Social support from developmental contexts and adolescent substance use and well-being: a comparative study of Spain and Portugal

The aim of this study was to analyse the contribution of social support from family, friend and school (teacher and classmate) contexts in substance use (tobacco and alcohol use) and well-being (life satisfaction and health-related quality of life). Participants were 5,784 Portuguese and 22,610 Spanish adolescents aged 11 to 16 years, from the 2014 edition of the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) study in Portugal and Spain. Results showed that for a higher life satisfaction, family ( p < .001, partial η 2 = .032), teacher ( p < .001, partial η 2 = .018) and classmate ( p < .001, partial η 2 = .031) support were important in Portugal, and family ( p < .001, partial η 2 = .056) and friend ( p < .001, partial η 2 = .015) support in Spain. Similarly, for a better health-related quality of life, all the social support variables were relevant in Portugal (family: p < .001, partial η 2 = .063; teacher: p < .001, partial η 2 = .032; classmate: p < .001, partial η 2 = .054; friend: p < .001, partial η 2 = .034) and in Spain (family: p < .001, partial η 2 = .054; teacher: p < .001, partial η 2 = .014; classmate: p < .001, partial η 2 = .018; friend: p < .001, partial η 2 = .040). In contrast, only family support ( p < .001, partial η 2 = .014) was relevant in Portugal for tobacco use. Therefore, social support was more relevant for adolescent well-being than for adolescent substance use, and the most relevant source of support was family support, in both Spain and Portugal

Spatio temporal modeling of species distribution

The aim of this thesis is study spatial distribution of different groups from different perspectives and to analyse the different approaches to this problem. We move away from the classical approach, commonly used by ecologists, to more complex solutions, already applied in several disciplines. We are focused in applying advanced modelling techniques in order to understand species distribution and species behaviour and the relationships between them and environmental factors and have used first the most common models applied in ecology to move then to more advanced and complex perspectives. From a general perspective and comparing the different models applied during the process, from MaxEnt to spatio-temporal models with INLA, we can affirm that the models that we have developed show better results that the already built. Also, it is difficult to compare between the different approaches, but the Bayesian approach shows more flexibility and also the inclusion of spatial field or the latent spatio-temporal process allows to include residuals as a proxy for unmeasured variables. Compared with additive models with thin plate splines, probably considered one of the greatest methods to analyse species distribution models working with presence-absence data, comparable to MaxEnt, CART and MARS, our results show a better fit and more flexibility in the design. As a natural process we have realised that the Bayesian approach could be a better solution or at least a different approach for consideration. The main advantage of the Bayesian model formulation is the computational ease in model fit and prediction compared to classical geostatistical methods. To do so, instead of MCMC we have used the novel integrated nested Laplace approximation approach through the Stochastic Partial Differential Equation (SPDE) approach. The SPDE approach can be easily implemented providing results in reasonable computing time (comparing with MCMC). We showed how SPDE is a useful tool in the analysis of species distribution. This modelling could be expanded to the spatio-temporal domain by incorporating an extra term for the temporal effect, using parametric or semiparametric constructions to reflect linear, nonlinear, autoregressive or more complex behaviours. We can conclude that spatial and spatio-temporal Bayesian models are a really interesting approach for the understanding of environmental dynamics, not only because of the possibility to develop and solve more complex problems but also for the easy understanding of the implementation processes.The aim of this thesis is study spatial distribution of different groups from different perspectives and to analyse the different approaches to this problem. We move away from the classical approach, commonly used by ecologists, to more complex solutions, already applied in several disciplines. We are focused in applying advanced modelling techniques in order to understand species distribution and species behaviour and the relationships between them and environmental factors and have used first the most common models applied in ecology to move then to more advanced and complex perspectives. From a general perspective and comparing the different models applied during the process, from MaxEnt to spatio-temporal models with INLA, we can affirm that the models that we have developed show better results that the already built. Also, it is difficult to compare between the different approaches, but the Bayesian approach shows more flexibility and also the inclusion of spatial field or the latent spatio-temporal process allows to include residuals as a proxy for unmeasured variables. Compared with additive models with thin plate splines, probably considered one of the greatest methods to analyse species distribution models working with presence-absence data, comparable to MaxEnt, CART and MARS, our results show a better fit and more flexibility in the design. As a natural process we have realised that the Bayesian approach could be a better solution or at least a different approach for consideration. The main advantage of the Bayesian model formulation is the computational ease in model fit and prediction compared to classical geostatistical methods. To do so, instead of MCMC we have used the novel integrated nested Laplace approximation approach through the Stochastic Partial Differential Equation (SPDE) approach. The SPDE approach can be easily implemented providing results in reasonable computing time (comparing with MCMC). We showed how SPDE is a useful tool in the analysis of species distribution. This modelling could be expanded to the spatio-temporal domain by incorporating an extra term for the temporal effect, using parametric or semiparametric constructions to reflect linear, nonlinear, autoregressive or more complex behaviours. We can conclude that spatial and spatio-temporal Bayesian models are a really interesting approach for the understanding of environmental dynamics, not only because of the possibility to develop and solve more complex problems but also for the easy understanding of the implementation processes

Behavioral traits predicting cocaine-conditioned place reference in mice: role of anxiety adn the basolateral amygdala

Aims. The individual susceptibility to cocaine addiction, a factor of interest in the understanding and prevention of this disorder, may be predicted by certain behavioral traits. However, these are not usually taken into account in research, making it difficult to identify whether they are a cause or a consequence of drug use. Methods. Male C57BL/6J mice underwent a battery of behavioral tests (elevated plus maze, hole-board, novelty preference in the Y maze, episodic-like object recognition memory and forced swimming test), followed by a cocaine-conditioned place preference (CPP) training to assess the reinforcing effect of the drug. In a second study, we aimed to determine the existence of neurobiological differences between the mice expressing high or low CPP by studying the number of neurons in certain addiction-related structures: the medial prefrontal cortex, the basolateral amygdala and the ventral tegmental area. Results. Anxiety-like behaviors in the elevated plus maze successfully predicted the cocaine-CPP behavior, so that the most anxious mice were also more likely to search for cocaine in a CPP paradigm. In addition, these mice exhibited an increased number of neurons in the basolateral amygdala, a key structure in emotional response including anxiety expression, without differences in the others regions analyzed. Conclusions. Our results suggest a relevant role of anxiety as a psychological risk factor for cocaine vulnerability, with the basolateral amygdala as potential common neural center for both anxiety and addiction.Universidad de Málaga, Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. PSI2013-44901-P, FPU13/04819, CD12/00455, Red de Trastornos Adictivo

Strategic Planning Model and its Impact on the Development of Micro-Enterprises in the Services Sector in Mexico

Purpose: The aim of this study is to offer the design of a strategic planning model for micro-enterprises from services economic sector in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico and measure its impact on their growth and development. &nbsp; Theoretical framework: The research reviewed a variety of strategic planning models, which contributed in the design of this new model tailored to Hidalgo’s micro-enterprises from services sector, the main objective is to contribute to their growth and development. Larios (2016), refers to the strategic process sequential model as the set of activities which are conducted in a specific sequence in order to project the future of the organization and achieve their vision, Larios (2016), establishes that this model is made of three stages: designing, implementing and evaluating which is completed by adding conclusions and recommendations. On the other hand, the strategic planning model proposed by Stanton, Etzel and Walter suggests a logical sequence that combines strategic and marketing planning, establishing the specific route that the marketing department needs to follow (Chávez, 2017). A detailed description of the models reviewed during the research work is presented in the literature review section. . Design/methodology/approach: The study applies a quantitave methodology with a non-experimental and transactional – correlational. A questionnaire with Likert scale of five points from totally agree to totally disagree, was given to managerial staff from the sample companies. The sample subject of study consists of 174 micro-enterprises from the services sector located in the State of Hidalgo, Mexico. The quantitative analysis conducted is based on inferential statistics, specifically multiple correlation analysis where the dependent variable is strategic planning and the independent variables are corporate philosophy, key internal factors, key external factors, SWOT analysis, situational diagnosis, objectives and strategic control (Hill y Jones 2015). &nbsp; Findings: The research findings are that the dimensions that have a positive effect on strategic planning are; philosophy, internal factors, external factors, and strategic objectives.&nbsp;&nbsp; This was obtained after validating the multiple regression equation

Análisis de contenido cualitativo: La cobertura del caso de José Salvador Alvarenga, conocido como el Náufrago Salvadoreño, en las páginas informativas nacionales de La Prensa Gráfica y El Diario de Hoy, en febrero de 2014

La presente investigación titulada, busca dar a conocer el enfoque informativo, con el que estos dos medios de comunicación manejaron la temática, sus estilos y cargas ideológicas. La investigación busca contribuir el enriquecimiento en la formación académica de los futuros profesionales de la comunicación, y de igual manera busca servir como un instrumento de análisis a estudiantes de la carrera que cursen las cátedras de Fundamentos de la Investigación Científica, Teoría de la Comunicación e Información, Ética Periodística, así como Semiótica del Texto en la que encontrarán información útil que fortalecerá su formación educativa. En su contenido se ha pretendido un acercamiento hacia la cobertura periodística y un análisis de cómo La Prensa Gráfica y El Diario de Hoy retoman el caso de José Salvador Alvarenga ―el náufrago salvadoreño‖, y cómo el manejo de los datos puede ser crucial para determinar el profesionalismo ético con el que se han tratado

Perfil De Enojo En Estudiantes De Tres Universidades CUMex. Un Estudio Comparativo

The present study aimed to obtain a profile of the anger in students of the degree in psychology of three universities participating in the Consortium of Mexican Universities (CUMex), through a descriptive-comparative study. 300 students participated in the bachelor's degree in psychology. The research design was non-experimental cross-sectional. Descriptive statistical analyzes of the total sample were carried out, as well as the analysis of variance of a single classification to know if there were significant differences in the anger among the students of the three universities. The results show that in general, the participating population of the three universities is within an average range in this emotion. Regarding the results of the descriptive statistical analysis of the total sample and an analysis of variance of a single classification, statistically significant differences were observed when comparing the three universities, and these differences were found between Guadalajara and Zacatecas; although on average, the students of the three universities score within a normal range of anger. It is possible that these results are natural in students of psychology, which favors the profile of training and its future professional practic

Biometric database acquisition close to “Real World” conditions

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12397-9_16Revised Selected Papers of Second COST 2102 International Training School, Dublin, Ireland, March 23-27, 2009In this paper we present an autonomous biometric device developed in the framework of a national project. This system is able to capture speech, hand-geometry, online signature and face, and can open a door when the user is positively verified. Nevertheless the main purpose is to acquire a database without supervision (normal databases are collected in the presence of a supervisor that tells you what to do in front of the device, which is an unrealistic situation). This system will permit us to explain the main differences between what we call "real conditions" as opposed to "laboratory conditions".This work has been supported by FEDER and MEC, TEC2006-13141-C03/TCM, and COST-210

LICENCIATURA EN GASTRONOMÍA PROYECTO CURRICULAR 2016

PROYECTO CURRICULAR DE LA LICENCIATURA EN GASTRONOMIA 201

Sticholysin, Sphingomyelin, and Cholesterol: A Closer Look at a Tripartite Interaction

Actinoporins are a group of soluble toxic proteins that bind to membranes containing sphingomyelin (SM) and oligomerize to form pores. Sticholysin II (StnII) is a member of the actinoporin family, produced by Stichodactyla helianthus. Cholesterol (Chol) is known to enhance the activity of StnII. However, the molecular mechanisms behind this activation have remained obscure, although the activation is not Chol specific but rather sterol specific. To further explore how bilayer lipids affect or are affected by StnII, we have used a multiprobe approach (fluorescent analogs of both Chol and SM) in combination with a series of StnII tryptophan (Trp)-mutants, to study StnII/bilayer interactions. First we compared StnII bilayer permeabilization in the presence of Chol or oleoyl-ceramide (OCer). The comparison was done since both Chol and OCer have a 1-hydroxyl which help to orient the molecule in the bilayer (although OCer have additional polar functional groups). Both Chol and OCer also have increased affinity for SM, which StnII may recognize. However, our results show that only Chol was able to activate StnII-induced bilayer permeabilization – OCer failed to active. To further examine possible Chol/StnII interactions, we measured Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between Trp in StnII and cholestatrienol (CTL), a fluorescent analog of Chol. We could show higher FRET efficiency between CTL and Trp:s in position 100 and 114 of StnII, when compared to three other Trp positions further away from the bilayer binding region of StnII. Taken together, our results suggest that StnII was able to attract Chol to its vicinity, maybe by showing affinity for Chol. SM interactions are known to be important for StnII binding to bilayers, and Chol is known to facilitate subsequent permeabilization of the bilayers by StnII. Our results help to better understand the role of these important membrane lipids for the bilayer properties of StnII

Improving Accessibility in Online Education: Comparative Analysis of Attitudes of Blind and Deaf Students Toward an Adapted Learning Platform

15 p.People with different capacities, such as the deaf and blind, have problems accessing educational content due to lack of accessible technology. Accessibility and usability are closely related concepts that share the goals for a satisfactory user experience. Existing literature establishes a direct relation between accessibility and usability, and reports that there are problems with both in learning platforms, and more generally with most websites. The objective of this paper is to evaluate the accessibility and usability of a learning platform by interrogating its participants. Three groups of students with different capacities (blind, deaf and deaf-blind) used an accessible learning platform prototype to assess the accessibility and usability of the platform and its contents. This article presents a comparative study of the perception and attitude of blind and deaf students towards the use of a learning platform adapted to their personal needs. Results showed that their attitude to the adaptation was very positive but there were differences in the perception of the ease of use of the application and with the level of difficulty to access the learning content. This work contributes to the body of knowledge by showing the effects that adaptations have on learning contents for blind and deaf students in terms of accessibility and ease of use through the analysis of the perceptions of participants. Future work may consider increasing the sample of students, as well as developing and testing new technologies and approaches that address other forms of functional diversit