Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Mr. Editor:The university education in health areas must meet high standards since there is an additional social commitment, therefore, it is essential to continuously monitor the quality of education and, within this, evaluate the teaching performance, trying to use instruments of fair, accurate assessment , and valid.

This article parts from the assumption that some common notions about migration are “narrative” in nature - both half-fictions and socially constructed “realities”. It looks at a trend frequently neglected by hegemonic narratives of human movement, namely North-South migration. More specifically, it focuses on some migrants to the state of Guanajuato, Mexico and their writings produced during two intercultural expressive and autobiographical writing workshops. The study draws from an interdisciplinary methodology, including migration studies with a sociological, anthropological, economic and psychological outlook, expressive writing studies, and narrative analysis of texts created. The workshop writings revealed both an emergent sense of a “common humanity” among participant movers, and the significant complexity of individual migrant experiences. Many of the tales told indeed questioned common “migration narratives” like neat nation-state to nation-state movement and North-South divisions, thus opening spaces for re-imagining migration in its full human universality, diversity and complexity.  

The purpose of this contribution is to determine the association between personal, contextual, and technological factors with educational achievements amongst high school students in reading, mathematics, and science. 7,568 students selected from the 32 Mexican states that presented PISA were evaluated. A descriptive, non-experimental and correlational framework was constructed considering humanist and systemic approaches and by means of structural equations. Results show that the following factors have direct and positive impact on educational achievement: usage of ICT, school environment, self-efficacy, school dedication, constructive teachers, support from parents and collaborative learning. Alternatively, factors with a direct and negative impact were: absenteeism, emotional dysregulation and dominant teachers. The empirical model constructed shows other associations: teacher as a constructor and better school environment, limiting teachers and absenteeism, emotional dysregulation, and lack of self-efficacy. In conclusion, integrating technology in the classroom, transforming teachers, synergic formation and psychopedagogical centers are vital for students’ academic success.

This study examines the conciliation of domestic activities and childcare of twelve couples in Montevideo, Uruguay when both members work and have an income. New negotiations in terms of relationship are observed when they work, perform domestic activities, and take care of children. To address this issue, the method consisted in the application of in-depth interviews with a random selection. Findings reveal that dual-career couples present a transitional model in the middle sector and an egalitarian one in the lower upper sector. The variables that impact the agreement of such activities inside their homes are school level, marital status, income, and fertility.

Phosphate-solubilizing bacteria (PSB) are capable of solubilizing inorganic phosphates and may also promote the plant growth. Wild agave populations are overexploited due to the intensive production of mezcal, which decreases their natural populations. In a completely randomized design, the effect of four bio-inoculants, PSB1 (Enterobacter sp. + Pseudomonas sp.); PSB2 (Bacillus sp. + Pseudomonas sp.); PSB3 (Acinetobacter sp. + Pseudomonas sp.); PSB4 (Pseudomonas putida) and a control (distilled water) were evaluated in the emergence and initial growth of four wild agave species: tobalá (Agave potatorum Zucc.), cuishe (Agave spp.), sierrudo (Agave spp.) and coyote (Agave spp.). The number of emergent plants, emergence rate index, leaf length, root length, stem diameter, and leaf, stem and root dry weight were counted. PSB2 increased the percentage of emergence and speed of emergence in sierrudo and tobalá. The co-inoculum promoted the plant growth in all the evaluated species, but PSB1 showed the best results.

The theoretical foundations that have traditionally been used in the study of visual language are often related to perspectives and concepts that do not hold up well in the light of recent advances in the cognitive sciences, particularly the emerging paradigm of embodied cognition. In this paper, I present a preliminary review of the essential concepts of this paradigm with suggestions for its application to the study of visual communication systems. These concepts include: cognition, embodiment, enaction, embedded cognition, extended cognition, the affective dimension, socially situated cognition, and embodied simulation. I then describe several cases in which this paradigm has been applied in my work as a facilitator of learning and as a researcher. Finally, I sketch out an agenda that will permit us to comprehend in a deeper manner the use of visual signs for the communication of our experiences taking into account that cognition emerges from the dynamic interaction of biological organisms with their environments. Additionally, in the case of human beings, these include a sociocultural dimension, in which we weave complex systems of symbolic meaning.

Specialized literature does not delve into economic impacts of chill hours on agricultural production yields. The objective of this article is to evaluate economic impacts of chill hours on wheat in four producing regions: Cajeme, Navojoa, Hermosillo and Guaymas. The methodology consisted in a correlation exercise between crop yields and chill hour averages for each region; subsequently, a benefit-cost analysis was carried out based on the construction of three chill hour scenarios. In the results, the obtained coefficient r was 0.80, which confirms a positive relationship between chill hours and crop yield; the benefit-cost analysis shows that in Hermosillo, greater economic gains are obtained per hectare. The findings of this work lie in its importance to the economic sphere, providing information of chill hour impact on crop profitability.

Aquaculture has positioned itself as an alternative to close the gap between supply and demand of seafood, thus increasing food security for many countries. In Mexico, however, its development has been limited due to the discontinuous way in which policies focused on aquaculture activity have been generated. They have been characterized by an absence in the institutionalization and recognition of each of the phases of aquaculture, as well as the application of specific support schemes for each of them. Based on a historical analysis of legislation and instruments of aquaculture policy and making a triangulation of data, we examine the sensitive points for México. Our main conclusion is that aquaculture policies require comprehensive schemes aimed to the creation of value and recognition of the binomial aquaculture-biotechnology.

The objective of this article is to analyze the importance of routines and learning in ceramic workshops located in Morelos, Mexico. The research is qualitative and is the result of in-depth interviews and direct observation; six key informants were interviewed. It is concluded that learning is transmitted from generation to generation and it is the result of the experiences passed on face to face among workers and the repetition of routines. There is no staff training and there is little innovation in the processes or product. Knowledge and experiences are personal, but they are monitored and disseminated by teachers. The study shows that these workshops need to formalize the routines associated with manufacturing processes, promote refresher courses, encourage innovation in processes and product design, as well as integrate administrative personnel or seek some type of business management advice.

Oftentimes buildings utilize structural systems connected to elements to give them a greater load resistance; these consist of reinforced floors with the fastening of cables or wires. The objective of this research was to find a viable methodology for flexible wire calculation taking into consideration the dynamic effect associated with the absence of a column. Two dynamic variants were examined: static and dynamic reinforcement of floors (reinforced concrete) in order to prevent a progressive collapse. For analyses, the flexible wire scheme was applied considering an increase of reinforcements due to the absence of the column. A dynamic coefficient is used which is advisable when considering a structure without columns (according to the Russian standard regulation 27751-2014). The methodology was developed and tested to calculate the dynamic coefficient considering an inelastic deformation. Numerical models of construction analysis are shown to avoid collapse concluding that a greater reinforcement of the cable is required to ensure its load capacity in tension and to avoid failure.