La influencia de la profesión de los padres que tienen un trabajo autónomo y su relación con el rendimiento escolar y desarrollo intelectual de sus hijos (ciclo superior de EGB).

Analizar si el status profesional y ocupacional de los padres influye en el rendimiento escolar y desarrollo intelectual de sus hijos, cuando el trabajo de los padres es de tipo autónomo. Analizar cuáles son los mecanismos o factores que contribuyen a crear en los profesores unas expectativas, unos juicios sobre el pronóstico y la evolución escolar e intelectual de sus alumnos cuando estos pertenecen a un determinado status profesional. Participan en el estudio 376 alumnos de quinto (155) y octavo (221) de EGB pertenecientes a cinco colegios privados de Valladolid capital. Se utiliza un diseño de investigación 'ex post facto', actuando como variable independiente (no controlada ni manipulada) la profesión de los padres: autónomos (trabajo en bares o comercio) o no autónomos (todos los demás). Las variables dependientes consideradas son el rendimiento escolar y los resultados obtenidos en diversas pruebas de inteligencia aplicadas. Como medida del rendimiento escolar se toman las notas escolares en segundo y quinto curso de EGB y en las materias de lengua española, sociales, matemáticas y naturaleza. Se administra también una batería de tests de inteligencia y se analiza el factor G y las aptitudes intelectuales (verbal, numérica y razonamiento). Para los alumnos de quinto de EGB se utilizan los tests Factor G2 y TEA 1; y para los de octavo el test D'70 y DAT. Se utilizan las pruebas t de Student (para contrastar las diferencias de medias), el análisis de correlación y el análisis de varianza. No se encuentran diferencias significativas de rendimiento escolar o notas, entre los hijos de 'no autónomos' y los hijos de 'autónomos' (con bares o comercios); lo mismo sucede para su nivel intelectual. Es importante destacar que las conclusiones que se han obtenido y derivado de este estudio, sólo pueden tener una generalización válida a nivel estadístico para los centros escolares de donde se ha sacado la muestra (cinco colegios privados de Valladolid capital).

Diferencias en el desarrollo y el comportamiento de niños y niñas con riesgo de discapacidad : alcance de un programa para padres.

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The effects of question-generation training on metacognitive knowledge, self regulation and learning approaches in Science

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A human ribonuclease induces apoptosis associated with p21WAF1/CIP1 induction and JNK inactivation

Ribonucleases are promising agents for use in anticancer therapy. Among the different ribonucleases described to be cytotoxic, a paradigmatic example is onconase which manifests cytotoxic and cytostatic effects, presents synergism with several kinds of anticancer drugs and is currently in phase II/III of its clinical trial as an anticancer drug against different types of cancer. The mechanism of cytotoxicity of PE5, a variant of human pancreatic ribonuclease carrying a nuclear localization signal, has been investigated and compared to that of onconase. Methods: Cytotoxicity was measured by the MTT method and by the tripan blue exclusion assay. Apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry, caspase enzymatic detection and confocal microscopy. Cell cycle phase analysis was performed by flow cytometry. The expression of different proteins was analyzed by western blot.n Results: We show that the cytotoxicity of PE5 is produced through apoptosis, that it does not require the proapoptotic activity of p53 and is not prevented by the multiple drug resistance phenotype. We also show that PE5 and onconase induce cell death at the same extent although the latter is also able to arrest the cell growth. We have compared the cytotoxic effects of both ribonucleases in the NCI/ADR-RES cell line by measuring their effects on the cell cycle, on the activation of different caspases and on the expression of different apoptosis- and cell cycle-related proteins. PE5 increases the number of cells in S and G2/M cell cycle phases, which is accompanied by the increased expression of cyclin E and p21WAF1/CIP1 together with the underphosphorylation of p46 forms of JNK. Citotoxicity of onconase in this cell line does not alter the cell cycle phase distribution and it is accompanied by a decreased expression of XIAP. Conclusions: We conclude that PE5 kills the cells through apoptosis associated with the p21WAF1/CIP1 induction and the inactivation of JNK. This mechanism is significantly different from that found for onconase

A dynamic knowledge-based decision support system to handle solids separation problems in activated sludge systems: development and validation

El sistema de fangs activats és el tractament biològic més àmpliament utilitzat arreu del món per la depuració d'aigües residuals. El seu funcionament depèn de la correcta operació tant del reactor biològic com del decantador secundari. Quan la fase de sedimentació no es realitza correctament, la biomassa no decantada s'escapa amb l'efluent causant un impacte sobre el medi receptor. Els problemes de separació de sòlids, són actualment una de les principals causes d'ineficiència en l'operació dels sistemes de fangs activats arreu del món. Inclouen: bulking filamentós, bulking viscós, escumes biològiques, creixement dispers, flòcul pin-point i desnitrificació incontrolada. L'origen dels problemes de separació generalment es troba en un desequilibri entre les principals comunitats de microorganismes implicades en la sedimentació de la biomassa: els bacteris formadors de flòcul i els bacteris filamentosos. Degut a aquest origen microbiològic, la seva identificació i control no és una tasca fàcil pels caps de planta. Els Sistemes de Suport a la Presa de Decisions basats en el coneixement (KBDSS) són un grup d'eines informàtiques caracteritzades per la seva capacitat de representar coneixement heurístic i tractar grans quantitats de dades. L'objectiu de la present tesi és el desenvolupament i validació d'un KBDSS específicament dissenyat per donar suport als caps de planta en el control dels problemes de separació de sòlids d'orígen microbiològic en els sistemes de fangs activats. Per aconseguir aquest objectiu principal, el KBDSS ha de presentar les següents característiques: (1) la implementació del sistema ha de ser viable i realista per garantir el seu correcte funcionament; (2) el raonament del sistema ha de ser dinàmic i evolutiu per adaptar-se a les necessitats del domini al qual es vol aplicar i (3) el raonament del sistema ha de ser intel·ligent. En primer lloc, a fi de garantir la viabilitat del sistema, s'ha realitzat un estudi a petita escala (Catalunya) que ha permès determinar tant les variables més utilitzades per a la diagnosi i monitorització dels problemes i els mètodes de control més viables, com la detecció de les principals limitacions que el sistema hauria de resoldre. Els resultats d'anteriors aplicacions han demostrat que la principal limitació en el desenvolupament de KBDSSs és l'estructura de la base de coneixement (KB), on es representa tot el coneixement adquirit sobre el domini, juntament amb els processos de raonament a seguir. En el nostre cas, tenint en compte la dinàmica del domini, aquestes limitacions es podrien veure incrementades si aquest disseny no fos òptim. En aquest sentit, s'ha proposat el Domino Model com a eina per dissenyar conceptualment el sistema. Finalment, segons el darrer objectiu referent al seguiment d'un raonament intel·ligent, l'ús d'un Sistema Expert (basat en coneixement expert) i l'ús d'un Sistema de Raonament Basat en Casos (basat en l'experiència) han estat integrats com els principals sistemes intel·ligents encarregats de dur a terme el raonament del KBDSS. Als capítols 5 i 6 respectivament, es presenten el desenvolupament del Sistema Expert dinàmic (ES) i del Sistema de Raonament Basat en Casos temporal, anomenat Sistema de Raonament Basat en Episodis (EBRS). A continuació, al capítol 7, es presenten detalls de la implementació del sistema global (KBDSS) en l'entorn G2. Seguidament, al capítol 8, es mostren els resultats obtinguts durant els 11 mesos de validació del sistema, on aspectes com la precisió, capacitat i utilitat del sistema han estat validats tant experimentalment (prèviament a la implementació) com a partir de la seva implementació real a l'EDAR de Girona. Finalment, al capítol 9 s'enumeren les principals conclusions derivades de la present tesi.

Effect of dietary supplementation of different oils during the first or second half of pregnancy on the glucose tolerance of the sow

Poor glucose tolerance may be an under-researched contributory factor in the high (10% to 20%) pre-weaning mortality rate observed in pigs. Insulin resistance commences at around week 12 of gestation in the sow, although there are conflicting reports in the literature about the extent to which insulin resistance is modulated by maternal diet. The aim of the study was to determine the effects of supplementing the maternal diet with different dietary oils during either the first half or the second half of gestation on the glucose tolerance of the sow. Sows were offered the control (C: n = 5) diet as pellets or the C diet plus 10% extra energy (h = 16 per group) derived from either. (i) extra pellets; (ii) palm oil; (iii) olive oil; (iv) sunflower oil; or (v) fish oil. Experimental diets were fed during either the first (G1) or second (G2) half of gestation. A glucose tolerance test (GTT) was conducted on day 108 of gestation by administering 0.5g/kg glucose i.v. Blood samples were taken every 5 to 10 min for 90 min post administration. The change in body weight and backfat thickness during gestation was similar but both type and timing of dietary supplementation influenced litter size and weight. With the exception of the sunflower oil group, supplementing the maternal diet in G1 resulted in larger and heavier litters, particularly in mothers offered palm oil. Basal blood glucose concentrations tended to be more elevated in G1 than G2 groups, whilst plasma insulin concentrations were similar Following a GTT, the adjusted area under the curve was greater in G1 compared to G2 sows, despite no differences in glucose clearance. Maternal diet appeared to influence the relationship between glucose curve characteristics following a GTT and litter outcome. In conclusion, the degree of insulin sensitivity can be altered by both the period during which maternal nutritional supplementation is offered and the fatty acid profile of the diet.

Intergenerational effects of birth weight on glucose tolerance and reproductive performance

Women who were themselves small-for-gestational age (SGA) are at a greater risk of adulthood diseases such as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), and twice at risk of having an SGA baby themselves. The aim of this study was to examine the intergenerational pig. Low (L) and normal (N) birth weight female piglets were followed throughout their first pregnancy (generation 1 (0)). After they had given birth, the growth and development of the lightest (I) and heaviest (n) female piglet from each litter were monitored until approximately 5 months of age (generation 2 (G2)). A glucose tolerance test (GTT) was conducted on G1 pig at similar to 6 months of age and again during late pregnancy; a GTT was also conducted on G2 pigs at similar to 4 months of age. G1 L offspring exhibited impaired glucose metabolism in later life compared to their G1 N sibling but in the next generation a similar scenario was only observed between I and n offspring born to G1 L mothers. Despite G1 L mothers showing greater glucose intolerance in late pregnancy and a decreased litter size, average piglet birth weight was reduced and there was also a large variation in litter weight; this suggests that they were, to some extent, prioritising their nutrient intake towards themselves rather than promoting their reproductive performance. There were numerous relationships between body shape at birth and glucose curve characteristics in later life, which can, to some extent, be used to predict neonatal outcome. In conclusion, intergenerational effects are partly seen in the pig. It is likely that some of the intergenerational influences may be masked due to the pig being a litter-bearing species.

Effect of type and timing of oil supplements to sows during pregnancy on the growth performance and endocrine profile of low and normal birth weight offspring

Eighty-eight multiparous sows were used to evaluate whether type and timing of oil supplementation during gestation influences the incidence of low birth weight (LBW). Sows were allocated (eight per treatment) commercial sow pellets (3 kg/d; control diet) or an experimental diet consisting of control diet plus 10 % extra energy in the form of excess pellets, palm oil, olive oil (OO), sunflower oil (SO) or fish oil; experimental diets were fed during either the first half (G1) or second half (G2) of gestation. Growth performance and endocrine profile of LBW ( < 1·09 kg) and normal birth weight (NBW; 1·46–1·64 kg) offspring were compared. Maternal dietary supplementation altered the distribution curve for piglet birth weight. SOG1 sows had a greater proportion of LBW piglets (P < 0·05), whilst it was reduced in the OOG1 group (P < 0·05). Growth rate of LBW piglets was lower compared with their NBW siblings (P < 0·05) when dietary supplementation was offered in G2 but were similar for G1. At birth, LBW offspring of supplemented animals possessed more fat compared with the control group (P < 0·05); LBW offspring of control animals exhibited a more rapid decline in fat free mass/kg prior to weaning. Plasma metabolites and insulin concentrations were influenced by maternal diet and birth weight. In conclusion, maternal dietary supplementation altered the distribution of piglet birth weights and improved the energy status of LBW piglets. Supplementation with MUFA during G1 reduced the incidence of LBW, whereas PUFA had the reverse effect.

Cell and nuclear degradation in sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] root meristems following exposure to salinity

Sodium chloride-induced cell and nuclear degradation in the root meristems of sweetpotato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] were determined using fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry analysis. Two sweetpotato cultivars were grown in liquid Murashige and Skoog medium and subjected to 0 mM and 500 mM NaCl, with or without 15 mM CaCl2, for periods up to 24 h. Changes to the nuclei of root meristematic cells showed a similar pattern of damage to the nuclei using both fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry analysis. Damage occurring after only a few hours was followed by nuclear degradation at 24 h. Flow cytometry histograms showed a reduction in G1 and G2 nuclei and an increase in degraded nuclei in NaCl-stressed roots. Salinity-induced nuclear degradation was alleviated by the addition of CaCl2.

Minimum aberration construction results for nonregular two-level fractional factorial designs

Nonregular two-level fractional factorial designs are designs which cannot be specified in terms of a set of defining contrasts. The aliasing properties of nonregular designs can be compared by using a generalisation of the minimum aberration criterion called minimum G2-aberration.Until now, the only nontrivial designs that are known to have minimum G2-aberration are designs for n runs and m n–5 factors. In this paper, a number of construction results are presented which allow minimum G2-aberration designs to be found for many of the cases with n = 16, 24, 32, 48, 64 and 96 runs and m n/2–2 factors.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation via differential effects on the cell cycle

Abnormal vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of both atherosclerosis and restenosis. Recent studies suggest that high-dose salicylates, in addition to inhibiting cyclooxygenase activity, exert an antiproliferative effect on VSMC growth both in-vitro and in-vivo. However, whether all non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) exert similar anti proliferative effects on VSMCs, and do so via a common mechanism of action, remains to be shown. In this study, we demonstrate that the NSAIDs aspirin, sodium salicylate, diclofenac, ibuprofen, indometacin and sulindac induce a dose-dependent inhibition of proliferation in rat A10 VSMCs in the absence of significant cytotoxicity. Flow cytometric analyses showed that exposure of A10 cells to diclofenac, indometacin, ibuprofen and sulindac, in the presence of the mitotic inhibitor, nocodazole, led to a significant G0/G1 arrest. In contrast, the salicylates failed to induce a significant G1 arrest since flow cytometry profiles were not significantly different from control cells. Cyclin A levels were elevated, and hyperphosphorylated p107 was present at significant levels, in salicylate-treated A10 cells, consistent with a post-G1/S block, whereas cyclin A levels were low, and hypophosphorylated p107 was the dominant form, in cells treated with other NSAIDs consistent with a G1 arrest. The ubiquitously expressed cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors, p21 and p27, were increased in all NSAID-treated cells. Our results suggest that diclofenac, indometacin, ibuprofen and sulindac inhibit VSMC proliferation by arresting the cell cycle in the G1 phase, whereas the growth inhibitory effect of salicylates probably affects the late S and/or G2/M phases. Irrespective of mechanism, our results suggest that NSAIDs might be of benefit in the treatment of certain vasculoproliferative disorders.

A comparison of the reactivity of germylene and dimethylgermylene with some methylgermanes. Direct kinetic and quantum chemical studies

Time-resolved studies of germylene, GeH2, and dimethygermylene, GeMe2, generated by the 193 nm laser flash photolysis of appropriate precursor molecules have been carried out to try to obtain rate coefficients for their bimolecular reactions with dimethylgermane, Me2GeH2, in the gas-phase. GeH2 + Me2GeH2 was studied over the pressure range 1-100 Torr with SF6 as bath gas and at five temperatures in the range 296-553 K. Only slight pressure dependences were found (at 386, 447 and 553 K). RRKM modelling was carried out to fit these pressure dependences. The high pressure rate coefficients gave the Arrhenius parameters: log(A/cm(3) molecule(-1)s(-1)) = -10.99 +/- 0.07 and E-a = -(7.35 +/- 0.48) kJ mol(-1). No reaction could be found between GeMe2 + Me2GeH2 at any temperature up to 549 K, and upper limits of ca. 10(-14) cm(3) molecule(-1)s(-1) were set for the rate coefficients. A rate coefficient of (1.33 +/- 0.04) x 10(-11)cm(3) molecule(-1)s(-1) was also obtained for GeH2 + MeGeH3 at 296 K. No reaction was found between GeMe2 and MeGeH3. Rate coefficient comparisons showed, inter alia, that in the substrate germane Me-for-H substitution increased the magnitudes of rate coefficients significantly, while in the germylene Me-for-H substitution decreased the magnitudes of rate coefficients by at least four orders of magnitude. Quantum chemical calculations (G2(MP2,SVP)// B3LYP level) supported these findings and showed that the lack of reactivity of GeMe2 is caused by a positive energy barrier for rearrangement of the initially formed complexes. Full details of the structures of intermediate complexes and the discussion of their stabilities are given in the paper.

Surprisingly slow reaction of dimethylsilylene with dimethylgermane: time-resolved kinetic studies and related quantum chemical calculations

Time-resolved studies of silylene, SiH2, and dimethylsilylene, SiMe2, generated by the 193 nm laser flash photolysis of appropriate precursor molecules have been carried out to obtain rate constants for their bimolecular reactions with dimethylgermane, Me2GeH2, in the gas phase. SiMe2 + Me2GeH2 was studied at five temperatures in the range 299-555 K. Problems of substrate UV absorption at 193 nm at temperatures above 400 K meant that only three temperatures could be used reliably for rate constant measurement. These rate constants gave the Arrhenius parameters log(A/cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1)) = -13.25 +/- 0.16 and E-a = -(5.01 +/- 1.01) kJ mol(-1). Only room temperature studies of SiH2 were carried out. These gave values of (4.05 +/- 0.06) x 10(-10) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) (SiH2 + Me2GeH2 at 295 K) and also (4.41 +/- 0.07) x 10(-10) cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1) (SiH2 + MeGeH3 at 296 K). Rate constant comparisons show the surprising result that SiMe2 reacts 12.5 times slower with Me2GeH2 than with Me2SiH2. Quantum chemical calculations (G2(MP2,SVP)//B3LYP level) of the model Si-H and Ge-H insertion processes of SiMe2 with SiH4/MeSiH3 and GeH4/MeGeH3 support these findings and show that the lower reactivity of SiMe2 with Ge-H bonds is caused by a higher secondary barrier for rearrangement of the initially formed complexes. Full details of the structures of intermediate complexes and the discussion of their stabilities are given in the paper. Other, related, comparisons of silylene reactivity are also presented.

An investigation of the germylene addition reaction, GeH2+C2H2: Time-resolved gas-phase kinetic studies and quantum chemical calculations of the reaction energy surface

Time resolved studies of germylene, GeH2, generated by laser flash photolysis of 3,4-dimethylgermacyclopentene-3, have been carried out to obtain rate constants for its bimolecular reaction with acetylene, C2H2. The reaction was studied in the gas-phase over the pressure range 1-100 Tort, with SF6 as bath gas, at 5 temperatures in the range 297-553 K. The reaction showed a very slight pressure dependence at higher temperatures. The high pressure rate constants (obtained by extrapolation at the three higher temperatures) gave the Arrhenius equation: log(k(infinity)/cm(3) molecule(-1) s(-1)) (-10.94 +/- 0.05) + (6.10 +/- 0.36 kJ mol(-1))/RTln10. These Arrhenius parameters are consistent with a fast reaction occurring at approximately 30% of the collision rate at 298 K. Quantum chemical calculations (both DFT and ab initio G2//B3LYP and G2//QCISD) of the GeC2H4 potential energy surface (PES), show that GeH2 + C2H2 react initially to form germirene which can isomerise to vinylgermylene with a relatively low barrier. RRKM modelling, based on a loose association transition state, but assuming vinylgermylene is the end product (used in combination with a weak collisional deactivation model) predicts a strong pressure dependence using the calculated energies, in conflict with the experimental evidence. The detailed GeC2H4 PES shows considerable complexity with ten other accessible stable minima (B3LYP level), the three most stable of which are all germylenes. Routes through this complex surface were examined in detail. The only product combination which appears capable of satisfying the (P-3) + C2H4.C2H4 was confirmed as a product by GC observed lack of a strong pressure dependence is Ge(P-3) + C2H4. C2H4 was confirmed as a product by GC analysis. Although the formation of these products are shown to be possible by singlet-triplet curve crossing during dissociation of 1-germiranylidene (1-germacyclopropylidene), it seems more likely (on thermochernical grounds) that the triplet biradical, (GeCH2CH2.)-Ge-., is the immediate product precursor. Comparisons are made with the reaction of SiH2 with C2H2.

Investigation of the prototype silylene reaction, SiH2+H2O(and D2O): time-resolved gas-phase kinetic studies, isotope effects, RRKM calculations, and quantum chemical calculations of the reaction energy surface

Time-resolved kinetic studies of the reaction of silylene, SiH2, with H2O and with D2O have been carried out in the gas phase at 296 and at 339 K, using laser flash photolysis to generate and monitor SiH2. The reaction was studied over the pressure range 10-200 Torr with SF6 as bath gas. The second-order rate constants obtained were pressure dependent, indicating that the reaction is a third-body assisted association process. Rate constants at 339 K were about half those at 296 K. Isotope effects, k(H)/k(D), were small averaging 1.076 0.080, suggesting no involvement of H- (or D-) atom transfer in the rate determining step. RRKM modeling was undertaken based on a transition state appropriate to formation of the expected zwitterionic donoracceptor complex, H2Si...OH2. Because the reaction is close to the low pressure (third order) region, it is difficult to be definitive about the activated complex structure. Various structures were tried, both with and without the incorporation of rotational modes, leading to values for the high-pressure limiting (i.e., true secondorder) rate constant in the range 9.5 x 10(-11) to 5 x 10(-10) cm(3) molecule' s(-1). The RRKM modeling and mechanistic interpretation is supported by ab initio quantum calculations carried out at the G2 and G3 levels. The results are compared and contrasted with the previous studies.