El valor público de la acreditación en el mejoramiento continuo de las Carreras de Educación en Costa Rica. Un estudio de caso : a case study

The different accreditation processes of undergraduate degrees are the object of research due to the value of international recognition based on their accreditation. Thus, accreditation has become the preferred means of monitoring and evaluating the quality of higher education and observing universities' impact on society. The present study is part of a broader research focused on developing a doctoral thesis. It is framed in the qualitative interpretative paradigm of an emergent exploratory type. The main objective is to identify the public value generated by accreditation in the continuous improvement of undergraduate programs accredited by SINAES (an anagram of Sistema Nacional de Acreditación de la Educación Superior, National System of Higher Education Acceditation), in the field of education in Costa Rica. Five in-depth interviews were conducted to learn the perceptions of the key informants who participated in the accreditation process of the six selected degree programs. The results show the public value that accreditation produces in the continuous improvement of Education Degree Programs through ten categories that cover the achievements, benefits, results and effects of the contribution of SINAES in the continuous improvement processes of higher education. In conclusion, accreditation has become one of the determining factors when selecting an Education Degree Program in Costa Rica. The processes carried out by SINAES are perceived as legitimate and of excellence in developing these types of quality certifications.  Los diferentes procesos de acreditación por los que pasan los Grados universitarios son objeto de investigación debido al reconocimiento internacional que han adquirido por el valor asociado a la acreditación. De esta manera, la acreditación se ha convertido en el medio predilecto para supervisar y evaluar la calidad de la educación superior y observar el impacto que tienen las universidades en la sociedad. El estudio que se muestra forma parte de una investigación más amplia focalizada en el desarrollo de una tesis doctoral. Se enmarca en el paradigma cualitativo interpretativo de tipo exploratorio emergente. El objetivo principal se centra en identificar el valor público que genera la acreditación en el mejoramiento continuo de las carreras de grado acreditadas por el SINAES (Sistema Nacional de Acreditación de la Educación Superior) en el área de Educación en Costa Rica. Se ha llevaron a cabo cinco entrevistas a profundidad para conocer las percepciones de los informantes clave que participaron en el proceso de acreditación de las seis carreras seleccionadas. Los resultados muestran el valor público que produce la acreditación en el mejoramiento continuo de las Carreras de Educación por medio de 10 categorías que abarcan los logros, beneficios, resultados y efectos de la contribución del SINAES en el proceso de mejora continua de la Educación Superior. En conclusión, se observa como la acreditación se han convertido en uno de los factores determinantes a la hora de seleccionar una Carrera de Educación en Costa Rica. Los procesos llevados a cabo por el SINAES se perciben como legítimos y de excelencia en el desarrollo de este tipo de certificaciones de calidad

The Socio-Educational Adaptation of Secondary School Migrant Students in Sicily: Migrant Generation, School Linguistic Mediation and Teacher Proactivity Factors

This study aims to analyze the implications of linguistic mediation processes and educational proactivity in schools for the socio-educational adaptation of immigrant students. The study is based on empirical research and the perspectives of the main actors: the immigrant students themselves. To this end, a non-experimental and descriptive quantitative methodology was used. The sample consisted of 100 students of foreign origin enrolled in an Italian school located in a typical socio-cultural environment. The results show significant differences in linguistic mediation and socio-educational variables and differences in expectations of progress and social adaptation of students born outside Italy vis-a-vis students who, although born in Italy, are still considered foreigners. It will also analyze teaching proactivity as a communication facilitator for first-generation immigrant pupils born outside Italy. In conclusion, it is noted that, to favor multicultural environments where all students, regardless of their origin, feel accepted, integrated, and welcomed, it is necessary to utilize all available resources to promote improvements in teaching-learning processes and strengthen social relation

Family and School Relationship during COVID-19 Pandemic: A Systematic Review

Education systems worldwide have been affected by a sudden interruption in classroom learning because the coronavirus pandemic forced both the closure of all schools in March 2020 and the beginning of distance learning from home, thus compelling families, schools, and students to work together in a more coordinated fashion. The present systematic review was carried out following PRISMA guidelines. The main objective was to present critical information on the relationship between the family and the school in the face of the imposed distance learning scenario caused by COVID-19. A total of 25 articles dealing with the relationships established during the pandemic of any of the three agents involved (family, students, and school) were analysed. The results showed that the relationships between the three groups involved must be improved to some extent to meet the needs that have arisen as a result of distance learning. In conclusion, the educational scenario during the pandemic has been one of the most significant challenges experienced in the recent history of education

Cyclodextrin-Based Nanostructure Efficiently Delivers siRNA to Glioblastoma Cells Preferentially via Macropinocytosis

© 2020 by the authors.Small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) has the potential to revolutionize therapeutics since it can knockdown very efficiently the target protein. It is starting to be widely used to interfere with cell infection by HIV. However, naked siRNAs are unable to get into the cell, requiring the use of carriers to protect them from degradation and transporting them across the cell membrane. There is no information about which is the most efficient endocytosis route for high siRNA transfection efficiency. One of the most promising carriers to efficiently deliver siRNA are cyclodextrin derivatives. We have used nanocomplexes composed of siRNA and a β-cyclodextrin derivative, AMC6, with a very high transfection efficiency to selectively knockdown clathrin heavy chain, caveolin 1, and p21 Activated Kinase 1 to specifically block clathrin-mediated, caveolin-mediated and macropinocytosis endocytic pathways. The main objective was to identify whether there is a preferential endocytic pathway associated with high siRNA transfection efficiency. We have found that macropinocytosis is the preferential entry pathway for the nanoparticle and its associated siRNA cargo. However, blockade of macropinocytosis does not affect AMC6-mediated transfection efficiency, suggesting that macropinocytosis blockade can be functionally compensated by an increase in clathrin- and caveolin-mediated endocytosis.This research was funded, in part, by contract numbers PID2019-105858RB-I00 (MCI, AEI, FEDER, UE) and RTI2018-097609-B-C21 (MICIU, AEI, FEDER, UE) to C.O.M. and J.M.G.F. and grants from the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (project SAF2017-89288-R from MINECO/AEI/FEDER/UE), from Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha (project SBPLY/19/180501/000067), and ISCIII (AC19/00075) and ERANET Euronanomed Program (project NANO4GLIO) to V.C. It also benefited from the framework of COST Action Nano2Clinic (CA17140), supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).Publisher’s versio

Photobiomodulation in dental implant stability and post-surgical healing and inflammation. A randomised double-blind study

Background: The aim of this randomized clinical trial was to evaluate the effect of diode laser photobiomodulation (PBM) on post-surgical healing, inflammation and implant stability. Methods: Forty dental implants were inserted into 13 patients. The implants were randomly divided into two groups. The test group (PBM+) underwent two sessions of PBM (combined diode laser of 630 and 808 nm), the first of which after surgery, and the second, 7 days after the surgical procedure. The control group (PBM−) received simulated laser treatment. The implant stability quotient (ISQ) was determined immediately after the surgical procedure, and 7 days, 4 and 8 weeks later. Post-surgical inflammation was assessed following the criteria described by Bloemen and Cols. Healing was calculated using the healing index (HI). Results: No differences were found in terms of the mean values of implant stability between the test and control groups over time. Only two of the implants (18.2%) from the PBM− group were classified with the maximum healing index (HI = 5), whereas in the PBM+ group, nine implants (45%) were classified with the aforementioned index (P < 0.0001). Using the logistic regression, it was determined that the non-application of the laser in the PBM− group caused an OR of 4.333 times of presenting inflammation (IC95% 1.150–16.323; P = 0.030). Conclusions: The application of 808 nm infra-red laser for bone tissue, and 630 nm for mucosal tissue in two sessions is considered to be an effective way of reducing inflammation and improving early healing. More studies are needed to confirm these resultsUniversity of Santiago de Compostela. Grant Number: USC-2019-CE178S

An interdisciplinary vision of "Cova Beneito"

Aquest freball ofereix una visió interdisciplimiria i global dels nivells del paleolític mijà i superior de la cova Beneito (Muro del Comtat, Alacant). L'estudi sedimentològic, palinològic i faunístic de la seua dilatada estratigrafia aporta dades imprescindibles per al reconeixement de l'lnterestadial II-III, per a la consolidació de la climatoestratigrafia del Pleistocé Superior i, a més, una comprensió millor de la relació home-medi. El desenvolupamenr cultural ofereix altenatives interessants per a la seqüència mediterrànea i aporta la novetat de I'Aurinyacià evolucionat final a l'ambit valencià. S'hi dedica una apartat a l'estudi d'una tomba ritual secundària solutriogravetiana.The present work attempts to offer an interdisciplinary and global vision on the levels of the Middle and Upper Paleolithic period in "Cova Beneito" (Muro-Alicante-Spain). The sedimentological, palynological and faunistic study of its vast stratigraphy bring forward essential facts for the identification of the midlast glacial stage and for strengthening of the climatostratigraphy of the Upper Pleistocene, as well as for a better reconstruction of the retationship between man and environment. The cultural development supplies interesting alternatives to the Mediterranean sequence, and brings out the novelty of the Evolued Aurignacian in the Valencian area. There is a special section on the study of a secondary Solutrean-Gravettian ritual burial.El presente trabajo ofrece una visión interdisciplinar y global de los niveles del Paleolítico Medio y Superior de Cova Beneito (Muro- Alicante). El estudio sedimentológico, palinológico y faunístico de su dilatada estratigrafía aportan datos imprescindibles para el reconocimiento del Interestadial II-III y el afianzamiento de la climatoestratigrafía del Pleistoceno Superior, así como para una mejor comprensidn de la relación hombre-medio. El desarrollo cultural ofrece alternativas interesantes a tu secuencia mediterránea, aportando la novedad del Auriñaciense evolucionado final al ámbito valenciano. Se dedica un apartado al estudio de un enterramiento ritual secundario Solútreogravetiense

Molecular characterization of the diet of the planktonic community in Málaga Bay (NW Alboran Sea)

The seasonal changes in structure and functioning of the pelagic trophic web in Málaga Bay (NW Alboran Sea) are related to the annual hydrological cycle. However, time series analyses have shown that the relationship between interannual hydrological variability and the plankton community composition is weak. This might be due to different human-induced pressures (nutrient pollution, coastal fisheries) acting on different compartments of the trophic web. The net effect of all these factors would depend on how the ecosystem channels changes in the composition and abundance of each trophic level. Interactions of phytoplankton-ciliates-zooplankton might have a central role in the regulation of the trophic web in Málaga Bay, although the trophic relations of the dominant groups remain still undefined. In order to identify the dominant trophic relationships we aimed to characterise the diet of key ichthyo- and mesozooplankton species in the field. Given that gut content preys (phyto- and microplankton) are fragile and not easy to identify visually, we developed species-specific molecular markers to detect their presence/absence within the predators gut

El yacimiento de Colata (Montaverner, Valencia) y los 'poblados de silos' del IV milenio en las comarcas centro-meridionales del País Valenciano

Les estructures documentades al jaciment de Colata (Montaverner, València) mostren la parcialitat del registre que caracteritza aquest tipus de jaciment a l'aire lliure del IV mil·lenni aC, cosa que obliga a plantejar noves estratègies per a reinterpretar l¿evolució en les conductes d'emmagatzematge, consum i producció d'aliments, i en la organització social d'aquestes comunitats. Paraules'clau: Vall d'Albaida. Estructures excavades. Poblats de sitges. Patró d'assentament. Organització social

Local linear smoothing to estimate accelerated lifetime model with censoring and truncation

A nonparametric accelerated failure time (AFT) model is considered to evaluate the dependability measures of a water supply system laid in a city of the Mediterranean Sea. To do it, a set of breakdown data of sections of pipe of the system is available.Unlike the usual methods that assume a parametric family for the underlying lifetime, we propose an AFT model with an unspecified distribution for the underlying lifetime.To carry out the model fitting we suggest a two-stage procedure. Firstly, we estimate the influence of certain factors over the lifetime of the system. Secondly, we propose modern and flexible statistical tools based on counting processes to construct a smooth estimate the reliability measure of a specific system. We prove the good asymptotic properties of the estimator

Demostraciones prácticas para la promoción de las titulaciones de Grado en Química y Grado en Ingeniería Química

Memoria ID12-0251. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2012-2013