An Investigation of Language-Learning Strategies in a Blogging Task

This study sought to identify the language-learning strategies employed by learners of Spanish while posting entries to a class blog. The project consisted of the development of a blogging activity and its implementation in an Intermediate Spanish course. In accordance with the literature’s recommendations about language-learning-strategy assessment, the study employed an actual-task strategy questionnaire which included open-ended questions, along with a checklist to identify the strategies used by participants while completing the blogging task. The analysis of the data revealed that participants employed a variety of strategies while posting their entries to the class blog. The most prevalent was the use of previous knowledge, which was mainly reflected in the choice of topic for blog entries made by participants. Participants also used the task-based strategy of re-wording and rephrasing to simplify the language and turned to available resources such as a Spanish-English dictionary, their textbook, the Internet, and help from friends or classmates. Additionally, participants used the metacognitive strategies of monitoring and evaluation to ensure the quality of their posts, coupled with the task-based strategy of applying general grammatical rules to specific blogging problems. Finally, the data analysis revealed that, contrary to the findings of previous research, students had some awareness of the existence of strategies that they could use to facilitate the blogging task

The Effects of Asynchronous Computer Voice Conferencing on L2 Learners' Speaking Anxiety

This study investigated the influence of a computer voice conferencing environment (Wimba) on learners’ anxiety when speaking in a foreign language. Several instruments were used for data collection: A demographic survey, the Computer Anxiety Index (CAIN), the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS), the Wimba Anxiety Scale, student interviews, and a rubric developed for the evaluation of risk-taking. Results indicate that there is a strong potential for the reduction of anxiety associated with the Wimba environment. This was due to the elimination of the time pressure of the classroom and opportunity to edit student contributions. Increased risk-taking, in terms of the quantity and quality of the output produced by students, and reduced fear of negative evaluation were also found in the electronic environment. The conditions of the facility where the Wimba environment is accessed, i.e. a language laboratory, were found to hinder Wimba’s anxiety-reducing potential

Conditioning Factors of Sustainability of Dual Vocational Educational Training in Andalusia (Spain): Case Study of Three Educational Centres

From the incorporation of the Dual Vocational Educational Training (dual VET) in the Spanish educational panorama in 2012, and in the midst of the economic and financial crisis, this dual VET educational scheme has been a political priority of national and regional governments, who see it as a strategy for socioeconomic growth, employability, and youth entrepreneurship framed under an educational sustainability model. Despite the growing number of companies involved in the scheme, this model of educational training has not been free of debate and controversy. This study focuses on the autonomous community of Andalusia with the objective of identifying—using a complementary methodological perspective—the key factors that condition the successful implementation of dual VET in this region based on the experience of three educational centres and the opinions of those educators involved. Some of the weaknesses of dual VET identified in the autonomous community include the ambiguity of regulations, budgetary sustainability, governance models, the relationship between the training o ered and industry, the involvement of companies, and the recognition of the teaching sta involved

Influence of the substituents on the opening of silylepoxy alcohols: 5-exo-cyclization towards tetrahydrofurans vs. unexpected side reaction leading to tetrahydropyrans

Producción CientíficaThe regioselective ring opening of epoxy alcohols is an effective method for the synthesis of different types of oxacycles. The 5-exo opening being preferred vs. the 6-endo mode, according to Baldwin rules, the use of silyl-substituted oxiranes has been reported as a possible method to favor the 6-endo cyclization. However, there is a need for a detailed study on the different factors (structural factors, catalyst nature or conditions) that influence this process. In this paper, the acid-catalyzed cyclization of epoxysilyl alcohols was studied, focusing on the effect of substituents and reaction conditions on the outcome of the process. Two types of heterocycles (tetrahydrofurans or tetrahydropyrans) were selectively obtained depending on the structure of the initial epoxysilyl alcohol. Interestingly, cyclization of hindered epoxysilyl alcohols mainly proceeds through an unexpected side reaction, which implies a previous isomerization to an aldehyde. A mechanistic proposal for the formation of the different products is presented.Junta de Castilla y León - (Project VA294-P18)Fondo Social Europeo y Junta de Castilla y León - (Grant Q4718001C)ju

On automation and certification of a homological method to process biomedical digital images

In this paper a methodology to extract and compute homological information from biomedical images is proposed; automating some processes, up to now, manually done. The main features of our approach are the usage of several programming languages (Java, Common Lisp and Haskell) and the application of formal methods (namely theorem provers) to verify the correctness of some of the automated process. As case study to test the suitability of our approach, we have applied it to measure the number of synapses of a neuron

Cultivo y ensayos in vitro de las formas eritrocíticas del parásito productor de la malaria (Plasmodium falciparurm): caracterización de nuevos derivados químicos con actividad antimalárica: 4(1H)-piridonas

Tesis Doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología MolecularLa malaria es la infección parasitaria más importante con un gran impacto global sobre la salud de centenares de millones de personas anualmente. La prevalencia mundial de la malaria y el desarrollo de resistencias de los parásitos a los antimalaricos habitualmente empleados, como la artemisinina, han favorecido el desarrollo de nuevos agentes antimalaricos. El cultivo in vitro de las fases eritrociticas asexuales y sexuales del parasito Plasmodium falciparum requiere una gran cantidad de tiempo y esfuerzo para desarrollar un cultivo continuo in vitro. El desarrollo de nuevos métodos para sincronizar las fases eritrociticas asexuales y para obtener las fases sexuales o gametocitos de P. falciparum, contribuiría favorablemente en el desarrollo de nuevas drogas contra la malaria. Un método optimizado de sincronización ha sido establecido, permitiendo además el mantenimiento de un cultivo sano, altamente sincrónico, durante largos periodos de tiempo. De este modo, se han obtenido las distintas formas eritrociticas asexuales especificas del ciclo de vida completo del parasito P. falciparum, constituyendo a su vez el punto de partida de los ensayos que valoraran la actividad específica de cada estadio eritrocitico. La gametocitogenesis o generación de parásitos sexualmente comprometidos (gametocitos), es un proceso no del todo aun conocido en malaria. Si los mecanismos reguladores de este proceso fueran establecidos, se presentarían nuevas oportunidades para interrumpir la transmisión de la malaria. Se han considerado varios factores críticos para la gametocitogenesis, cuyo estudio y combinación, han permitido establecer un método optimizado de produccion in vitro de gametocitos de P. falciparum. Este metodo de obtencion de gametocitos permitira a su vez, realizar los estudios biologicos con los que se identifiquen nuevos antimalaricos con potencial efecto en el bloqueo de la transmision de la malaria. Las 4(1H)-piridonas son una clase de antimalaricos que actuan como potentes inhibidores selectivos de la funcion mitocondrial de Plasmodium, al bloquear la cadena de transporte electronico del parasito. Su perfil antimalarico se ha evaluado resultando muy potentes in vitro frente a P. falciparum, sin mostrar ademas resistencia cruzada con otros antimalaricos comerciales utilizados, como la atovaquona, aunque con una velocidad de accion mas lenta que la cloroquina o la artemisinina. Las 4(1H)-piridonas son especificamente efectivas sobre las formas maduras asexuales, trofozoitos viejos y esquizontes jovenes, pero no asi frente a los gametocitos. En los ensayos de combinaciones con otros antimalaricos comerciales testados, no se han observado efectos antagonistas, siendo destacable que las 4(1H)-piridonas, a diferencia de lo que ocurre con otro inhibidor mitocondrial como es la atovaquona, no muestran ningun efecto sinergico si se combinan con proguanil. Este hecho sugiere un diferente mecanismo de accion que la atovaquona, haciendo que las 4(1H)-piridonas resulten mas atractivas como potenciales drogas antimalaricas.Malaria is the most important parasitic infection with a significant global impact on the health of hundreds of millions of people annually. The worldwide prevalence of malaria and the development of parasite-resistance to antimalarial drugs, such as artemisinin, have given added impetus to the development of new antimalarial agents. The in vitro culture of the erythrocytic asexual and sexual stages of Plasmodium falciparum parasites, required a lot of effort and time in order to develop a continuous in vitro culture. The development of new methods to synchronize the asexual erythrocytic stages and to obtain the sexual stages or gametocytes of P. falciparum parasites could improve the development of new drugs against malaria. An optimized method of synchronization has been established which enables the maintenance of a healthy highly synchronic culture for longer periods of time. The specific asexual erythrocytic stages of a complete life cycle of P. falciparum parasites, with the estimated time of appearance of each stage well defined, has been obtained, being the starting point of assays for specific stage activity. The generation of sexually committed parasites (gametocytogenesis) is poorly understood in malaria. If the mechanisms regulating this process were elucidated, new opportunities for blocking malaria transmission could be revealed. An improved method that combines several factors critical for gametocytogenesis, has been developed for the in vitro production of P. falciparum gametocytes in order to obtain large numbers of biological studies, such as the identification of new medicines with transmissionblocking potential. 4(1H)-pyridones represent a novel class of antimalarial agents which act as potent selective inhibitors of Plasmodium mitochondrial function by blocking the electron transport chain. Their antimalarial profile has been evaluated being potent against P. falciparum isolates and showing no cross-resistance with agents currently used, including atovaquone. 4(1H)-pyridones are slow-acting antimalarials effective fundamentally against late trophozoites and early schizonts but without activity against young gametocytes. No antagonist effects have been observed in combinations assays with other antimalarials tested; being remarkable that unlike atovaquone, another mitochondrial inhibitor, they do not show any synergistic effect when are combined with proguanil. This suggests a different mechanism of action of atovaquone, making 4(1H)-pyridones more attractive as novel potential antimalarials drugs

Más experiencias de trabajo en comunidad

Cuando empecé a formar parte de DeL, en septiembre de 2014, no me imaginé que esta decisión iba a ser el puntapié inicial de numerosas experiencias y aprendizajes que me nutrirían en mis primeros pasos como profesional. Comencé en DeL gracias a la invitación de una de mis ex-profesoras del Profesorado en Inglés, quien pensó que podía colaborar en la recopilación de sitios de interés para la Comunidad. Al principio dudé en aceptar ya que no creía que podía ser de utilidad. Sin embargo, y por suerte, acepté.Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educació

Quality Criteria to Evaluate Performance and Scope of 2030 Agenda in Metropolitan Areas: Case Study on Strategic Planning of Environmental Municipality Management

The United Nations’ (UN) 2030 Agenda brings new governance challenges to municipal environmental planning, both in large urban centres and in metropolitan peripheries. The opportunities of the new framework of action proposed by the United Nations (UN) and its integrative, global, and transversal nature constitute advances from the previous models of municipal management based on the Local Agenda 21. This text provides evidence to apply quality criteria and validated instruments of participatory evaluation. These instruments have been built on the foundation of evaluative research, a scientific discipline that provides rigour and validity to those decisions adopted at a municipal level. A case study focused on a metropolitan area serves as a field of experimentation for this model of the modernization of environmental management structures at a local level. Details of the instruments, agents, priority decision areas, methodologies, participation processes, and quality criteria are provided, as well as an empirically validated model for participatory municipal management based on action research processes and strategic planning that favours a shared responsibility across all social groups in the decision-making process and in the development of continuous improvement activities that are committed to sustainability. Finally, a critical comparison of weaknesses and strengths is included in light of the evidence collected.Project: ‘Sustainability in Higher Education: Evaluation of the scope of the 2030 Agenda in curriculum innovation and teacher professional development in Andalusian Universities’. B-SEJ-424-UGR18. Principal researchers: José Gutiérrez-Pérez and María de Fátima Poza-Vilches

Predicting the Reputation of Pharmaceutical Firms with Financing and Geographical Location Data

[EN] Reputation is a strategic asset for firms, but has been poorly studied in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly in relation to their financial and stock-market performance. This work aimed to predict the probability of a firm being included in a pharmaceutical reputation index (Merco and PatientView), and the position it occupies, according to its economic¿financial and stock-market outcomes and its geographical location. Fifty firms with excellent sales in 2019 and their rankings in 2017¿2019 were employed. The methodology followed was logistic regression. Their research and development (R&D) expenditures and dividends strongly influenced them being included in both rankings. Non-Asian pharmaceutical companies were more likely to belong to the two reputation indices than Asian ones, and to occupy the best positions in the Merco ranking. Although no large differences appeared in the firms in both indices, differences were found in the position that pharmaceutical companies occupied in rankings and in the variables that contribute to them occupying these positions. Being in PatientView influenced dividends, sales, and income, while appearing in Merco showed accounting aspects like value in books and debt ratio.Alcaide González, MÁ.; De La Poza, E.; Guadalajara Olmeda, MN. (2021). Predicting the Reputation of Pharmaceutical Firms with Financing and Geographical Location Data. Mathematics. 9(16):1-17. https://doi.org/10.3390/math9161893S11791