Cumbres

8-11

Authors: Carlos Álvarez Días; Roberto Ruiz Pierruges

The objective of this work was to study the influence of the quality and physical form of voluminous fodder over the feeding behavior of sheep. Six adult male Pelibuey, 40-45Kg weight, were placed in metabolism cages and fed once a day with four different diets: green fodder, chopped good and bad large hay and ground bad hay. All the diets were composed of star grass (Cynodon mlenfuensis) and water ad-libitum. In a Latin square incomplete design with an analysis of simple variance and Duncan’s test, two of the sheep were put as control animals and received ground bad hay; the other four rotated receiving each diet for seven days. In both cases, there was a continuous mandibular, circadian mecanographic register during the last 48 hours. Results showed less ingestion time, rumination and mericique cycles with higher resting and DM consumption time and less water intake within the green fodder diet. Ground hay has a lower effect over the ingestion, rumination, and resting time, but for this form of fodder conservation the consumption of DM and water increases. The durability of voluminous portions of food decreases with the quality of the fodder. The daily durability of ingestion and rumination in green fodder decreases as the unitary durability of ingestion presents differences between fodders; rumination is higher for the bad large hay. The chewing effort is higher for the good large hay. The Rumination Daily Roughage Index is greater for the good large hay. Results are discussed.

16-21

Authors: Mirtha Manzano Díaz; Eugenio Hidalgo Diez, Alina Morales Chávez, Mabel Acosta García

Reading strategies for learning are essential tools during professional training. These strategies can be transmitted and put into practice through the teaching-learning process conducted in the different disciplines and careers in higher education. Considering this, we have elaborated a questionnaire that aims at analyzing the cognitive and affective processes about the reading comprehension at different levels. Previous knowledge and metacognition, translation level, interpretation level, and extrapolation level were the dimensions assumed for the questionnaire. In order to confirm the validity of the questionnaire, we applied experts’ criterion and factorial analysis. The Cronbach’s alpha was established to validate its reliability. The statistical results confirmed the feasibility of the questionnaire to evaluate the use of reading strategies and systematize them during the teaching-learning process.

28-34

Authors: Diego Villaseñor, Julio Chabla, Luna E.

This work shows the morphological characterization and taxonomic classification of ten representative profiles of the agricultural activity in El Oro province. The study was conducted in Pajonal (Pj), La Iberia (LI), Santa Inés (SI), sectors located in Machala city; Buenavista (Bv), Rájaro (Rj), Río Negro (RN), Vega Rivera (VR), and Tres Cerritos (TC), sectors located in Pasaje city; and Palmales (P1 and P2), located in Arenillas. The taxonomic description of the selected soils was conducted by following the guidelines of the National Soil Survey Center and the Guía para la Descripción de Suelos (Guide for Soils Description) (FAO, 2009). The chemical and physical characterization were performed in the laboratory of soils of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences of the Universidad Técnica de Machala. Two sectors with different morphological and taxonomic properties were identified. The first zone was identified as an alluvial plain and the second zone as the coastal foothill of El Oro province. Inceptisols and Alfisols formed from the carbon consolidated parent material, and Entisols and Inceptisols of unconsolidated sedimentary origin were found, all of them generated from frequent fluvial deposits. The profiles studied enabled the characterization of the most representative soil conditions in the targeted areas, allowing the continuation of the study, which will be more representative with the increase in the number of evaluations.

38-43

Authors: Patricia del Pilar Sánchez Cabezas

The aim of this study was to reflect on the formation of values, its importance, theoretical concepts and pathways that contribute to its realization. In order to reach this objective, the researchers conducted a literature review of works elaborated by different authors, including masters and doctoral thesis as well as articles published in prestigious scientific journals. Values are linked to morals, which is expressed as a system of rules, principles, ideals, and qualities that denote the interests and motivations of individuals in society. In this sense, the school holds the main place within the set of educational influences that take part in the education of children and youth as the educational work takes place in the classroom and other places where students act. Therefore, the responsibility of the family has great importance because the family guides the first steps of the child, who is forming his personality through the relationship with his environment and community members. In conclusion, the existence of a new world economic order means a challenge to the formation of values. Considering this, there is an urgent need for educational action through the work of all stakeholders in order to fight against the existing contradictions and mitigate their effects.

49-54

Authors: Katherine Encalada Flores, Lauro Valle Alvarez, José Chango Villacís

In order to find a possible solution to the environmental problems provoked by traditional plastics, the elaboration of a biodegradable thermoplastic material from the blend of polyvinyl alcohol, achira starch, and ethylene glycol has been proposed. This investigation evaluated the influence of ethylene glycol in PVA ratios: starch of 50:50, 60:40, and 70:30. The methodological approach involved a components integration phase by which a homogeneous mixture was obtained followed by a compression molding to get thermoplastic sheets. Thermal studies by Differential Scanning Calorimetry were conducted from these sheets. The results showed that the increase of ethylene glycol in the mixture contributes to the decrease in glass transition temperature. Finally, at this stage of the study, it was not possible to find conclusive trends of the PVA relation - starch relation regarding the thermal behavior of the final material.