Acta Universitaria

3-8

Authors: Nicolás Padilla Raygoza, Rosalina Díaz-Guerrero, Ma. Laura Ruiz Paloalto, Caitlin M. Canfield, Alejandro A. Avecilla Hernández

Objective. The objective of this work was to measure the existing association between preg­nancy-induced hypertension and birthweight at the Celaya General Hospital. Study design. Cross-sectional, observational, analytic study. Subjects: Registries of women admitted to the Celaya General Hospital for delivery during 2008. Variables: Pregnancy-induced hypertension (blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher after 20 weeks of gestation), sub-classified as gestational hypertension (blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher without proteinuria) and toxemia (blood pressure of 140/90 mmHg or higher with proteinuria); birthweight (< 2 500 g, 2 500 g – 3 499 g, > 3 500 g). Statistical analysis: it was calculated the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test was performed between the status of arterial hypertension and birthweight, and was adjusted using gestational age. Results. From the sample of 5 478 registries, 14.73% (n = 807) of women had pregnancy-induced hypertension; from them, 10.92% (n = 598) had gestational hypertension and 3.82% (n = 209) preclampsia/eclampsia. Newborns from hypertensive mothers had an average birthweight of 3 049.27 ± 600.22 g, while the birth­weight of newborns from normotensive mothers was 3 104.94 ± 502.57 g, considering: ANOVA F = 1.49, p = 0.00001: adjusted by gestational age, F = 1.51, p = 0.0168. Conclu­sion. Newborns of normotensive and gestational hypertensive mothers showed differences in birthweight; gestational age acted as a confounder.

17-22

Authors: J. A. Sánchez-Márquez, R. Fuentes-Ramírez, I. R. Galindo-Esquivel, A. L. Martínez-Hernández, C. Velasco-Santos

Carbon nanotubes oxidation has attracted the interest of researchers, because in addition to eliminating impurities, it increases the dispersion of aggregates creating new interac­tions between materials. In this work, carbon nanotubes (CNT) were treated using two dif­ferent oxidation methods to determine the effects of each treatment on the surface area of the material. The following methods were used: the traditional chemical treatment (using strong acids) and a treatment supported by microwaves. Results showed that both treat­ments reduced the surface area (traditional CNT < microwaves CNT < non-treated CNT). By using microwaves, oxidation time was shortened, greater concentration of carboxylic func­tional groups was obtained and damage to the structure diminished, resulting in oxidized nanotubes with improved structural characteristics.

31-36

Authors: Yazpik Hernández Vargas, Juan Carlos Martínez Espinosa, Claudia Isela Carranza Nuñez

This paper shows educational intervention strategies as an aid in reducing student failure and dropout rates supported on an institutional mentoring program, which is among current trends regarding policies for Higher Education (ES). The framework that was established in the European Space for Higher Education for the development of the Tuning project and its later adaptation and implementation in Latin America (AL) was considered. The aforementioned agencies have contributed to the creation of a normative framework for the development of competency-based education, an approach engaged by the Instituto Politecnico Nacional (IPN) as part of its new educational model. During this research, two joint strategies were presented: auxiliary courses and a counseling program, both supported by the institutional tutoring pro­gram in order to reduce student failure and dropout rates. The results showed that there was a 22.72% decrease in failure rate when considering all the students that were enrolled during the semester. It can be concluded that auxiliary courses and counseling programs are an al­ternative that can help reduce student failure and dropout rates.