Beliefs about obesity and their relationship with dietary restriction and body image perception

The reviewed literature provides evidence that beliefs about the causes of obesity may actually have an influence on eating habits. In this work we wanted to analyze the relationship that may exists between beliefs about obesity, dietary restraint and body image perception. For that purpose, 258 female and male students of a High School and Occupational Training School in Seville (Spain) were recruited to conduct the study. According to our results, it was found that beliefs about obesity were positively related with dietary restraint and body image perception. Additionally, it was found that people high in beliefs about the controllability of the weight scored more in dietary restraint and body image perception than participants that did not believe that obesity was under personal control. No differences were found in Body Mass Index. Finally, it is suggested, according to the results that we found, that in order to be effective, public health campaigns may need to target people's beliefs just as much as they target their behaviours.

Projecto Oficina/Escola: Escola Municipal Amabílio Vieira dos Santos

Este estudo analisa a importância de implantar o Projeto Oficina Escola para fornecer aos alunos a oportunidade de adquirir competências e habilidades, implantando uma gestão inovadora de aprendizagem observando a flexibilidade da escola inserindo a prática da arte em período integral, como currículo alternativo. O presente trabalho é de natureza quantitativa e qualitativa, tipo estudo de caso e o campo de aplicação foi Escola Municipal Amabílio Vieira dos Santos. Quanto à revisão teórica buscou-se conceituar o currículo e suas nuances para tomá-lo adequado à realidade. A pesquisa envolveu estudos sobre diferenças sociais do Bairro Santa Cruz. Tratou-se de uma pesquisa descritiva, quanto aos fins e meios, bem como, uma pesquisa-ação participativa, pois envolveu procedimentos que integram a comunidade escolar e demais parceiros, sendo um projeto de ação social e cultural. Na finalização do trabalho elaboraram-se as considerações e limitações quanto ao desenvolvimento do Projeto Oficina Escola. ABSTRACT; This study it analyses the importance of to implement School Workshop Project to provide the students the opportunity acquiring competences and abilities, performing an innovated management of learning observing the school flexibility inserting the practice of Art in a full time system, as an alternative curriculum. The present work composition is a quantity and qualitative one, kind case study e the field of its application was the Municipal School Amabílio Vieira Dos Santos. White the theory review, it searches to give the concept of the curriculum and its particularities to become it appropriated to the reality. The research involved studies about the social differences at the District Santa Cruz. It was a descriptive research, white the finals and insides, as well a participative research, because it involved procedures that integrated the school community partners, being a social and cultural project. The finalization of this work elaborates the considerations and limitations as the development of the School Work shop Project.

Riesgos de victimización de adolescentes menores en los contextos tecnológicos de socialidad

[ES]En el presente trabajo, se abordan las formas cambiantes en las relaciones de socialidad de los adolescentes menores, la influencia de los avances tecnológicos en estas, así como los conflictos entre iguales que emergen en estos nuevos espacios, enfocando el trabajo en el fenómeno del cyberbullying desde un punto de vista criminológico. El objetivo ha consistido en analizar las nuevas formas de relación social que se expanden hoy en día, sobre todo por la irrupción de Internet como forma de interacción social y reconocer las conductas de riesgo que comienzan a aparecer en este ámbito, para identificar las formulas necesarias de prevención. La primera parte del trabajo está centrada en contextualizar la forma de socialidad, desde una conceptualización amplia hasta las características actuales derivadas del uso de la tecnología como herramienta de relación social, recogiendo los debates generados en torno al posible debilitamiento del capital social. En el siguiente apartado, se explora el ciberespacio, sus riesgos y oportunidades delictivas, buscando analizar posteriormente y en profundidad el cyberbullying, así como sus factores de victimización y sus similitudes y diferencias con respecto al bullying tradicional. A continuación, con el fin de subrayar y extraer las características que debe tener un programa de prevención, se expone una iniciativa pionera, a modo de estudio de caso. En esta se utiliza la formación en mediación de los propios menores para resolver o prevenir estas problemáticas, implantado en un instituto público de Zaragoza.

The contribution of the entrepreneurial orientation to SMEs profitability: a contingent analysis that considers the environment role

This paper aims first to show the effect of the Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO) on SMEs financial performance, and second, to propose a contingency model which explores the moderating effects of environmental hostility of the relationship EO –financial performance -- To examine the research hypotheses, a sample of 121 manufacturing SMEs located in Catalonia, Spain has been used -- The results confirm a positive EO-financial performance relation, and suggest that a more positive relation exists when there is an adjustment between the EO and the environment -- Finally, the academic and entrepreneurial implications related to the EO and the SMEs environment are presented and discussed

El apoyo familiar en el proceso de integración educativa de estudiantes con necesidades educativas en condición de discapacidad

In the process of socialization, the family has a fundamental role in the care and raising of the children, but principally, in the transmission of knowledge, values and customs that allow them to adapt to the society as active and productive individuals. In the last years, the Costa Rican educational system has experienced significant changes, due to the processes of students’ school integration, who present educational needs, because they need specialized supports and different resources for their formation and integral development. Thus, a concern was generated so that the familiar support is investigating in the process of students’ school integration, who are the ones who receive significant curricular adaptations in the public schools, and for instance, it was necessary to determine the kind of supports that are provided to the members of the family, as well as, the ways in which these supports can benefit the process of school integration.

MAGGnet: an international network to foster mitigation of agricultural greenhouse gases.

Research networks provide a framework for review, synthesis and systematic testing of theories by multiple scientists across international borders critical for addressing global-scale issues. In 2012, a GHG research network referred to as MAGGnet (Managing Agricultural Greenhouse Gases Network) was established within the Croplands Research Group of the Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA). With involvement from 46 alliance member countries, MAGGnet seeks to provide a platform for the inventory and analysis of agricultural GHG mitigation research throughout the world. To date, metadata from 315 experimental studies in 20 countries have been compiled using a standardized spreadsheet. Most studies were completed (74%) and conducted within a 1-3-year duration (68%). Soil carbon and nitrous oxide emissions were measured in over 80% of the studies. Among plant variables, grain yield was assessed across studies most frequently (56%), followed by stover (35%) and root (9%) biomass. MAGGnet has contributed to modeling efforts and has spurred other research groups in the GRA to collect experimental site metadata using an adapted spreadsheet. With continued growth and investment, MAGGnet will leverage limited-resource investments by any one country to produce an inclusive, globally shared meta-database focused on the science of GHG mitigation.

Ergonomics and musculoskeletal pain among postgraduate students and faculty members of the School of Dentistry of the University of Barcelona (Spain). A cross-sectional study

Objectives: To evaluate the intensity and location of musculoskeletal pain suffered by students and professors from different postgraduate programs of the School of Dentistry of the University of Barcelona (Spain), to identify the variables related to the occurrence of musculoskeletal symptoms and signs, and to establish possible preventive measures for such disorders. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was made among students and faculty members from different postgraduate courses of the School of Dentistry at the University of Barcelona between May and June 2007. A total of 74 dentists (54 postgraduate students and 20 faculty members) completed an anonymous questionnaire containing 19 questions. The variables were divided into three main groups: sociodemographic information, ergonomic features and musculoskeletal pain arising from professional practice. Results: Most of the dentists (79.8%) had experienced some kind of musculoskeletal pain in the last 6 months. On comparing the different locations of pain (lumbar, cervical, dorsal, wrist, shoulder and others), the neck was found to be the most commonly affected location (58% of all subjects), and only 34% of the respondents took some preventive measures against musculoskeletal disorders. Women showed a higher frequency of intense pain involving the cervical, lumbar, dorsal and wrist areas (p<0.05). A higher incidence of wrist pain was recorded in professionals exclusively dedicated to oral surgery (p<0.05). No statistically significant correlation was found between the workload (hours) and pain in the different anatomical locations (p>0.05). Conclusions: An important incidence of pain symptoms secondary to musculoskeletal disorders was observed, particularly in the cervical region. Females and younger dentists showed a higher frequency of such symptoms. The implementation of preventive measures is necessary, in view of the high incidence of these disorders

Foreigner? Want to study in Spain? The integration process at universities

The student exchange programs being carried out at universities for over 50 years, have led to changes in the institutions, which had to adapt to accommodate these students. Despite those changes, the integration of foreign students not coming from the aforementioned exchange programs that come to our country to study at the University has been neglected. These students face many barriers (language, cultural and origin customs mainly), so a clear and detailed information would be highly desirable in order to facilitate the necessary arrangements This study aims to show the deficiencies in the integration process and hosting programs faced by a foreign student at University. The study is performed by means of an analysis of statistical data from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and the Civil Engineering School over the last 12 school years (1999 - 2000 to 2010 - 2011), as well as surveys and interviews with some of these students. The study is enhanced with the analysis of the measures and integration methods of the various minorities, which had been implemented by the foremost public universities in Spain, as well as other public and private universities abroad. It illustrates the existing backlog at the Spanish universities with regards to supporting the integration of diversity among foreign students, providing data concerning the growth of such population and its impact at the university, and on the institutions in particular. In an increasingly globalized world, we must understand and facilitate the integration of minorities at University, supplying them, from the first day, and before the enrollment process, the essential elements that will allow their adequate adaptation to the educational process at University. It concludes by identifying the main subjects that need to be tackled to endorse such integration.

Social adaptation of children with mild intellectual disability: Effects of partial integration within primary school classes

is study examined the social adaptation of children with mild intellectual disability who were either (a) partially integrated into regular primary school classes, or (b) full-time in separate classes, All of the children were integrated in sport and play activities with the whole school. Consistent with previous research, children with intellectual disability were less socially accepted than were a matched group of control children. Children in partially integrated classes received more play nominations than those in separate classes, brit there was no greater acceptance as a best friend. On teachers' reports, disabled children had higher levels of inappropriate social behaviours, but there was no significant difference in appropriate behaviours. Self-assessments by integrated children were more negative than those by children in separate classes, and their peer-relationship satisfaction was lower. Ratings by disabled children of their satisfaction with peer relationships were associated with ratings of appropriate social skills by themselves and their teachers, and with self-ratings of negative behaviour. The study confirmed that partial integration can have negative consequences for children with an intellectual disability.

Integration of biomonitoring and instrumental techniques to assess the air quality in an industrial area located in the coastal of Central Asturias, Spain

Throughout the world, epidemiological studies were established to examine the relationship between air pollution and mortality rates and adverse respiratory health effects. However, despite the years of discussion the correlation between adverse health effects and atmospheric pollution remains controversial, partly because these studies are frequently restricted to small and well-monitored areas. Monitoring air pollution is complex due to the large spatial and temporal variations of pollution phenomena, the high costs of recording instruments, and the low sampling density of a purely instrumental approach. Therefore, together with the traditional instrumental monitoring, bioindication techniques allow for the mapping of pollution effects over wide areas with a high sampling density. In this study, instrumental and biomonitoring techniques were integrated to support an epidemiological study that will be developed in an industrial area located in Gijon in the coastal of central Asturias, Spain. Three main objectives were proposed to (i) analyze temporal patterns of PM10 concentrations in order to apportion emissions sources, (ii) investigate spatial patterns of lichen conductivity to identify the impact of the studied industrial area in air quality, and (iii) establish relationships amongst lichen conductivity with some site-specific characteristics. Samples of the epiphytic lichen Parmelia sulcata were transplanted in a grid of 18 by 20 km with an industrial area in the center. Lichens were exposed for a 5-mo period starting in April 2010. After exposure, lichen samples were soaked in 18-MΩ water aimed at determination of water electrical conductivity and, consequently, lichen vitality and cell damage. A marked decreasing gradient of lichens conductivity relative to distance from the emitting sources was observed. Transplants from a sampling site proximal to the industrial area reached values 10-fold higher than levels far from it. This finding showed that lichens reacted physiologically in the polluted industrial area as evidenced by increased conductivity correlated to contamination level. The integration of temporal PM10 measurements and analysis of wind direction corroborated the importance of this industrialized region for air quality measurements and identified the relevance of traffic for the urban area.

Science4You: Expanding the internationalization plan in Spain

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

School composition effects in Spain

Drawing on PISA data of 2006, this study examines the impact of socio-economic school composition on science test score achievement for Spanish students in compulsory secondary schools. We define school composition in terms of the average parental human capital of students in the same school. These contextual peer effects are estimated using a semi-parametric methodology, which enables the spillovers to affect all the parameters of the educational production function. We also deal with the potential problem of self-selection of student into schools, using an artificial sorting that we argue to be independent from unobserved student’s abilities. The results indicate that the association between socio-economic school composition and test score results is clearly positive and significantly higher when computed with the semi-parametric approach. However, we find that the endogenous sorting of students into schools plays a fundamental role, given that the spillovers are significantly reduced when this selection process is ruled out from our measure of school composition effects. Specifically, the estimations suggest that the contextual peer effects are moderately positive only in those schools where the socio-economic composition is considerably elevated. In addition, we find some evidence of asymmetry of how the external effects and the sorting process actually operate, which seem affect in a different way males and females as well as high and low performance students.

Implementing CLIL in a primary school in Spain : the effects of CLIL on L2 English learners' oral production skills

This study presents the results of implementing a CLIL programme in a Catalan primary school three years after the onset of the implementation. The main objective of this investigation was to determine the effects of CLIL on students’ L2 English oral performance in terms of Complexity, Accuracy and Fluency (CAF). The results obtained suggest that CLIL learners outperform non-CLIL learners not only in fluency, but also in syntactic complexity. However, despite the encouraging results, the study concludes that further research which transcends the methodological limitations observed in the study is needed in order to confirm the results

"¡Mezquita No!: the origins of mosque opposition in Spain

This paper examines why mosque opposition has been more frequent in Catalonia than in other Spanish regions. A comparison is conducted between the metropolitan areas of Barcelona, where opposition has been most prevalent, and Madrid, where it has been strikingly absent. A relational approach is employed to highlight the factors in Barcelona that have complicated the reception of mosques and the populations they serve. These factors include pronounced socio-spatial divisions and a lack of confidence in the state's commitment to managing the challenges that accompany immigration. The prevalence of these factors in Barcelona has resulted in the integration of mosque debates into more general struggles over urban privilege and state recognition, explaining the high degree of opposition. These findings highlight the importance of studying conflicts related to religious and cultural diversification in context, as such conflicts are inextricably linked to the lived spaces and local structures in which they develop.

Social spending and demographics: The role of public policies in the intergenerational redistribution of income. Empirical evidence from Spain and Catalonia

The demographic shift underway in Southern Europe requires a revision of some of the fundamental principles of the traditional welfare state. We analyze the evolution of several aspects of welfare and social expenditure over the last two decades. We find that in the context of the present demographic changes and real estate boom current social and pension policy leads to a new distribution of benefits and burdens which is highly intergenerationally unequal. We argue for a revised definition of public policy based on Musgrave's proposition as a possible rule for an intergenerationally fair distribution.