Adjusting the Labor Supply to Mitigate Violent Shocks: Evidence from Rural Colombia

This paper studies the use of labor markets to mitigate the impact of violent shocks on households in rural areas in Colombia. It examines changes in the labor supply from on-farm to off-farm labor as a means of coping with the violent shock and the ensuing redistribution of time within households. It identifies the heterogeneous response by gender. Because the incidence of violent shocks is not exogenous, the analysis uses instrumental variables that capture several dimensions of the cost of exercising terror. As a response to the violent shocks, households decrease the time spent on on-farm work and increase their supply of labor to off-farm activities (non-agricultural ones). Men carry the bulk of the adjustment in the use of time inasmuch as they supply the most hours to off-farm non-agricultural work and formal labor markets. Labor markets do not fully absorb the additional labor supply. Women in particular are unable to find jobs in formal labor markets and men have increased time dedicated to leisure and household chores. Additional off-farm supply does not fully cover the decrease in consumption. The results suggest that in rural Colombia, labor markets are a limited alternative for coping with violent shocks. Thus, policies in conflict-affected countries should go beyond short-term relief and aim at preventing labor markets from collapsing and at supporting the recovery of agricultural production.Conflict, labor markets, developing economies, instrumental variables

Impact of culinary heat treatment on Lodosa Piquillo peppers (Capsicum annuum L.): Total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity

Introduction: An emerging concept of disease prevention is ground-breaking these days. Research has been done to examine the possibility that the most common diseases affecting people worldwide may be preventable by a healthy diet. Antioxidants have been the focus of major attention in the attempt for reducing morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases because of their capacity to delay or inhibit oxidative damage (the attack of oxygen-containing free radicals on biological molecules) to a target molecule, linked to various diseases. In the present study, jarred Lodosa Piquillo peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) have been brought into sharp focus, as they are one of the most traditional crops in the region of Navarre. Peppers are rich in antioxidants, but these ones are subjected to a jarring process before they are consumed. For that reason, the principal aim of this study was to examine the influence of different cooking techniques on the antioxidant properties of Lodosa Piquillo peppers. Material and methods: Extracts from jarred Lodosa Piquillo peppers (PDO) were examined. These vegetables were subjected to different cooking methods, microwave heating (1-minute heating at 750 W) and frying (6-minute heating at 90 oC in a pan previously heated at 110 oC for 5 minutes) and were compared to the raw sample. Total phenolic content was quantified following Folin-Ciocalteu methodology using a Spectrophotometer, and the antioxidant capacity was evaluated by DPPH and ABTS assays. Results: Total phenolic content and the antioxidant capacity of jarred Piquillo peppers was not significantly affected by additional thermal treatments in microwaved and fried samples, compared to raw jarred peppers. Conclusion: Additional cooking techniques do not significantly affect the antioxidant capacity of Lodosa Piquillo peppers once they are exposed to a jarring process. Therefore, the antioxidant capacity of the Piquillo peppers is similar independent of how they are consumed.Introducción: La prevención de enfermedades es un concepto pionero que ha revolucionado el estudio de la nutrición estos últimos años. Se ha estudiado mucho la posibilidad de que una dieta saludable pueda prevenir enfermedades que afectan a la sociedad hoy en día. Así, los antioxidantes están siendo el principal foco dietético de estudio con el objetivo de reducir la morbilidad y mortalidad debida a estas enfermedades crónicas. Estos elementos de la dieta son capaces de inhibir o retrasar el daño oxidativo que se produce en las células, relacionado a varias enfermedades. En este estudio se ha examinado el pimiento del Piquillo de Lodosa (Capsicum annuum L.), una de las cosechas más tradicionales en la región de Navarra. Los pimientos son reconocidos por su alto contenido en antioxidantes, pero en este caso, los pimientos se someten a un proceso de embotado. Por ello, el principal objetivo de este estudio fue analizar el efecto del tratamiento térmico en las propiedades antioxidantes del pimiento del Piquillo. Material y métodos: Se analizaron extractos del pimiento del Piquillo de Lodosa (DOP). Estos pimientos fueron sometidos a dos diferentes métodos culinarios, calentamiento al microondas (1 minuto a 750 W) y fritura (6 minutos de cocción a 90 oC en una sartén previamente calentada a 110 oC por 5 minutos), y fueron comparados con la muestra en crudo. Se cuantificó el contenido fenólico total de las muestras mediante la técnica Folin-Ciocalteu usando un espectrofotómetro, así como la capacidad antioxidante de los vegetales siguiendo la metodología de DPPH y ABTS. Resultados: Tanto el contenido fenólico total como la capacidad antioxidante de los pimientos del Piquillo no sufrieron cambios significativos tras la cocción en microondas o mediante fritura, en comparación con los pimientos en conserva. Conclusión: Las propiedades antioxidantes de los pimientos del Piquillo de Lodosa son similares independientemente del modo de consumo

Poly(3-methyltiophene)- Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes Composite Electrodes

AbstractOur goal, is focalized in the synthesis of composite film electrodes used in the detection of contaminants from water. Films of poly(3-methylthiophene) (P3MT) were prepared by electropolymerization over glassy carbon electrode (ϕ= 3mm) and then impregnated with a thin dispersion of multi wall–carbon nanotubes, (MWCNT). Also, the MWCNT was directly embedded over the glassy carbon electrode. These composite materials P3MT/MWCNT and MWCNT coated onto a glassy carbon electrode (GC) are applied in electrochemical As(III) detection with different supporting electrolytes. The cyclic voltammetry of MWCNT/GC modified electrode in NaNO3 or Na2SO4 0.1 molL-1 showed As(III) irreversible anodic wave occurring at 0.9 to 1.3V vs Ag/AgCl range, and lineal conduct up to 5-10 mmol L-1 As(III), and even reproducible results after it had been used for several times at highest concentrations. The alkaline Na2HPO4 solution improved the response and resolution this electrode with anodic wave at 1.1V vs Ag/AgCl. Performance of modified P3MT/MWCNT/GC electrode, by anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) in 0.1mol L-1 Na2HPO4 (pH 10) solution was notable, because the low potential 0.55V vs Ag/AgCl by As(III) anodic current peak. The electrolysis of As(III) at constant potential with MWCNT/felt carbon electrode (ϕ = 8mm) produced a 94% of less toxic As(V) form, which was recovered by liquid phase retention-assisted by polymers (LPR-P) method

Microarchitectural changes during development of the cerebellar cortex

The cerebellum is a highly conserved structure in the Central Nervous System (CNS) of vertebrates, and is involved in the coordination of voluntary motor behaviour. Supporting this function, the cerebellar cortex presents a layered structure which requires a precise spatial and temporal coordination of proliferation, migration and differentiation events. One of the characteristics of the developing cortex is the formation of the external granule cell layer (EGL) in the outermost part. The EGL is a highly proliferative transient layer which disappears when cells migrate inwards to form the inner granule cell layer. The balance between proliferation and migration leads to changes in EGL thickness, and might be related to >indentations> observed in the surface of the developing chick cerebellum. We have extended the observation of this feature to quail and mouse, supporting the idea that this phenomenon forms part of the mechanisms of cerebellar morphogenesis. Different factors involved in both mitotic activity and migration were analyzed in this study. Our results indicate that proliferation, more than formation of raphes for cell migration, is involved in the formation of indentations in the EGL. In addition, we show that vessels penetrating from the pial surface divide the EGL into regular regions at the time of the appearance of bulges and furrows. We conclude that indentations are the result of a coincidence in time of both the increase in thickness of the EGL and the establishment of the embryonic vascular pattern, which confers a characteristic transitory morphology to the surface of folia. © 2009.Peer Reviewe

Sidewall effects on heat transfer in narrow backward facing step in transitional regime

In this work, we study numerically with large eddy simulation, the effects induced by the three-dimensional geometry of the channel on the flow topology that exists when the three-dimensional intrinsic instabilities appear in a backward facing step flow with low aspect ratio for Reynolds in the transitional regime (Re = 1,000–1,600), and its impact on the heat flux in the lower wall. Under the transitional regime, the three-dimensional instabilities begin to appear, but they can be masked by the flows due to the presence of the side walls. The study is carried out with two boundary conditions in the sidewalls, slip, and no-slip, to discriminate between the three-dimensionality induced by the geometry and the intrinsic three-dimensional instabilities. The results obtained are compared between the two boundary conditions, establishing what type of flow prevails and its influence on time-averaged mean Nusselt number for all Reynolds.This work was funded by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades y fondos FEDER - Proyecto Retos-Colaboración RTC-2017-6137-8

Reflective practice applications: "Guided weekly refection papers" excented from Alcalá University (Spain) to the Montfort University (UK)

Edulearn16: 8th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies. Barcelona, 4th-6th of july, 2016-Barcelona, SpainKnowledge has to be developed firmly based on reflections and thoughts as much as evidence. Being conscious of this principle, our innovation teaching group from the University of Alcalá has developed a reflective pedagogical approach called Guided Weekly Reflection Papers (GWRP) and implemented it since 2007. In this approach students hand in to the lecturer their “weekly work”, in which they schematically express the most important ideas related with the topic presented during the classes, and their reflections and comments on those aspects which they found especially difficult or interesting. Moreover students have to apply the concepts developed during the week to solve some questions or problems proposed by the lecturers to find solutions to real life situations and to explore beyond the walls of the classroom to discover where in the world around them they can find application of the material presented by the lectures.This innovative pedagogical approach has deeply contributed to the development of the student learning process and consequently been reflected in our teaching practice. The outcomes of the GWRP activity do not depend upon how much students have been studying but upon the level of comprehension of the knowledge we have shared with them. Therefore this strategy is very useful to prove the efficiency and quality of our teaching practice which leads us to continuously improve our way of teaching. Over several years, we have shown our results both in internal meetings in our University and in International Conferences, our colleagues have been caught up by our enthusiasm, which promotes their involvement in our model. Thus, different academics and organizations have adopted our reflective pedagogic strategy. The most recent incorporation of this approach has been implemented by selected academic staff at De Montfort University (DMU), Leicester (United Kingdom). This versatile methodology is being tested in a new university educational environment using a student cohort with a different set of characteristics and academic context compared to previous cohorts. This communication will describe the adaptation of the GWRP to teaching in the Clinical Biochemistry module delivered as part of two different Bachelor degrees taught at DMU: Biomedical Science and Medical Science and the response of students enrolled in this programmes at DMU. The results of the GWRP implemented in new subjects by the teachers of the innovation group at the University of Alcalá (UAH) will be also analysed

Guided weekly reflection papers: a strategy for Achieving academic goals

Rapid changes in innovative teaching need multidisciplinary efforts to accomplish a variety of goals through a collaborative tool which inspires and stimulates the students to learn and use the knowledge in a more a critical way. In this context, our team of lecturers concerned by educational innovation had carried out during three academic years a learning tool based on “Weekly Reflection Papers” (WRP). With the experience gained in this process we have implemented an essential modification in the procedure in order to improve the teaching-learning process. The goal of this communication is to show the development of the initial tool and how it has been changed until the actual proposal called Guided Weekly Reflection Papers” (GWRP)

Improving learning environment at different academic Levels throughout guided weekly reflection papers

A group of lecturers from different teaching areas at Alcalá University concern by Innovative Education had implemented during four academic years a learning tool based on “reflective weekly papers”. With the experience gained in this process we have carried out an essential modification in the procedure which provides the students the possibility of a more active and participative learning called Guided Weekly Reflective Papers. In this communication we present the adaptation of this educational method for the first time as a valuable strategy for improving the learning environment in secondary schools, as an extension of its implementation at the University level and as a contribution to the integral formation and meaningful learning of the secondary level students

School administrator preparation in Baja California

A team of US and Mexican researchers used focus groups to determine challenges faced by rural school directors who worked in isolated, poor communities. They had no preparation before becoming directors. Their stories express frustration with teachers who do not come to school on time and are not committed to education. Yet the directors throw themselves into their work and persist over the years. They ask for training in how to work with teachers, and they bring qualities of idealism and persistence to their work. The profiles of the directors suggest a changing dynamic on Hofstede's (2001) cultural dimension

An information literacy approach within the "Guided weekly reflection papers"

INTED 2015, 9 th International Technology, Education and Development Conference, March 2 nd-4 th, 2015-Madrid, SpainA group of lecturers from diverse areas of knowledge of the University of Alcalá have implemented an experience of teaching innovation based on “reflective diaries”. The students hand in to the lecturer every week their “Weekly Reflection Papers” (WRP), in which they schematically express the most important ideas related with the topic presented during the classes of the previous week. They must include their reflections about the aspects they found especially interesting. After having applied this tool for some academic years we introduced a modification called “Guided Weekly Reflection Papers” (GWRP), where the professors suggest a series of questions on which the students must apply the most significant concepts studied each week. This modification enhances student’s motivation, encourages them to achieve more significant and reflective knowledge and generates interest in emergent topics. However, we often detect that the information management needed to solve the proposed questions in the GWRP is not the most suitable one. Therefore our present work is aimed at helping students develop the necessary skills and acquire a searching criterion in the framework of the information literacy. The strategy was focussed on some important items for the acquisition of information competencies. In this communication we analyze the progress of the GWRP tool and we explore the response of students to the information literacy approach