de Murcia (15356/PI/10).Peer Reviewe

Long-term effect of salinity on plant quality, water relations, photosynthetic parameters and ion distribution in Callistemon citrinus

The effect of saline stress on physiological and morphological parameters in Callistemon citrinus plants was studied to evaluate their adaptability to irrigation with saline water. C. citrinus plants, grown under greenhouse conditions, were subjected to two irrigation treatments lasting 56 weeks: control (0.8 dS·m-1) and saline (4 dS·m-1). The use of saline water in C. citrinus plants decreased aerial growth, increased the root/shoot ratio and improved the root system (increased root diameter and root density), but flowering and leaf colour were not affected. Salinity caused a decrease in stomatal conductance and evapotranspiration, which may prevent toxic levels being reached in the shoot. Net photosynthesis was reduced in plants subjected to salinity, although this response was evident much later than the decrease in stomatal conductance. Stem water potential was a good indicator of salt stress in C. citrinus. The relative salt tolerance of Callistemon was related to storage of higher levels of Na+ and Cl- in the roots compared with the leaves, especially in the case of Na+, which could have helped to maintain the quality of plants. The results show that saline water (around 4 dS·m-1) could be used for growing C. citrinus commercially. However, the cumulative effect of irrigating with saline water for 11 months was a decrease in photosynthesis and intrinsic water use efficiency, meaning that the interaction of the salinity level and the time of exposure to the salt stress should be considered important in this species. © 2014 German Botanical Society and Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (AGL 2011-30022-C02-01-02) and Fundación Séneca (15356/PI/10).Peer Reviewe

ICTs and PBLL in the EFL classroom involving gifted students: Creating a Travel Guide

This paper’s purpose is to critically analyze the proposed unit “Travel with us.” This proposal is composed of six sessions by means of which students will be encouraged to acquire vocabulary, grammar and practical resources for their learning. Aiming to promote both autonomous and cooperative learning in class, this unit offers a variety of activities and materials that will allow students to develop different skills and competences, as well as improve their proficiency in their second language. In this line, students are required to create a project —a travel city guide— whereby they are expected to reach their own decisions, do research and get involved in the creation process. A highlight feature of this unit is the inclusion of ICT resources in the classroom which could help to better engage students, creating dynamics that foster interaction and the development of ICT skills. Additionally, this unit has been designed taking into account the presence of two high capacity students. For this reason, it has sought to promote inclusion, non-differential teaching and equity between them. El propósito de este trabajo es analizar de forma critica la unidad propuesta “Travel with us”. Esta unidad está compuesta de seis sesiones a través de las cuales los alumnos podrán adquirir vocabulario, gramática y recursos para su aprendizaje. Con el objetivo de fomentar el aprendizaje en el aula de forma autónoma pero a la vez cooperativa, presenta variedad de actividades y recursos que permiten que los estudiantes puedan desarrollar distintas destrezas y competencias, además de mejorar su nivel en su segunda lengua. En esta línea, el alumnado deberá crear un proyecto, una guía de viajes de distintas ciudades, mediante el cual deberán tomar sus propias decisiones, realizar una investigación y ser creativos en el proceso de creación. Una innovación es la inclusión de recursos TIC en el aula que permiten que el profesor llegue de forma más directa a los estudiantes, creando dinámicas que permiten la interacción y el fomento de las habilidades informáticas. Además, esta unidad ha sido diseñada teniendo en cuenta la presencia de dos alumnos con altas capacidades. Por este motivo, se ha tratado de fomentar la inclusión, la enseñanza no diferencial e igualdad entre ellos.<br /

Componentes del Síndrome Metabólico en población infanto-juvenil española

Este es un estudio transversal sobre 465 niños y 549 niñas de 9 a 16 años escolarizados en centros públicos y concertados de Pozuelo.de.Alarcón, Tres.Cantos, distrito de Chamartín y barrio de Santa Eugenia de Madrid durante los cursos 2013-2014 y 2014-2015. El nivel de renta de los padres era medio-alto, su nivel educativo era medio, y su ocupación laboral mayoritaria la de obrero no cualificado. La información paterna/materna se obtuvo mediante encuestas que se hicieron llegar a las familias junto con el consentimiento informado de participación de los menores. Para realizar la investigación se contó con la aprobación del comité de bioética de la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid y se siguieron las directrices de la normativa de Helsinki y de la Ley Orgánica de Protección de Datos española. El objetivo general de la presente investigación ha sido analizar la prevalencia de alteraciones fisiometabólicas que componen el SMet en edad escolar, identificar hábitos de vida potencialmente responsables de su desarrollo y examinar su asociación con indicadores antropométricos que puedan servir para su identificación y diagnóstico precoz..

Diseño de mesa escritorio adaptada a personas con movilidad reducida

En el proyecto que se desarrolla a continuación, se presenta la mesa Mimi. Es una mesa-escritorio adaptada, a través de un mecanismo de giro por rodamientos de bolas, a personas con movilidad reducida, especialmente a aquellas que son usuarias de silla de ruedas. Este manuscrito incluye todos los documentos necesarios para la elaboración de este producto, siendo fácil la concepción de la idea, ayudándose, también, de imágenes realistas del producto final. La mesa Mimi mezcla elegancia a través de la madera de cerezo y sus línea curvas y finas, con la practicidad y la ergonomía necesaria para una persona con movilidad reducida, demostrando así que no existen barreras a la hora de hablar de diseño.Departamento de Ciencias de los Materiales e Ingeniería Metalúrgica, Expresión Gráfica en la Ingeniería, Ingeniería Cartográfica, Geodesia y Fotogrametría, Ingeniería Mecánica e Ingeniería de los Procesos de FabricaciónGrado en Ingeniería en Diseño Industrial y Desarrollo de Product

Protocolo de tratamiento para la tortícolis muscular congénita en bebés

Introducción: la torticolis muscular congénita (TMC) es una deformidad postural producida por el acortamiento unilateral del esternocleidomastoideo (ECOM), un músculo largo de la región cervical. Se caracteriza por una inclinación lateral hacia el lado acortado y una rotación contralateral, siendo desconocida la causa que la provoca. Se clasifica en 3 tipos: muscular, postural y con nódulo en el ECOM. Normalmente se usa la ecografía para su diagnóstico, siendo importante realizarlo de manera precoz, para así disminuir el tiempo de tratamiento, el cual se realiza de manera conservadora, y si este falla, de forma quirúrgica. Objetivos: desarrollar un protocolo de tratamiento fisioterápico para aplicar en pacientes recién nacidos y bebés en sus primeros meses de vida que hayan sido diagnosticados previamente de TMC. Desarrollo del tema: el protocolo va dirigido a recién nacidos y bebés en sus primeros meses de vida, cuyo objetivo principal será desarrollar un tratamiento para lograr recuperar en la medida de lo posible las funciones perdidas. Es muy importante una intervención temprana para prevenir complicaciones y obtener los máximos beneficios. Debemos iniciar el protocolo realizando una valoración integral al paciente, para después hacer una exploración física. Desde el punto de vista de la fisioterapia, el tratamiento se va a dividir en estiramientos manuales, masoterapia, estimulación de la movilidad activa, tratamiento postural, vendaje neuromuscular y pautas para la familia, estas últimas de especial importancia. Conclusión: este trabajo establece una gran variedad de posibles técnicas para llevar a cabo la rehabilitación de la TMC, describiéndose los componentes necesarios para ser fácilmente reproducible por el fisioterapeuta, lo que supone una herramienta interesante en este tipo de pacientes

Optimal streaks in a Falkner-Skan boundary layer

This paper deals with the optimal streaky perturbations (which maximize the perturbed energy growth) in a wedge flow boundary layer. These three dimensional perturbations are governed by a system of linearized boundary layer equations around the Falkner-Skan base flow. Based on an asymptotic analysis of this system near the free stream and the leading edge singularity, we show that for acute wedge semi-angle, all solutions converge after a streamwise transient to a single streamwise-growing solution of the linearized equations, whose initial condition near the leading edge is given by an eigenvalue problem first formulated in this context by Tumin (2001). Such a solution may be regarded as a streamwise evolving most unstable streaky mode, in analogy with the usual eigenmodes in strictly parallel flows, and shows an approximate self-similarity, which was partially known and is completed in this paper. An important consequence of this result is that the optimization procedure based on the adjoint equations heretofore used to define optimal streaks is not necessary. Instead, a simple low-dimensional optimization process is proposed and used to obtain optimal streaks. Comparison with previous results by Tumin and Ashpis (2003) shows an excellent agreement. The unstable streaky mode exhibits transient growth if the wedge semi-angle is smaller than a critical value that is slightly larger than $\pi/6$, and decays otherwise. Thus the cases of right and obtuse wedge semi-angles exhibit less practical interest, but they show a qualitatively different behavior, which is briefly described to complete the analysis

The orchestration of processes in relation to the product, and the role of psychological variables in written composition

p. 96-108Se investiga la distribución temporal de los procesos de escritura, mediante una técnica on-line de retrospección directa, y diferencias en el producto textual, desde los cursos más inferiores donde es posible atender a su estudio hasta últimos cursos de la enseñanza obligatoria. Además, se atiende al análisis de diversas variables psicológicas para analizar su inciden-cia moduladora en la escritura. Se utilizó una muestra muy depurada de 348 alumnos, con edades comprendidas entre los 9 y 16 años, con un desarrollo normalizado y unos niveles de competencia curricular y escritora dentro de la media. Los resultados indican patrones complejos de evolución del proceso de escritura y su orquestación, en comparación con el producto escrito, constatando que no existe una traducción directa entre la evolución del proceso de escritura y su distribución temporal, y la mejoría del producto escrito; todo ello mediado por variables psicológicas relacionadas con la presencia de creencias de auto-eficacia hacia el despliegue y uso de procesos escritores no calibradas de forma adecuada y la realización de atribuciones causales a factores externos, en los niveles educativos más inferiores. Se discuten las implicaciones, limitaciones y perspectivas futurasS