In this work, nanometric Al2O3 (1-5 vol.%) particles (13 nm, 100 m2/g) were added to a 19.58Li2O•11.10ZrO2•69.32SiO2 (mol%) (3.5 µm, 2.5 m2/g) parent glass-ceramic matrix to prepare composites with the purpose of studying the influence of Al2O3 on their structure, microstructure, mechanical, thermal and electrical properties when sintered by fast firing. The parent glass-ceramic was prepared by melting and fast cooling (in water) to obtain a glass frit. The resulting glass frit was milled according to a two-step procedure consisting on a dry milling stage followed by a long wet milling step down. Each composition was wet homogenized and then dried at 110 ºC for 48 h for disaggregation. The obtained powders were uniaxially pressed (100 MPa) and compacts sintered by fast firing (175 ºC/min) between 800 and 900 ºC for 30 min. The composites, with relative densities ranging from 89% to 93%, showed zircon and β-spodumene as main crystalline phases. The hardness and Young's modulus varied from 4.5 to 6.5 GPa, and from 65 to 102 GPa, respectively. The formation of β-spodumene in the obtained composites leads to reduce the CTEs, whose values ranged from 13 to 7 x 10-6 ºC-1.

Investigación que evaluó la pertinencia social y pedagógica de un programa de Inteligencia Emocional, dirigido a docentes de la segunda etapa de la escuela básica “Andy Aparicio” de Fe y Alegría, en la Vega - Distrito Capital. Objetivo general: Reconocer la importancia del manejo de las emociones en la formación integral del alumno, lo que comprende el dominio de habilidades de inteligencia emocional: conocimiento de las propias emociones, autocontrol emocional, automotivación, empatía y las relaciones interpersonales: Objetivos específicos: a) Adquirir estrategias didácticas para facilitar el desarrollo de la inteligencia emocional en el educando; b) Mejorar el conocimiento de las propias emociones y de las personas que le rodean; - Desarrollar habilidades de autocontrol emocional. El diseño de la investigación se enmarca en un estudio de caso, bajo la modalidad de la investigación-acción-participativa (Kemmis, S. y M. R. 1988). Los resultados revelaron una pertinencia favorable, según los docentes participantes en el programa.

A research that evaluated the social and educational relevance of an Emotional Intelligence program, aimed at teacher the 4-6 grade of Fe y Alegría “Andy Aparicio” in La Vega - Distrito Capital. General objective: To recognize the importance of emotional management in the student’s integral formation, which includes the domain of emotional intelligence skills: knowledge of one’s emotions, emotional self-control, self-motivation, empathy and interpersonal relationships? Specific objectives: a) Acquire teaching strategies to facilitate the development of the students’ emotional intelligence; b) Improve the understanding of their own emotions and the people that surround them; c) Develop skills of emotional self-control. The research design is framed within a case study, in the form of participative action research (Kemmis, S. and M. R. 1988). The results revealed a positive relevance, according to the participating teachers in the program.

Background and Objectives: To examine the influence of gender on social functioning in patients with schizophreni Methods: A sample of 318 schizophrenic (216 men and 102 women) (DSM-IV criteria) outpatients from four Spanish centres were administered the following instruments: Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), Disability Assessment Scale (DAS-sv), and Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) Scale. A regression model was created with DAS and GAF as dependent variables, and gender, and other predictor variables as independent variables. Separate regression models were then generated for females and males. Results: Women had a better social functioning than men, and after adjusting for others predictor variables gender was a significant predictor specially for occupational functioning. In gender specific analyses, we found that the predictive variables for social functioning have more similarities than differences between men and women. Conclusions: In our sample, women showed a better social functioning than men specially in occupational functioning.