Abstract: This paper reflects on how adapting a new listening pedagogy in the Colombian Context will improve students’ listening skills as well as heighten students’ motivation in learning English. The reflection begins with contextualising the reader regarding the Colombian educational policies in terms of ‘bilingualism’ and emphasises that a change is to be made in order achieve the goals of The Foreign Languages Competencies Development Programme (Proyecto de Fortalecimiento al Desarrollo de Competencias en Lenguas Extranjeras) PFDCLE. It explains why current listening practices are not enough to promote the learning of good listening skills and then proposes the implementation of two new approaches that listening researchers have found successful in recent years: teaching of listening strategies and extensive listening. Benefits of both approaches are discussed, especially in terms of increasing students’ motivation, which will boost students’ autonomy. Finally, suggestions are made regarding how to apply these new approaches in the Colombian context. Resumen: Este ensayo reflexiona sobre cómo la adaptación de una nueva pedagogía de listening en el contexto colombiano mejorará las habilidades de escucha de los estudiantes y aumentará su motivación para aprender inglés. La reflexión comienza con la contextualización del lector respecto a las políticas educativas colombianas en términos de "bilingüismo" y enfatiza que se debe realizar un cambio para alcanzar los objetivos del Programa de Desarrollo de Competencias en Lenguas Extranjeras (PFDCLE). Así pues, se explica por qué las prácticas de listening actuales no son suficientes para promover el aprendizaje de la buena comprensión auditiva por lo que propone la implementación de dos nuevos enfoques que algunos investigadores han encontrado exitosos en la enseñanza de un nuevo: enseñanza de estrategias de escucha y escucha extensiva. Los beneficios de ambos enfoques se discuten, especialmente en términos de aumentar la motivación de los estudiantes, y hacer a los estudiantes más autónomos. Finalmente, se hacen sugerencias sobre cómo aplicar estos nuevos enfoques en el contexto colombiano.

La prevención del consumo de drogas se ha enfocado en su mayoría en personas jóvenes basándose históricamente en los índices de mortalidad de esta población, dejando aparte las personas que sobreviven a esta problemática y que con el tiempo se convierten en personas mayores, con necesidades específicas que no son contempladas por la comunidad científica, ni organismos de atención en salud. Estas necesidades a futuro serán objetivos para la salud en una población de mayores que va en crecimiento. En este estudio se evaluaron y describieron las necesidades específicas de personas mayores de 50 años usuarias de drogas por medio de análisis temático, se encontraron 13 temáticas de necesidades relacionadas con las actuales dimensiones de atención en salud, y una no contemplada en las mismas, y de estas 14 necesidades, 3 se repitieron en diferentes dimensiones. La atención dedicada al tema de las drogodependencias tiene vacios muy grandes que merecen la gestión y continua evaluación, entre estas la necesidad de mejorar la cobertura institucional, fomentar el trato ético por parte de los profesionales relacionados con la salud, generar nuevos espacios para atender nuevas necesidades, y la inclusión activa de la población como una con características específicas.

Photo-identification is an important tool for studying cetacean residence patterns, population size, movements, and social structure. This knowledge directs conservation and management. We examined the reliability of photo-identification studies of pink river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) with the hope of encouraging long-term population monitoring programs. From February 2007 to August 2009, 12 surveys were conducted in two locations of the Colombian Amazon and Orinoco river basins. We obtained 795 suitable digital photographs of Inia dolphins. We evaluated the reliability and duration of photo-identification by describing and evaluating the permanence and consistency of eight mark-types. Marks were categorized as reliable (pigmentation patterns on the dorsal ridge, nicks, bends, and wounds) or supplementary based on their prevalence in the population, and gain and loss rates. We created a catalog of well-marked animals, defined as individuals with at least two reliable marks (55% of the images analyzed for this purpose). It contained photographs of the right side of 57 individuals and the left side of 40 individuals. There were 16 individuals with resightings over a 23-mo period. Future field surveys should use digital cameras with long lenses and fast shutter speeds in areas where dolphins are conspicuous when surfacing.

This paper aims to summarise the Russian Military-Industrial Complex’s role during the Soviet era and its subsequent attempts towards modernisation. First, it will describe the situation of the MIC and its influence in the USSR, stressing the existence of a privileged treatment that finally contributed to MIC’s decline. Second, the paper will analyse the causes of the onset the MIC’s decline, presenting the factors that transformed the MIC’s economic and political world. Third, it will study the revival of the MIC and the possible effects of the State Armaments Programme for the year 2020. Finally, it will provide insights for possible discussions of the MIC’s future.

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a pivotal role in polarising Th lymphocyte subsets but it is unclear what molecular events occur when DCs generate Th2-type responses. Here, we analysed plasma membrane-enriched fractions from immature, pro-Th1 and pro-Th2 DCs and used a combination of iTRAQ labelling and LC–MS/MS to quantify changes in the proteomes. Analysis was performed on triplicate biological samples and changes verified by flow cytometry. MHC class II molecules and CD29 were up-regulated in pro-Th1 DCs whilst CD18 and CD44 were up-regulated in pro-Th2 DCs. One of the most down-regulated molecules in pro-Th1 DCs was YM-1 whilst the greatest decrease in pro-Th2 DCs was NAP-22. Other molecules up-regulated in pro-Th2 DC compared to pro-Th1 DCs included some potentially involved in protein folding during antigen processing (clathrin and Rab-7), whilst other non-membrane proteins such as enzymes/transporters related to cell metabolism (malate dehydrogenase, pyruvate kinase, and ATPase Na+/K+) were also recorded. This suggests that pro-Th2 DCs are more metabolically active while pro-Th1 DCs have a mature ‘end state’. Overall, although several molecules were preferentially expressed on pro-Th2 DCs, our proteomics data support the view of a ‘limited maturation’ of pro-Th2 DCs compared to pro-Th1 DCs.

AlN thin films were grown in a N2 atmosphere onto a Si/Si3N4 substrate by pulsed laser ablation. We have varied the substrate temperature for the thin film growth, using X-ray Reflectometry (XRR) analysis, we have characterized the thickness and density of the thin layer and the interface roughness from the X-ray reflectivity profiles. Experimental data showed that the root-mean-square roughness was in the range of 0.3 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was employed to characterize the chemical.

Con un año de retraso y dos veces el presupuesto original, el parque del “Milenio” abrio sus puertas a los habitantes de la ciudad de Chicago durant el pasado verano (2004). Este es uno de tantos proyectos de rahabilitación urban que a nivel mundial se desarrollaron antes o después del cambio de siglo. Otros mega-proyectos, de alto impacto urbano y asociados a celebraciones especiales han sido las instalaciones y escenarios deportivos para celebrar las olimpiadas. Unos y otros han requerido el esfuerzo del capital público y privado para sacar adelante obras para embellecer y volver más atractiva a la inversión en las grandes urbes modernas del nuevo y el viejo contienente. A excepcion de las residencias para los atletas asociados a la celebración de las olimpiadas han sido pocos los proyectos, durante los últimos treinta años, que han ampliado significativamente el inventario habitacional. Por el contrario muchos de estos proyectos, de inversion y embellecimiento urbano, generan plusvalias y valorizaciones que desplazan y afectan principalmente a propietarios e inquilinos de bajos ingresos. El documento sugiere que no es suficiente la existencia de un marco institucional y una política de vivienda, sino que se requiere de una efectiva y eficiente voluntad política para ampliar las opciones de vivienda a todos los segmentos de ingresos. Adicionalmente se requiere de autoridades conocedores y receptivas que puedan ver a través del “espejismo”de las bonanzas del mercado inmobiliario, como se exasperan la condiciones de vida y se amplia la demanda de vivienda barata y asequible. Finalmente en el documento se exploran argumentos que sugieren la conveneincia de una ciudad que incluya opciones habitacionales para todas las familias e individuos trabajadores, y el buen negocio económico que representa ampliar la oferta de vivienda en propiedad o arriendo para la demanda de vivienda de las familias de ingresos medios y bajos urbanos. Finalmente el documento sugiere la razón del ser de la rama ejecutiva del gobierno. La ejecución de proyectos de inversión que mejoren la calidad de vida de los ciudadanos debe ser la referencia por la cual se evalué la gestión de los gobernantes y de las autoridades sectoriales. Basta de maquillajes políticos y manos a la obra.

Abstract: The island of Sicily has served as one of the most important and common settings for the narrative of the Risorgimento. Italian literature dedicated to narrating the events of the country’s period of unification seems to be somewhat obsessed with this island, which has been created and recreated in novels, novelle and short stories written by both Sicilian and northern writers. The purpose of this paper is to explore how the land, culture and population of Sicily are depicted in three key narrative texts of the twentieth century to see how they may participate of the cultural, social, political and literary phenomenon known as Meridionalismo, which, we intend to prove, may be compared in attitude and scope to Orientalism (as described by Edward Said). We will limit ourselves to these three twentieth century narrations written: Lampedusa’s Il Gattopardo, Sciascia’s Il quarantotto and De Cataldo’s I traditori all deal with the events of 1860 and the process of the Risorgimento as it occurred in Sicily and they were all written by men born in the South but that were writing from the North. We will attempt to see whether the social and cultural stereotypical representations of Sicily that characterized much of Meridionalist literature are present in these texts and, if so, how they may or may not connect the literature written about the Meridione by southern writers with the literature written about the Orient. Resumen: La isla de Sicilia ha sido uno de los escenarios más comunes e importantes de las narraciones del Risorgimento, el movimiento de unificación nacional de Italia. Autores Sicilianos y de otras regiones del país han creado y recreado obsesivamente la isla. El propósito de este artículo es explorar la manera en la que la tierra, la cultura y la población de Sicilia son representadas en tres textos narrativos del siglo veinte para analizar de qué manera éstos participan del fenómeno literario conocido como Meridionalismo, que puede ser comparado con el Orientalismo (como lo describió Edward Said). El artículo se limitará a El gatopardo de Lampedusa, El cuarenta y ocho de Sciascia y I traditori de De Caraldo. Estas novelas se centran en los hechos de 1860 y el proceso de Risorgimento mientras atravesaba Sicilia. Las tres fueron escritas por autores del sur de Italia que escribían desde el norte. El artículo explorará si los estereotipos culturales y sociales que caracterizan la literatura Meridionalista estám presentes en estos textos y, si sí, cómo puedenn conectar la literatura escrita sobre el Meridione con la escrita sobre el Oriente.

As UNESCO indicates ""The Decade of the United Nations for the education with a view to the sustainable development tries to promote the education as foundation of a more viable society for the humanity and to integrate the sustainable development in the system of school education to all the levels”. In essence it proposes to stimulate a solidarity education that contributes to a correct perception of the world state, generate attitudes and responsible behaviors and preparefor the decision making towards the achievement of a cultural plural and physically sustainable development. This way the UPC has developed in its new study plan of studies, a system of generic competitions solved in seven levels: entrepreneur and innovation, sustainability and social understanding, third language, efficient oral and writing communication, team work, solvent use of the resources of information, autonomous learning. With this, as a base of investigation, a group of indicators where developed under the EMAS Project umbrella; that would give the university a system to assess the educational processes that promote the competition in SUSTAINABILITY AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT. Nevertheless, as sustainability is not based on a linear definition, but on the comprehension of the interconnections between the different aspects that it concerns, the indicators needed to give answer from different dimensions. That is to say, it where developed a range of indicators that concerned the different degrees of conscience and knowledge that can be acquired during an educational process. These, took into account on one hand the conceptual knowledge acquired and on the other, the personal values, attitudes, behaviors developed during an educational process and finally the coherence the students had between them at the end of the course. Having the previous in account there where developed 5 different indicators (Sustainability Credits Implication, Sustainability Students Internalizing, Professional Activity, Sustainability Investigation Implication, Sustainability Promotion and Diffusion Activities) which evaluate different scopes of the education for the sustainability from the school. The development of this Project has been framed under the rules of the utility, practicality, extension possibilities and continuity at the university. Also it has taken into account the different methodologies for obtaining the data needed for the indicators. Until now the results are being of satisfaction because of the easy -way of use in the different campus of the university and schools but also by the easy way of interpretation and understanding.

Abstract: The existence of an undeniable nexus between the mining industry and development of the countries is fundamental to comprehend the balance required to offset environmental concerns while developing. To mitigate the environmental impact of development, instruments such as carbon bonds and cap-and-trade system are in place. Their performance and outcome may be debatable on a country-specific basis, but some benefits must be acknowledged. To do so, a historical approach is conducted to analyse their effectiveness in a global context and their basics are explained, preceded by stating that mining is regarded an act of development and that concerns on development-environmental trade-offs are governmental responsibilities. In light of previous considerations some conclusions are made, anticipating that the examined mechanisms have proven success but should have broader scopes and more effective implementation, if global achievements are expected. Resumen: La existencia de un nexo innegable entre la industria minera y el desarrollo de los países es fundamental para comprender el balance que se requiere para compensar las preocupaciones ambientales mientras se desarrollan. Para mitigar el impacto ambiental del desarrollo, instrumentos como los bonos de carbón y el sistema cap-and-trade tienen lugar. Su desempeño y resultado puede ser debatible según el país en particular, pero se deben reconocer algunos beneficios. Para ello, se realiza un enfoque histórico para analizar su efectividad en un contexto global y se explican sus conceptos básicos, precedidos por la afirmación de que la minería se considera un acto de desarrollo y que las preocupaciones sobre el desarrollo y las compensaciones ambientales son responsabilidades gubernamentales. A la luz de consideraciones previas, se hacen algunas conclusiones, anticipando que los mecanismos examinados han tenido éxito, pero deberían tener alcances más amplios y una implementación más efectiva, si se esperan logros globales.