IX Encuentro de Investigadores •Universidad del Turabo ...personas de diferentes disciplinas, países, culturas, sistemas de educación y lenguaje. El enfoque de esta presentación

IX Encuentro de Investigadores •Universidad del Turabo • viernes, 11 de marzo de 2011

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Consejo de Estudios Doctorales • Dr. Roberto Lorán, Vicerrector

• Dra. Sharon A. Cantrell, Decana, Centro de Estudios Doctorales (CED)

• Dra. Eulalia Márquez, Coordinadora Programa Doctoral en Gerencia

• Dr. Edgar Ferrer, Coordinador Programa Doctoral en Sistemas de Información

• Dra. Debbie Quintana, Coordinadora Programa Doctoral en Currículo, Enseñanza y Ambientes de Aprendizaje

• Dr. Rafael Cartagena, Coordinador Programa Doctoral en Educación

• Dra. Silma Quiñones, Coordinadora Programa Doctoral en Consejería Psicológica

• Dr. Fred C. Schaffner, Coordinador Programa Doctoral en Ciencias Ambientales (Decano Asociado, Estudios Graduados e Investigación)

• Dra. Milva Vega García, Coordinadora Programa Doctoral en Medicina Naturopática

Comité Organizador del IX Encuentro de Investigadores

Centro de Estudios Doctorales • Srta. María M. Claudio, Asistente Administrativo • Sra. Minerva Soto, Coordinadora de Servicios Estudiantiles

Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología

• Sr. Rafael Gómez

Vicerrectoría de Asuntos Académicos

• Sr. Armando Soto • Sr. Johnatan Machado

Instituto de Investigación Interdisciplinaria

• Dr. José R. Pérez Jiménez, Director

Programa de Becas de Práctica Graduada • Luz V. Arroyo • Yomarie Bernier • Yma Escalona • Wilfredo Hernández • María del Carmen Cotto • Frances Lugo (Massie Chair) • Christymarie Rivera (Massie Chair)


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PROGRAMA GENERAL

8:00 am Registro y Desayuno – Área Externa Anfiteatro Ignacio Morales Nieva

9:00 am Bienvenida – Anfiteatro Ignacio Morales Nieva

Dr. Roberto Lorán, Vicerrector Dra. Sharon A. Cantrell, Decana CED

9:15 am Conferencia Inaugural – Anfiteatro Ignacio Morales Nieva Presentación Conferenciante – Dr. Marcelino Rivera, Decano, Escuela de Negocios y Empresarismo

Dr. Juan C. Sosa Varela, Escuela de Negocios y Empresarismo – Oportunidades, Beneficios y Retos en la Investigación Internacional.

10:30 am Sesiones Concurrentes

Matemática e Ingeniería– Salón AGM 151

Ciencias Sociales – Salón AGM 152

Salud – Salón AGM 153

Empresarismo – AGM 154

Ciencias Ambientales – AGM 155

Biología – AGM 156

Química – AGM 250

12:00 – 1:00 pm Almuerzo – Área Externa Anfiteatro Ignacio Morales Nieva

1:30 pm Sesiones Concurrentes

Ingeniería – Salón AGM 151

Educación – Salón AGM 152

Salud – Salón AGM 153

Biología – AGM 156

Química – AGM 250

3:30 pm Conferencia Clausura – Anfiteatro Ignacio Morales Nieva Presentación Conferenciante – Dra. Sharon A. Cantrell, Decana, Centro de Estudios Doctorales

Dra. Edna Oyola, Escuela de Educación – Aprendizaje en Servicio: Una estrategia de innovación pedagógica.

4:00 pm Clausura y Entrega de Certificados


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Sesión Concurrente: Matemática e Ingeniería Salón: AGM 151 Moderador: Wilfredo Hernández

Sesión Concurrente:Ingeniería Salón: AGM 151 Moderador: Wilfredo Hernández

10:30 am Reyes Carranza, Roberto Carlos Homogeneity of Micro-rotation of Steinberg-Reissner and Eringen Models on a Neighborhood of Zero

10:45 am Paredes, Marlio Tournaments and parabolic almost complex structure on flag manifolds

11:00 am Masalmah, Yahya M. Scalable Parallel Algorithms for High Dimensional Numerical Integration

11:15 am Lau, Mark Spreadsheet Illustration of the Transient Stability Analysis of Power Systems

11:30 am Masalmah, Yahya M. Target Detection in Hyperspectral Images

11:45 am Lau, Mark Spreadsheet Implementation for Solving Boundary-Value Problems in Electromagnetics

1:30 pm Romero, Edwar Powering Biomedical Devices with Body Motion

1:45 pm Rivera Nieves, Amarilys Micro-Rotational Generator

2:00 pm Duffany, Jeffrey L. Artificial intelligence in GPS navigation systems

2:15 pm Callarotti, Roberto Circuital model and proper eigenvalue solution for a fluid mechanical problem

2:30 pm Carpena, Emmanuel

Development and Construction of a Homemade Kerr Microscopy System

2:45 pm Villegas Bermudez, Diego Collagen Morphology in Human Meniscal Attachments: a SEM study

3:00 pm Lozada, Juan G. Water Production Analysis and testing of A1.2KW PEM Fuel Cell


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Sesión Concurrente: Ciencias Sociales Salón: AGM 152 Moderador: Victor M. García

Sesión Concurrente: Educación Salón: AGM 152 Moderador: José R. Pérez-Jiménez

1:30 pm Sáenz, Oscar

Action research to Improve Math & Science Education

1:45 pm Pintado Espiet, Carmen Prácticas y estrategias para alcanzar el éxito en el desempeño de las Pruebas Puertorriqueñas de Aprovechamiento Académico: Estudio de Caso de dos escuelas elementales

2:00 pm Pérez Jiménez, José Tropical Bioprospecting Venture for Training in Biotechnology

2:15 pm Morales, Juan C. Effectiveness of requiring a review course to boost the FE Exam passing rates of Turabo Mechanical Engineering graduates

2:30 pm López Alemán, Adolfo PAKTO Model for the teaching of Physical Education proposed by the Theory of Patterns 23 framed on the concept of Nerurokinetical Pedagogy

2:45 pm Caballero Trenado, Laura Cómo Innovar en el Marco de Bologna

3:00 pm Martínez Segura, Guillermo The First Online Chemistry Laboratory Experience at the University

10:30 am Velázquez, Jessica Una Mirada Foucaultiana al Discurso Médico y Religioso en la construcción de la subjetividad de la pareja infértil

10:45 am Rodríguez Carreras, Sarita Perspectiva de un grupo de supervisores sobre personas con Discapacidad intelectual

11:00 am Medina Callarotti, María E. Origins of Human Language

11:15 am García Suárez, Víctor Manuel Virtual versus presential Courses. Experiences in Social and Human Sciences.

11:30 am Albizu Rivera, Anneris, Dr. Alternativas educativas, económicas y sociales en las voces de los líderes comunitarios de las Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico para la superación de la condición de pobreza

11:45 am Huertas González, Félix Juncos and the digitalization process for the Municipal History


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Sesión Concurrente: Salud Salón: AGM 153 Moderador: Yma Escalona

10:45 am Vázquez Rivera, Zeleida Gender Differences Role in the Development of Family Interventions for Tobacco prevention among Saint Vincent Adolescents

11:00 am Bou, Nydia Adaptation: Cycles Approach Spanish Phonology

11:15 am Reyes-Robles, Michelle Non-Hispanic Caribbean Adolescents Tobacco Profile: The Role of School Community Support in Cigarette Use Intention of Adolescents

11:30 am Reyes Ortiz, Victor E. Non-Hispanic Caribbean Adolescents Tobacco Profile: The Role of Parental Support in the Cigarette Use Intention of Adolescents

11:45 am Martell Martínez, Lorinet Theoretical Approaches for Anti-Tobacco Health Campaigns Based in the World Health Organization (WHO) Global School-based Student Health Survey in 2009

Sesión Concurrente: Salud Salón: AGM 153 Moderador: Yma Escalona

2:00 pm Morales, Javier Hispanic Adolescents Tobacco Profiles: What is significant for Drug Use Prevention Programs?

2:15 pm Guzmán Pereira, José Correlates of Parent Support and Tobacco Use among Saint Lucia’s School Children

2:30 pm Brito Vargas, Paul Dopamine receptor antagonist, It-flupentixol, inhibits the anabolic steroid-induced conditioned place preference in pubertal mice

2:45 pm Villarán Gutierrez, Santos Gender Differences Role in the Development of Anti-Tobacco Health Campaigns in Saint Vincent Junior High Schools.


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Sesión Concurrente: Empresarismo Salón: AGM 154 Moderador: Frances Lugo

10:30 am Torres Colón, María M. Evaluating OEE application in Puerto Rico’s industries and its benefits as part of a process improvement program

10:45 am Rosa Vázquez, Carlos F. Project to create linkage between the various business components in our communities that contributes to reduce the gap between the job in the private sector in the accounting area, and the preparation of these professionals from the University System Ana G. Mendez - SUAGM

11:00 am Berríos Pagán, Myrna IFRS Readiness in Latin American Business Curricula

11:15 am Flecha, José Marketing Político: La venta de un candidato; Los efectos visuales en la toma de decisiones del Mercado electoral

11:30 am Berríos Pagán, Myrna The Relationship between Bank Risk and Financial Performance

11:45 am Ferrer, Edgar Mobile electronic medical record systems: a new model for homeless patients

12:00 m Sobrino, Cesar Rodolfo The Effects of Inflation Targeting on the Current Account: An Empirical Examination

Sesión Concurrente: Ciencias Ambientales Salón: AGM 155 Moderador: María del C. Cotto

10:30 am Cáceres Acosta, Nancy Salgado Herrera, Miriam

Viability of the upflow anaerobic sludge process for risk management of wastewater treatment

10:45 am Villafañe, Eileen The Physical Properties of Crystoporidium Oocysts and their adsorption to Solid Surfaces

11:00 am Ramos Jusino, Yolanda The potential for Thillandsia sp. To monitor PAHs from automobile sources in Puerto Rico

11:15 am Laboy-Nieves, Eddie N. Tsunami hazards: a case study of risk management in the Caribbean Region

11:30 am Cotto Maldonado, María del C. Communicating environmental risks in developing countries

11:45 am Cosme Colon, Iris N. Application of low-cost sorbent removal of chromium from industrial wastewater discharges: a review


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Sesión Concurrente: Biología Salón: AGM 156 Moderador: Yomarie Bernier

10:45 am Vázquez Suárez, Valerie Prevalence of Crenarchaeota Across Neotropical Habitats

11:00 am Torres Cordero, Gloria Sulfidogenic communities across neotropical habitats

11:15 am Cantrell, Sharon A. Global Climate Change, Tropical Storms and Forest Floor Microorganisms

11:30 am Caudales, Rodulio Metabolic and Osmoregulatory Adjustments in Azolla Symbiotic Relationship

11:45 am Pagán Repollet, Elines Bacterias degradadoras de alcanos en el Estuario del Río Grande de Manatí

Sesión Concurrente: Biología Salón: AGM 156 Moderador: Yomarie Bernier

1:45 pm Cruz, Francisco Genetics Homologues for Firmicutes Arsenate-Reducing Prokaryotes in Nature

2:00 pm Quintero, Graciela E. Molecular Identification of Airborne Fungal Spores Caguas and San Juan Puerto, Rico

2:15 pm Carazo Carrión, Anamary Community Profiling of Ammonia-Oxidazing Archaea across Mangroves in PR

2:30 pm Laureano Córdova, Diana Liz Neotropical Island Biogeography for Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria

2:45 pm Barberena Arias, María Fernanda Composición de especies de artrópodos entre 5 plantas


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Sesión Concurrente: Química Salón: AGM 250 Moderador: Christymarie Rivera

10:45 am Melgarejo, Ricardo Ferroelectric and Ferromagnetic Properties in Bi4Ti3012

11:00 am Medina, Yaritza Pool Boiling Improvement using porous Media

11:15 am Márquez, Francisco AAO Membranes and their Applications in Nanotechnology

11:30 am Lozano, Cesar M. Antimicrobial Activity of Plants from Santo Domingo, DR.

Sesión Concurrente: Química Salón: AGM 250 Moderador: María del C. Cotto

2:00 pm Lugo, Frances Study of carbon dioxide adsorption on a Cu-nitroprusside polymorph

2:15 pm Díaz Gonzalez, Andrés The Wonderful World of Tunable Optical Metamaterials

2:30 pm Rivera, Christymarie Synthesis, Structure, Adsorption Space and Magnetic Properties of Ni-oxalic-acid Metal Organic Framework

2:45 pm Neira, Carlos In-situ XRD high temperature structural study of hydrogen diffusion in BaCe0.95Yb0.05O3-δ and BaCe0.95Y0.05O3-δ proton conducting perovskites


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RESÚMENES

Conferencia Inaugural Dr. Juan C. Sosa Varela, Escuela de Negocios y Empresarismo Universidad del Turabo

Oportunidades, Beneficios y Retos en la Investigación Internacional. La globalización de

los mercados junto con los adelantos tecnológicos, permite que muchos investigadores deseen realizar investigaciones que trasciendan sus fronteras. Ejemplo de ello, es que la colaboración internacional en investigación se ha intensificado en muchas disciplinas y es con frecuencia considerado como un indicador de calidad y una manera de desarrollar y difundir el conocimiento científico. Sin embargo, la naturaleza de la investigación internacional presenta a los investigadores numerosos desafíos. Por un lado, existen retos inherentes en toda investigación: realizar una revisión de literatura, establecer de manera clara y precisa el problema de investigación, seleccionar la metodología de investigación, identificar los parámetros de la investigación, seleccionar la muestra y las estrategias para alcanzar las más altas tasas de respuesta, recopilar la información y analizar los datos. Pero por otro lado existen retos en la colaboración con personas de diferentes disciplinas, países, culturas, sistemas de educación y lenguaje. El enfoque de esta presentación es examinar la importancia de la investigación internacional, sus oportunidades y desafíos. Específicamente se presentarán las principales fases de la investigación internacional que incluye la teoría inicial, asuntos metodológicos, recopilación de datos e interpretación de los resultados. Finalmente se presentarán recomendaciones que pueden contribuir al desarrollo y al crecimiento de la investigación internacional.

Conferencia Clausura Dra. Edna M. Oyola Núñez,Escuela de Educación, Universidad del Turabo

El aprendizaje en servicio: una estrategia de innovación pedagógica. La educación es un elemento fundamental para el desarrollo de profesionales competentes, diversos, integrales, pero al mismo tiempo, solidarios y comprometidos con nuestra comunidad. Como educadores, tenemos como reto y responsabilidad el desarrollo de líderes al servicio de nuestro país. Estamos frente a un momento histórico y cultural en el que nuestros estudiantes actúan bajo el individualismo. Los estudiantes han perdido la vocación al servicio y es a través del mismo que podemos desarrollar seres con valores y deseos de transformar nuestra realidad social. A través de la integración del aprendizaje en servicio, se desarrollan líderes con responsabilidad social, conscientes de los derechos y responsabilidades del ser humano. Esta estrategia nos provee la oportunidad de ayudar, orientar y cambiar desde nuestra visión de educadores la realidad social de Puerto Rico. Ese es nuestro reto.La Escuela de Educación de la Universidad del Turabo ha incorporado al currículo académico el Aprendizaje en Servicio, por medio del cual, los estudiantes ponen en práctica todas las destrezas académicas, sociales y personales que aprenden en sus cursos. El estudiante desarrolla proyectos de ayuda comunitaria voluntaria en escuelas, hospitales, centros de envejecientes, deambulantes, hogares de niños huérfanos, de jóvenes embarazadas, comunidades rezagadas, etc. De esta forma se logra que los estudiantes desarrollen fortalezcan su autoestima y desarrollen valores como: el liderazgo, autoeficacia, respeto, tolerancia, solidaridad, sensibilidad, compasión y responsabilidad cívica..


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Anneris Albizu Rivera (Centro Universitario de Bayamón, Universidad Metropolitana). Alternativas educativas, económicas y sociales en las voces de los líderes comunitarios de las Comunidades Especiales de Puerto Rico para la superación de la condición de pobreza. This study is a qualitative, research etnomethodology. The researcher was questioned why still on the threshold of the new millennium a fourth part of the Puerto Rican population lives under levels of poverty, inequality and exclusion. Puerto Rico Planning Board estimated for the year 2000, 48.2% of the total population of Puerto Rico is still living under poverty, putting the relief the magnitude and gravity of the problem is the Puerto Rican society. This study was intended to describe the voices of several community leaders of special communities of Puerto Rico, to the educational, economic and social alternatives they offer. The answers to these questions of research offered by community leadership formed a design of a project on self-management and community education.

María Fernanda Barberena Arias (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Composición de especies de artrópodos entre 5 plantas. Los artrópodos de hojarasca participan en la descomposición de la materia orgánica y por interacciones tróficas influencian la tasa de descomposición y mineralización de nutrientes. Muchos han determinado variaciones en la diversidad de artrópodos entre plantas, pero no se ha estudiado como esta variación ocurre en diferentes niveles tróficos. Para contestar esta pregunta se estudio, en el bosque seco de Guánica, la diversidad de artrópodos de hojarasca asociados a cinco especies de árboles: Tabebuia heterophylla, Pisonia albida, Ficus citrifolia, Coccoloba uvifera y Conocarpus erectus. Se encontró que la abundancia fue mayor en hojarasca de Ficus mientras que la riqueza fue mayor en hojarasca de Ficus y Pisonia. La composición de especies fue similar entre Ficus, Pisonia y Tabebuia, y única en Coccoloba y Conocarpus. Estas diferencias se deben a los artrópodos detritívoros quienes son directamente influenciados por la calidad de la hojarasca y a su vez afectan estrechamente la descomposición.

Myrna R. Berríos Pagán (Escuela de Negocios y Empresarismo, Universidad del Turabo). The Relationship between Bank Risk and Financial Performance. The objective of this research is to study how increases in bank risk due to lessened prudent lending policies may have contributed to the global financial crisis. This study examines the relationship between lesser prudence in lending practices and banking cash flows and profitability during the years 2005 to 2009. Decreasing bank cash flow positions and profitability have an adverse effect over the availability of credit, and high enough restrictions on credit available may cause a financial crisis. The findings of this research will contribute to knowledge regarding the causes of the most recent financial crisis. This study has implications for bank credit policy decisions and governmental oversight of bank risk management as prudent actions to be taken to minimize the risk of future financial crises.

Myrna R. Berríos Pagán (Escuela de Negocios y Empresarismo, Universidad del Turabo). IFRS Readiness in Latin American Business Curricula. The objective of this paper is to assess IFRS readiness in Latin American business curricula, compared to the United States and Canada. The data was obtained from course descriptions found on websites of a sample of universities listed on the Webometrics Ranking of World Universities. The IFRS readiness measure is the estimate of the proportion of finance, accounting, or


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taxation courses that include the discussion of international financial reporting standards as part of their description, for universities located in the Latin America region. Statistically significant proportion estimates are compared with subsamples from other world regions to analyze if there are significant differences in IFRS readiness in Latin America curricula when compared to those of the United States and Canada region.

Nydia Bou (Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad del Turabo). Adaptation: Cycles Approach Spanish Phonology. Evaluation and treatment instruments have the purpose of identifying the client’s needs. Because of that, the instrument should be developed in the patient’s primary language (Hodson, 1981). The Cycles Approach was designed and tested with English speaking children. There is a need to modify the Approach for children who speak another language or another dialect. Goldstein (2007) establishes that dialectal differences need to be considered during the evaluation process so that those differences do not affect the evaluation results. The need to adapt the Cycles Approach for puertorrican Spanish phonology is evident since it is a useful instrument for the treatment of phonological disorders but was developed based on the English language phonological rules.

Paul Brito-Vargas, A. Huertas, B. Villafañe, D. Rosa, J. L. Barreto-Estrada. (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Este). Dopamine receptor antagonist, α-flupentixol, inhibits the anabolic steroid-induced conditioned place preference in pubertal mice. Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are synthetic derivates of testosterone. There are approximately 60 different AAS compounds that can be classified in three classes based upon their chemical structure and metabolism. Recently, NIDA reported that 1.4 - 2.2% of adolescents ever tried steroids. Even short exposure to AAS can produce mood and behavioral symptoms. In previous experiments, we found that 17α-methyltestosterone (17α-meT, 7.5 mg/kg); a class III AAS induced hedonic effects in pubertal mice by showing conditioned place preference (CPP). The nucleus accumbens is a brain region receiving dopaminergic projections originating primarily in the ventral tegmental area, and extensive evidence implicates this mesolimbic dopamine pathway in the hedonic/rewarding effects of various drugs of abuse. In this study we investigated the role of dopamine neurotransmission in the AAS-induced CPP in pubertal mice. After a baseline test, where the preference score for each animal was calculated, animals received alternate 17α-meT (i.p.) injections in a conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm for 10 days. Three doses were tested (0.075, 0.75 and 7.5 mg/kg) for this drug. During the test day, α-flupentixol (0.3 mg/kg) was injected (i.p.) 20 min prior the challenge session, and the preference score was recalculated. In addition, anxiety-related behaviors were measured. We have found a shift in place preference in animals treated with 17α-meT in all doses tested. On the contrary, groups receiving α-flupentixol showed a significant decrease in the CPP at all doses tested. Exploratory-based anxiety, using light-dark transitions were not affected. Ongoing proteomic experiments will show differentially expressed proteins in the nucleus accumbens of control versus AAS-treated animals. Our results suggest that the hedonic effects produced by 17α-meT is mediated in part, via interaction with the mesolimbic dopamine system.

Laura Caballero Trenado (FULBRIGHT, Universidad Metropolitana). Cómo innovar en el marco de Bologna. La Declaración de Bologna es un acuerdo académico-institucional paneuropeo que regula el Espacio de Educación Superior. Firmado en 1999, este Acuerdo supone un punto de inflexión en la Enseñanza Superior del Viejo Continente,


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por cuanto cristaliza un anhelo europeo: estandarizar patrones de calidad en las titulaciones académicas. Tras la ‘’estandarización’’ de los criterios de calidad, la implementación de la normativa por la que deben regirse las academias, universidades e instituciones de enseñanza superior europeas -y su corolario- plantea nuevos retos que afectan, sobre todo, a los estudiantes de Tercer Ciclo. ¿A qué desafíos se enfrenta el investigador? ¿Cómo plantear una Tesis innovadora en este contexto? ¿Qué criterios estratégicos debe el doctorando fijar ‘’ex ante’’ para tener éxito? En esta ponencia se ofrecerá una panorámica de las nuevas exigencias que introduce el Acuerdo de Bologna y se expondrá, a modo de caso práctico, un ejemplo de la metodología seguida en una Tesis basada en el método PESTL, mencionada con Premio Extraordinario de Doctorado en Ciencias Sociales en España.

Nancy Ma. Cáceres-Acosta, M. Salgado-Herrera, E. N. Laboy-Nieves, E. Emmanuel (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Viability of the upflow anaerobic sludge process for risk management of wastewater treatment. In many countries, urban effluents are subjected to physiochemical and biological treatments. This chapter evaluates findings about upflow anaerobic sludge reactor (UASB) operation, its advantages, and use in water and environment conservation. UASB combines physical, biological processes with anaerobic degradation that consists of hydrolysis, fermentation, acetogenesis and methanogenesis. Formation of granules is key for the success of the UASB. Various groups of bacteria dominate the metabolic pathways in the granules and the wastewater decomposition. The advantages of the reactor are: conservation of the environment, low energy consumption, biogas and low sludge production. Temperature, pH, flow rate, influent type and concentration, sludge retention time, nutrient availability and presence of xenobiotics may limit UASB. Many sanitary engineers do not accept this technology due to some unclear technical and scientific aspects.The first section describes the role of anaerobic wastewater.

Roberto Callarotti (Escuela de Ingeniería, Universidad del Turabo). Circuital model and proper eigenvalue solution for a fluid mechanical problem. We apply the proper eigenvalue procedure to a system of two concentric rotating cylinders enclosing a viscous fluid. The linear partial differential equations that rule the system in the absence of gravity, and in the low Reynolds limit, are solved a) analytically, b) through direct space and time iteration, and c) by using the eigenvalue procedure which avoids numerical time iterations. In this method the time dependent response of the system is obtained directly from the trivial Laplace transform inversion, once the zeros and poles of the system are known. The method arises from the analysis of the Laplace transform of a given variable (the velocity of the liquid in the present paper), as given by application of the determinant rule according to Cramer. The determinants involved are evaluated efficiently in terms of a generalized eigenvalue problem, which determines the poles and zeros for the system. We compare the computational time required in the three approaches, showing the advantages of the eigenvalue calculation. This approach might be particularly useful in engineering and science teaching in multidimensional problems since it not only saves computer time, but also provides a valuable physical insight through the knowledge of the pole and zero constellation

Sharon A. Cantrell (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Global Climate Change, tropical storms and forest floor microorganisms. Global climate change is expected to affect patterns of precipitation, temperature and a likely increase in frequency of intense hurricanes with higher rainfall events. Hurricanes alter


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vegetation, landscapes and society, and in turn local climate is affected by changes in vegetation structure, rates of evapotranspiration and runoff. Moisture is a key factor controlling microbial biomass, affecting oxygen concentrations when the soil becomes waterlogged corresponding to decreases in redox potential. These environmental changes influence the composition of microbial communities, and hence the products and fates of carbon in the ecosystem. The objective of our research is to determine the relative abundance and diversity of microorganisms in soil and leaf litter, and the effect of climate change. Results demonstrate that changes in microclimate caused by canopy opening and structure of the forest floor caused by debris redistribution that occurs during tropical storms altered soil and leaf litter microbial communities

Anamary Carazo Carrión, D. L. Laureano Córdova, J. R. Pérez Jiménez (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Community Profiling of Ammonia-Oxidazing Archaea across Mangroves in P.R. Archeal involvement in ammonia oxidation reactions was recently documented. The ammonia-oxidazing archaea (AOA) are important in the nitrogen cycling. Mangroves represent a major productive habitat prevailing in the tropical and subtropical shorelines. We hypothesize that a diverse community of ammonia-oxidizing archaea prevails across mangroves swamps around the coast of Puerto Rico. Genomic DNA was extracted from soil or sediment samples collected at hypersaline environment, mangroves across the island. Our objective is to examine the heterogeneity f AOA in mangroves along the coast of Puerto Rico to assess their island biogeography. Ammonia-oxidizing archaea community composition was characterized with terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms of the archaeal ammonia-monooxygenase gen (arch-amoA) amplified from soil/sediment samples. A total of 282 phylotype (TRF) were detected (representing 136 different TRF) from which Aguadilla showed 30, Arecibo 10, Barceloneta 32, Humacao 15, Isabela 149, and Juana Diaz 11 peaks. Two TRFs were more predominant, one peak appeared in 11 of 16 samples and the other peak appeared in 9 of 16 samples. A total of 62 peaks were unique in the samples. Similarity analysis, based on the Sorensen’s index, showed great diversity (ranging from 4 to 67%) with minimal geographical clustering. The TRFLP presented a broad diversity of archael communities through mangrove sediments off the coast of Puerto Rico. This study will analyze more samples to obtain a broader representation of sites. The genetic pool being disclosed will assist in understanding the prevailing taxa.

Emmanuel Carpena, R. Pérez (Escuela de Ingeniería, Universidad del Turabo). Development and Construction of a homemade Kerr Microscopy System. Kerr-Microscopy is a magnetic characterization technique that utilizes the Kerr-effect: rotation of polarized light due to magnetization of material. This approach is used to characterize magnetic materials by extracting the hysteresis curves of the material in question. The technique is highly useful and can also be used to determine the spatial distribution of magnetic properties such as coercivity and remnant magnetization by implementing a scanning stage. We report on the development and construction of a homemade Kerr-microscopy station at UT which is to be used to characterize the magnetic properties of multilayered magnetic thin films. Design considerations, integration using Labview and latest developments will be presented.

Rodulio Caudales (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Metabolic and Osmoregulatory Adjustments in Azolla Symbiotic Relationship. A dynamic metabolic and osmoregulatory relationship exists between Azolla, a fresh water fern, and


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symbiotic nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria in the ventral cavities. The cavity is composing of 90% of air and 10% mucilaginous material. The osmotic potential of the cavity is critical to the union and is maintained by a mixture of simple and complex sugars which the data suggests are derived after symbiosis. Cyanobionts freshly extracted from cavities of Azolla, showed high concentration glycerol and minor concentration of glucose and fructose. Azolla cavities (isolates by enzymatic digestion) contain high concentration of glycerol, and significant amounts of complex polymeric sugars, glucose and fructose. Cyanobacteria free Azolla has glycerol, and only low levels of complex and simple sugars. Changes in cyanobacteria morphology are correlated with the plant cavity senescence. The data implies that cyanobionts induce the buildup of carbohydrate needed as an energy source for a mix heterotrophic nitrogen fixation.

Iris N. Cosme Colón (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Application of low-cost sorbent removal of chromium from industrial wastewater discharges: a review. Removal of toxic heavy metal contaminants from industrial wastewater discharges (IWD) is one of the most important environmental issues under research, since they do not degrade biologically like certain organic pollutants, and they bioaccumulate in food chains. Chromium contamination of water [especially Cr(VI), its most toxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic form, derived from IWD] is a persisting and serious global threat to human health and natural water resources. Although chromium removal from IWD can be achieved by several conventional methods, the need urges for effective low-cost techniques, as the costs of operation and maintenance of available ones increase, and as environmental laws become stringent. Among all the IWD treatment technologies presented for chromium remediation, sorption appears to be the most promising, eco-friendly and economically suitable alternative to control the problem. The aim of this work was to discuss briefly the physical and chemical profile of chromium, to highlight some environmental and toxicological issues of chromium from IWD, and to assess the use of low-cost sorbents for chromium removal from that source, as a risk management agent in order to protect human and environmental health.

María del C. Cotto-Maldonado, K. Malavé-Llamas (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Communicating environmental risks in developing countries. Communicating risk information can be a daunting challenge and when environmental factors are involved the challenge becomes a real trial. A reason could be the perception of the environment by the majority of the people as intangible and pristine; so how this benign being can pose a risk or threat to the population? The increased visibility of global change, terrorism, industrialization and catastrophic emergencies underscores the potential for environmental related human tragedy along with economic, social, and political consequences. Therefore, the environmental risk communication must be targeted, understandable, and effective without inadvertently provoking hostility, mistrust or panic. Because risk, is far from being a purely scientific issue, other important factors must be addressed before delivering the information. An important component of the risk is perception. Risk is perceived according to the characteristic of the hazard, personal and social context. Many low-income communities as Hispanic, Afro-Americans and other minorities have faced and continue to face disproportionate environmental exposures and disease. Sometimes the industries, news and governmental agencies fail in the effort to overcome the prevalent public distrust. Environmental risk communication is a powerful and necessary tool giving the information to the public in a clear and objective way.


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Francisco Cruz, J. Pérez-Jiménez (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Genetics Homologues for Firmicutes Arsenate-Reducing Prokaryotes in Nature. The dissimilatory arsenate-reducing prokaryotes (DARP) constitute a taxonomically diverse group that derives energy from arsenate respiration. Despite the limited biochemical understanding, arsenate respiration is ultimately catalyzed by the arsenate respiratory reductase, encoded by the arrA gene. The congruency between nearly complete arrA and 16S rDNA phylogenies suggests ancient origin for arsenate respiration. We hypothesize that the arrA gene should be common in nature, especially among taxonomical groups comprising the most of DARP. Our aim is to examine the genetics homologues and diversity of Firmicutes DARP in nature employing bioinformatics and metagenomics approaches. Genetic homologs for arrA from Desulfosporosinus sp. Y5, Bacillus macyae, Shewanella sp. ANA-3, and Sulfurospirilum carboxyolevorans were searched in BLAST. We established a database of twenty-four nearly complete arrA sequences (10 for Firmicutes and 6 for Epsilonproteobacteria. No additional homology was detected among genome sequencing projects for Firmicutes (674) or Epsilonproteobacteria (77). We investigated on the sequences that we know using BLAST; but at this moment there are no known a new bacteria that carry the arrA gene. Also, we cultured a collection of bacteria from a selection of DARPs. In this culture was used twenty four test tubes with two techniques of inoculation in deep and slant agar; to verify what bacteria grows in the agar and if they moved by a flagella or if they are a facultative bacteria. The absence of arrA gene from most prokaryotic genomes known so far suggests prevalence limited to uncommon taxons. However, the nearly complete arrA represents a useful biomarker to ascertain prokaryotes capable of arsenate respiration and monitor the risk of microbial mobilization of arsenate in nature.

Andrés Díaz González (Interamerican University of Puerto Rico). The wonderful world of tunable optical metamaterials. An account of liquid-crystal based tunable optical metamaterials is presented. The study considers the complex refractive index of nanoconstituents of different makeups, shapes, and concentrations, as well as periodic nanostructured geometries. These metamaterials possess electro-optically and all-optically tunable subunity, zero, or negative refractive indexes as a result of the large birefringence of the nematic liquid crystal host, and open the door to fast tunable or nonlinear optical applications.

Jeffrey L. Duffany (Escuela de Ingeniería, Universidad del Turabo) Artificial intelligence in GPS navigation systems. GPS navigation systems use stored map information for determining optimal route selection based on a shortest path algorithm. This technique is quite successful in getting you to where you want to go in a reasonable time and is fault tolerant in the sense that it can automatically reroute in case of error. One disadvantage of this approach is that it does not have any memory. It does not automatically remember the actual time it took you to get there nor does it learn from that experience and use the actual measurements to improve future route selection. A simple method for modifying a GPS navigational system to incorporate a simple learning paradigm using velocity profiles is described. In addition to learning, these velocity profiles can also be used to extract features from the environment which can then be used to further improve the accuracy of optimal route selection. It is assumed to be completely autonomous which means that it requires no user input or intervention. All of the required information is derived from recording GPS location, date and time.


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Edgar Ferrer, R. Nieves (Escuela de Negocios y Empresarismo, Universidad del Turabo). Mobile Electronic Medical Record Systems: A New Model for Homeless Patients. Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) are promising to improve quality and efficiency in healthcare services. Several models for adopting EMRs in healthcare centers have been developed, these are complex models that follow a clinician driven workflow. However, to provide healthcare to homeless patients requires that some unique conditions be met. This ongoing work present a novel model for adopting EMR to meet the particular medical record needs of homeless patients. The model is intended to be applied by non-profit organizations that reach out homeless, however delivering proper health care in a systematic and professional way could become cumbersome considering the difficult environment in which medical street outreach has to be done. The proposed model follows a patient driven workflow in order to use light EMRs with homeless patients. Grounded Theory techniques are used to analyze data from interviews with physicians that provide healthcare to homeless patients in the metropolitan area of San Juan, Puerto Rico. The model will lead to the implementation of a light EMR system which can be used to collect medical data on the streets. The EMR system follows a patient driven workflow that can run on mobile devices and tablet computers and can be easily integrated to a more complex EMR system.

José Flecha (Centro Universitario de Yabucoa, Universidad del Turabo). Marketing Político: La venta de un candidato; Los efectos visuales en la toma de decisiones del mercado electoral. El trasfondo histórico de la política en Puerto Rico, no ha cambiado mucho a través de su historia. La política en Puerto Rico, es un tema completamente debatido por los diferentes sectores de la sociedad. Al igual que en otros países democráticos, los ciudadanos cada cierto tiempo salen a ejercer su derecho al voto por lo que consideran es su mejor opción. En el campo evolutivo de la política, nace una nueva disciplina que está siendo estudiada por diferentes teóricos su nombre: “Marketing Político”. En desarrollo de investigación pretende llevar a los lectores al entender el concepto del Marketing Político y su aplicación dentro del campo de administración de empresas. La propuesta investigativa, pretende estudiar los efectos visuales a los que el mercado electoral está sumergido y cuál es el efecto directo en la toma de decisiones. El proyecto incorpora la investigación cuantitativa y el estudio de casos. Al final del proceso buscamos llegar a conclusiones sobre cuál es el efecto real en la toma de decisiones.

Víctor Manuel García Suárez, A. M. Hernández Rosa (Escuela de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas, Universidad del Turabo). Virtual versus presential Courses. Experiences in Social and Human Sciences. Information and Communication Technologies have a very important role on higher education and this importance is constantly growing. An example of this is the creation, implementation and development of online and/or semi-presence courses using specialized software platforms and other electronic resources. This exploratory-descriptive research presents an empirical comparison between presence, semi-presence and online courses using experiences of the principal researcher (PI), project coordinator and professor of various online and semi-presence courses, from the General Studies Program at the School of Social and Human Sciences, and results obtained from a survey realized among students of these three modalities. Some of the indicators studied are: technology accessibility, organization and clarity of contents, activities, and student evaluation, communication between students and professors, as well as student preferences in relation to the indicators evaluated on this study. Conclusions and recommendations are preliminary with up-to-date bibliography to support them.


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José Guzmán-Pereira, V. E. Reyes-Ortiz, M. Reyes-Robles, R. R. Dávila-Torres, (Recinto de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Puerto Rico). Correlates of Parent Support and Tobacco Use among Saint Lucia’s School Children. Parental support for teens have demonstrated to be a protective factor against risk conducts. This study identified parent support among Saint Lucia’s students who reported the use of tobacco. The data for this study were obtained using the WHO Global School-based Student Health Survey in 2009. A representative sample of the adolescent population living in St. Lucia, between 12 and 15 years old participated in the study (males 52.2%, females 47.8%). The data was analyzed using the SPSS for bivariate analysis (significance < 0.01). The analysis found significant relationship between the kind of support received by the parents and the use of tobacco among the children. For instance, there was a significant relationship between parent responsibilities including checking homework, understanding trouble of their children and knowing what they are doing, by the use of tobacco among the children. Overall, results support that the children that reported the use of tobacco are less supported by their parents, than those who didn’t use tobacco. Results also suggest that the children using tobacco are more receptive to sleep or behavioral disorders that those who didn’t use tobacco. Development of programs focusing in parental support to this children using tobacco is presented.

Félix R. Huertas González (Escuela de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas, Universidad del Turabo). Juncos and the digitalization process for the Municipal History. The historical discipline has been related directly with that institution as important as the archive, custodian of the most valuable written and visual documents related to humanity’s activity. For historical research, the documents are the raw material—primary sources—form which researchers and historians reconstruct the past activities of society. The archive is the custodian of the documentation that it receives from diverse governmental or private institutions. In many cases those resources are acquired through purchases or donations. In the case of Puerto Rico, a variety of archives have been developed according to established needs, regulations or laws. That has produced intermediate, administrative, particular, municipal and the historical archives, among others. Therefore, on observing said reality, we understand that the archive is the institution where one or more organic sets of documents of any date, produced, received or accumulated as a result of the function or activity of a person or public or private entity, and conserved scientifically, respecting their natural order, in a repository that meets the necessary conditions and attended y highly qualified personnel at the service of researchers. It is in the Autonomous Municipality of Juncos where a strategic plan begins, designed by the Culture and Tourism Office, directed by Mrs. Margarita Vélez, to conserve the wealth of historical documents that constitute the cultural heritage of the town, and that said Office understands should be placed at the disposal of researchers and the general public. It is the initiative of Mrs. Margarita Vélez with the support of the mayor, the Hon. Angel Papo Roman, who assume responsibility and provide the fiscal resources to create and establish a digitalized historical archive that would serve as custodian for the documental sources that are the evidence of Juncos’ past, and that will be the principal reference to be used by historians interested in reconstructing the history of this municipality. With this purpose, the Autonomous Municipality of Juncos, with the Arts and Culture Office and yours truly as a historian, took on the task to create, prepare and establish on the internet the Municipal Digital Historical Archive from 2009 to 2011.

Eddie N. Laboy Nieves (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Tsunami hazards: a case study of risk management in the Caribbean Region. The


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islands of the Caribbean lie in an active plate boundary zone with a historical record of devastating earthquakes and tsunamis. These phenomena are mainly triggered by the interaction of the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate at their boundaries, which can produce major seismic events with results such as the recent catastrophe in Haiti. The tsunamigenic potential of a massive submarine landslide in two carbonate amphitheater south of the Puerto Rico Trench was evaluated. Concerns about the interpretation of hazards and risks are presented. The majority of the islanders of the Caribbean lives and works in the coastal zone as a result of an increasing sea level-based tourism and coastal-based economic activity. The structures that support residential settlements and the economic connection in these coastal areas reflect a high degree of vulnerability to be striken by a tsunami. This presentation will examine the theoretical basis of tsunamy hazards in Puerto Rico, and the urgent need to increase public awareness on the possible impact that a major tsunami could have in the Caribbean. The author presents challenges for establishing a tsunami warning system, to educate coastal communities about their vulnerability, and to orient them on ways for mitigating the risks.

Mark Lau (Escuela de Ingeniería, Universidad del Turabo). Spreadsheet Implementations for Solving Boundary-Value Problems in Electromagnetics. Electromagnetics is arguably one of the most challenging courses in any electrical engineering curriculum. A solid foundation in vector calculus and a good intuition based on physical grounds are the normal requirements for a student to successfully complete this course. This paper presents a simple, yet powerful approach to introducing boundary-value problems arising in electrostatics. The principles of electrostatics find numerous applications such as electrostatic machines, lightning rods, gas purification, food purification, laser printers, and crop spraying, to name a few. This paper focuses on the use of spreadsheets for solving electrostatic boundary-value problems. Sample problems that introduce the finite difference and the finite element methods are presented. The geometries included in the problems are sufficiently nontrivial for hand calculation or analytical solution, but reasonably manageable using spreadsheets. Although specialized software is available for this purpose, oftentimes such sophistication tends to obscure the mathematical underpinnings of the solution methods. Spreadsheets offer a transparent alternative − perhaps proximate to hand calculation − for students to better appreciate the numerical methods for solving boundary-value problems.

Mark Lau (Escuela de Ingeniería, Universidad del Turabo). Spreadsheet Illustration of the Transient Stability Analysis of Power Systems. This paper presents a simple, yet powerful approach to introducing the topic of transient stability in a power system course. The problem of transient stability is of fundamental importance in the analysis and design of power systems. The solution to this problem couples numerical methods for solving power flows with those for solving the differential equations that describe the behavior of synchronous machines. Transient stability is very rich in technical and mathematical content. As such it is a challenging topic for students to grasp and for instructors to present. This paper uses spreadsheets to implement the step-by-step procedure that is typical in a transient stability study. Unlike commercially available power system software, spreadsheets expose the solution steps with clarity without obscuring the inner workings of the numerical methods employed.

Diana L. Laureano Córdova, J. R. Pérez Jiménez (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Neotropical Island Biogeography for Sulfate-Reducing


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Bacteria. Global phylogeography across disturbed sediments has revealed a patchy distribution for sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). However, a distinctive a cluster was formed by several Neotropical mangrove samples. Mangroves represents a major habitat for SRB while prevailing in the tropical and subtropical shorelines. Our objective is to examine the heterogeneity of SRB in mangroves along the coast of Puerto Rico to assess their island biogeography. Sulfidogenic community composition was characterized with terminal restriction fragment length polymorphisms of the dissimilatory sulfite reductase gene (dsr-TRFLP) amplified from soil/sediment samples. A total of 2037 phylotypes (TRF) were detected (representing 381 different TRF). The sulfidogenic community ranged from 14 (Ceiba) to 424 (Cabo Rojo). No TRF was common to all samples analyzed so far. In contrast 18% were detected only in one sample (potential endemic taxa). Few major peaks and minor peaks dominated the overall communities. Similarity analysis, based on the Sorensen’s index, illustrated clustering together with minimal geographical proximity. Additional samples to process an application of multivariate analyses will provide a more complete description of the island biogeography for SRB in Neotropical mangroves. Sulfidogenic communities sustain a patchy distribution within the continue contour of the island likely due to biogeochemical conditions, geomorphological characteristics, and hydrological regimes of each sites. The application of dsr-TRFLP has provided a description of the functional diversity for SRB in one of the most relevant habitats in Earth. The genetic pool being disclosed will assist in understanding the prevailing taxa and resilience of the sites to environmental disturbances and changes.

Adolfo López Alemán (Universidad Metropolitana). PAKTO Model for the teaching of Physical Education proposed by the Theory of Patterns 23 framed on the concept of Nerurokinetical Pedagogy. This study focuses on how people with special needs and regular, improve their ability to learn through movement and creativity through the practice of karate. This strategy used in the PAKTO Model is based on the learning patterns proposed in the discipline of neuroscience. Because of the novel findings from the study, the researcher suggests a new theoretical proposal called the Theory of Patterns 23. Following the findings the researcher has developed a new educational concept called Neurokintical Pedagogy. We used a pre-experimental model of combined methods based on observations to get the results. The results are expressed in percentages and then analyzed to present reasoned conclusions.

Juan G. Lozada, G. Carbajal (Escuela de Ingeniería, Universidad del Turabo). Water Production Analysis and Testing of A 1.2 KW PEM Fuel Cell. Water management is one of the most important factors in order to achieve the best performance on PEM fuel cells. In this case water production was studied taking in consideration the effect of the relative humidity of air. The new model was compared against experimental data. The water production of this new model is strongly enhanced and becomes in a new focus of study. The fuel cell system was tested during 2700 s at 245 W and 36 V and the experimental result was 1.444gal/min, while the analytical result was 1.311gal/min; the error of the analytical data versus experimental data was 10.14%.

César M. Lozano, M. A. Vasquez-Tineo, M. Ramírez, F. Jiménez. (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Antimicrobial Activity of Plants from Santo Domingo, DR. The antimicrobial activity of crude ethanolic extracts of 50 medicinal plants, from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, was tested against five species of microorganisms: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus,


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Pseudomona aeruginosa, and Candida albicans, using the disc diffusion method. Of the 50 plants tested, 36 showed antimicrobial activity against one or more of the microorganisms. The plants that present the highest antimicrobial activity were Inga vera, Ruellia tuberosa, Calophyllum calaba, and Merremia dissecta.

Francisco Márquez (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). AAO Membranes and their Applications in Nanotechnology. In the past years the use of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes has attracted much interest for fundamental scientific research as well as for industrial applications due to the high ordered pore density (more than 105 pores/cm2) and uniformity in both size and interval between holes. AAO membranes have been grown by a two-step anodizing process of aluminum in acidic electrolyte. AAO membranes are characterized by a hexagonal pore distribution with sizes that can be tuned in the range of 50~200 nm and high aspect ratio. These structures have been used in different applications. In this research work we report some results on the use of AAO membranes as templates to synthesize interesting materials with potential applications in nanotechnology as carbon nanotubes, silicon nanowires, metal nanowires, metal nanotubes, dots, antidots and metal membranes.

Lorinet Martell-Martínez, V. E. Reyes-Ortiz, M. Reyes-Robles, R. R.Dávila-Torres, Recinto de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Puerto Rico). Theoretical Approaches for Anti-Tobacco Health Campaigns Based in the World Health Organization (WHO) Global School-based Student Health Survey in 2009. Social support and positive emotional feelings has been identified in other studies as an important protective factor against risk conducts including tobacco use. In the adolescent population strong social support encourage healthy behaviors. This study identifies how social support in the island of Saint Lucia’s impact tobacco behaviors in students participating in the WHO Global School-based Student Health Survey in 2009. Data analysis was performed using SPSS (ver. 17) for descriptive and univariate and bivariate analysis are reported. Associations were reported significant whenever p values < 0.01. Results showed that all social support variables are significantly associated to tobacco behaviors in the sample. Stratification by sex for X2 was made in order to observed any variation of the results however, variables kept it significance. Therefore, social support is strongly associated to tobacco behaviors in the state island. Data evidence that mass health campaigns could positively impact the health outcomes related to tobacco. Social marketing theory poses an alternative to current tobacco practices being held by adolescents.

Guillermo Martínez Segura (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). The First Online Chemistry Laboratory Experience at the University. “Is there a corresponding mismatch between how we teach and how the students learn?”. Research indicates so. Therefore, a small group of scholars have developed new paradigms to change schooling. The e-learning concept has to be seen as an innovation not an optimization in education. Developing and testing computer-based instructional materials (e.g. pre-laboratories) for STEM Hispanic undergraduates is an exceptionally exciting step for an institution such as Universidad del Turabo (UT). Employing e-learning as an innovative teaching strategy to complement classroom and laboratory instruction in the Chemistry curriculum will make UT a pioneer in the e-learning arena in Puerto Rico. Collaborating with Western Washington University’s Integrated Laboratory Network Project offered to our chemistry students in Instrumental Analysis and for the first time an Instrumental Analysis laboratory online in real time. The experience is well described in the book Moving the Laboratory Online (Chapter 20).


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Yahya M. Masalmah (Escuela de Ingeniería, Universidad del Turabo). Scalable Parallel Algorithms for High Dimensional Numerical Integration. We implemented a scalable parallel quasi-Monte Carlo numerical high-dimensional integration for tera-scale data points. The implemented algorithm uses the Sobol’s quasisequences to generate random samples. Sobol’s sequence was used to avoid clustering effects in the generated random samples and to produce low-discrepancy random samples which cover the entire integration domain. The performance of the algorithm was tested. Obtained results prove the scalability and accuracy of the implemented algorithms. The implemented algorithm could be used in different applications where a huge data volume is generated and numerical integration is required. We suggest using the hyprid MPI and OpenMP programming model to improve the performance of the algorithms. If the mixed model is used, attention should be paid to the scalability and accuracy

Yahya M. Masalmah (Escuela de Ingeniería, Universidad del Turabo). Target Detection in Hyperspectral Images. Hyperspectral imagery (HSI) is a technology that provides fully registered spatial and high resolution spectral information of the scene in the field of view of the sensor. The information contained in the spectral and spatial domains makes the use of this imaging technology attractive for object recognition and estimation problems that arise in many military, environmental, pharmaceutical, chemical, and biomedical applications. Typical HSI processing and information extraction techniques rely primarily on spectral analysis techniques. Scientists and engineers often need to know if a particular object is present in a given area. For instance, geophysicists explore the earth for oil, physicians examine patients for disease, astronomers search the universe for extra-terrestrial intelligence, etc. These problems usually involve comparing the acquired data against a threshold. If the threshold is exceeded, the target (the object) is deemed present. In this research, we are looking at developing target detection algorithms in hyperspectral images.

Yaritza Medina (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Pool Boiling Improvement Using Porous Media. The use of foamed metals for highly effective boiler is increasing, but littler has been done to quantify the flow dynamics impinging through the porous media. In this investigation it is presented a modeling of the heat and mass transfers with and without aluminum porous medium, which takes into account phase transitions using a boiling pool with a mix of 25%water and 75%alcohol (70% isopropyl) in volume. The effect of water-alcohol mixes with ferromagnetic fluid in both the absence and presence of a magnetic field was studied. Three different aluminum foam as 10 PPI, 20 PPI and 40 PPI were used to enhance the heat transfer during the boiling process and the increase vaporization rate. The porosity of the foam aluminum porous media is varied and the effect on the flow dynamics of the vaporization rate is examined. After developing the experiment it was found that the sample of 40 PPI (porous per inch) presented the rapid evaporation rate of the mixture. Otherwise, when it was applied the ferromagnetic fluid under the influence of a magnetic field the evaporation process slow down, therefore the evaporation rate of the mixture decreased. As a result the porosity, permeability, and material properties affected the vaporization process of the mixture.

María E. Medina-Callarotti (Escuela de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas, Universidad del Turabo) Origins of Human Language. We propose that human language is one of the species’ biological adaptations; its principal function is communicating information. As such, just as other species features, it has been subject to the mechanisms of evolution


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and natural selection. The essential characteristics of language as a complex system, some basic aspects of Universal Grammar, and fundamentals of the acquisition process are presented as evidence of this affirmation. Some recent inquiries into the relationship between Universal Grammar and multilingualism are explored.

Ricardo Melgarejo (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Este) Ferroelectric and Ferromagnetic Properties in Bi4Ti3012. The multiferroic (MF) materials exhibit simultaneously ferromagnetism and ferroelectricity properties. This coexistence brings out new physical phenomena and make it possible to envisage a large number of new applications. One of the room temperature multiferroic materials is BiFeO3 and has been widely investigated in the past years. However, weak magnetic property and relatively high leakage current density foiled BFO’s practical electronic applications. We are synthesized Gd and Fe co-substituted Bi4Ti3O12 (BGTF) by chemical solution method. Thin films were fabricated on Pt/Ti/SiO2/Si substrates by spin coating. The spontaneous appearance of magnetization in BGTF at room temperature suggesting that the spins in the Gd and Fe containing sublattices is responsible for the multiferroicity in BGTF. Additionally, the room temperature leakage current density was around 10-7A/cm2, very much lower than the BFO, and hence this modified single phase novel MF material is of great interest in realizing the proposed magnetoelectric multifunctional devices.

Javier Morales, R. R. Dávila-Torres, V. E. Reyes-Ortiz (Recinto de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Puerto Rico). Hispanics Adolescents Tobacco Profiles: What is significant for drug use prevention programs? Elsewhere, tobacco had been significantly associated to other illegal drugs use. Indeed, several authors consider tobacco and alcohol use the gatekeeper of drug abuse. Thus, tobacco prevention health programs and policies are essential to prevent drug related health programs. The aim of this paper is to show how tobacco use and socio-demographics factor are associated to other drug abuse and alcohol among a cohort of adolescents participating in the 2009 National Survey on Drug Use and Health performed by SAMHSA. Bivariate analysis were performed using X2 and considered statistically significant whenever p < 0.05. Adolescents, use cigarettes as they main tobacco source. Results also showed that tobacco use was significantly associated to marihuana, cocaine, heroin, psylocibin, ecstasy and gender. Conversely, no significant associations were found for age of initiation, level of poverty, family income, medical insurance, alcohol, crack and other illicit drug use. Significant OR have been found ranging from 0.20 - 1.03 for different factors. No other associations were observed for tobacco use and other drug use and alcohol, or to sociodemographic information of participants. Prevention programs should find innovative strategies in order to prevent use of alcohol, crack, and other illicit drugs. Strategies should not consider family income, poverty level, or medical insurance status to prevent its use. However, tobacco control programs should be reinforced in order to prevent marihuana, cocaine, heroin, psylocibin, and ecstasy using gender approaches.

Juan C. Morales (Escuela de Ingeniería, Universidad del Turabo) Effectiveness of requiring a review course to boost the FE Exam passing rates of Turabo Mechanical Engineering graduates. A required review course taught by the author for the past 9 semesters has boosted the passing rates in the FE Exam (“reválida”) of Turabo Mechanical Engineering (ME) graduates. Data from the past 9 exams were supplied by the exam developer and grader (NCEES). The analysis shows a linear annual growth of 8% in passing rates of UT ME graduates, with a 44% passing rate achieved in the last exam. The growth hypothesis is statistically significant within a confidence interval that


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exceeds 99%. A Pareto analysis was conducted to determine weak areas where additional improvement efforts will be directed. A high passing rate in the FE Exam is a widely accepted indicator of high quality and educational excellence. If the current trend continues, a highly persuasive and convincing marketing strategy based primarily on these results could be launched in a few years to attract more high-quality students into the program.

S. Nieto, C. Neira, R. Polanco, R. Roque-Malherbe. (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). In-situ XRD high temperature structural study of hydrogen diffusion in BaCe0.95Yb0.05O3-δ and BaCe0.95Y0.05O3-δ proton conducting perovskites. In the present study BaCe0.95Yb0.05O3-δ and BaCe0.95Y0.05O3-δ proton conducting perovskites (PCPs) powders were synthesized applying the standard solid-state reaction method. The produced materials were characterized by XRD, SEM, Raman spectrometry and in situ high temperature XRD. A careful structural characterization was carried out to unequivocally determine the structure of the synthesized material. In this regard, the Pawley whole powder pattern decomposition of the XRD powder profiles indicated that both PCPs at 27 0C and 500 0C shows the Pnma (No. 62) orthorhombic and R3 c (No. 167) rhombohedral distorted space groups respectively. However, at 1000 0C was not observed the Pm-3m (No. 221) cubic space group. The XRD in situ study during H2 diffusion exhibited an initial cell expansion in both PCPs. This cell extension is related to the diminution of the negative charge of the oxygen during protonation, while hydrogen diffusion.

Elinés Pagán, J. R. Pérez-Jiménez (Centro de Excelencia en Tecnología Avanzada, Universidad del Turabo). Bacterias degradadoras de alcanos en el Estuario del Río Grande de Manatí. Los estuarios se caracterizan por su alta productividad biológica y gran biodiversidad. Además reciben descargas naturales y antropogénicas diversa que influencian su calidad, como derivados de petróleo. La microbiota nativa puede tener capacidades metabólicas para lidiar con contaminantes diversos. El objetivo es conocer microbiota del estuario del Río Grande de Manatí capaces de crecer en presencia de alcano, como única fuente de carbono. En la rivera del estuario del Río Grande de Manatí, se recolectaron muestras de suelo para cultivo en medio generales. Bacterias aisladas se caracterizaron por morfología y bioquímica. Se ensayó la capacidad degradadora de alcanos selectos por separado (pentano, hexano y heptano). Se inició la caracterización molecular por secuenciación del 16S rADN. Los bacterias se hallaron entre 75 a 186 x 103 UFC/g, dominadas por gram positivas (62%) y carentes de catalasa (58%). Entre ellas, ~25% demostró capacidad para degradación de alcanos en diversas combinaciones. Corresponde completar la caracterización molecular y su actividad degradadora.

Marlio Paredes (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Tournaments and parabolic almost complex structures on flag manifolds. Using tournaments, we study parabolic almost complex structures on the classical flag manifold. The correspondence of Burstall and Salamon between tournaments and invariant almost complex structures on flag manifolds provides us a necessary condition for an almost complex structure to be parabolic. In addition, we give a new proof of the theorem, due to Mo and Negreiros, which shows that all of the parabolic almost complex structures admit (1, 2)-symplectic metrics.


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José R. Pérez Jiménez, L. V. Arroyo Cruz, V. J. Cruz-Soto (Instituto Interdisciplinario de Investigación, Universidad del Turabo). Tropical Bioprospecting Venture for Training in Biotechnology. Biotechnology is a field driving scientific and socioeconomic development for many countries. In Puerto Rico, a major biopharmaceutical manufacturing hub has developed. However, a better-prepared technical workforce is needed for progress and teachers need support to teach a continuously progressing field. The Tropical Bioprospecting Venture (TBV) pursues the improvement of technical Biotechnology education by (i) training high school teachers in fundamental biotechnology within a bioprospecting approach (summer workshop); (ii) adopting educational materials from NSF-ATE programs within local curricula and institutional identity; (iii) developing parents, faculty and students through a Tropical Biotech Forum (colloquium, and magazines); (iv) providing mentored technical and research experiences to students (pre-apprenticeships); and (v) disseminating outcomes to the community. TBV has provided a successful novel approach for integrated professional development of students, teachers, and community in modern biotechnology approaches. Fundamental knowledge guides development of emerging discipline for progress. Ultimately, this is an initial exploratory search (venture) for existing talents (tropical) to satisfy the community needs (bioprospecting) towards excellence.

Carmen Pintado Espiet (Universidad Metropolitana). Prácticas y estrategias para alcanzar el éxito en el desempeño de las Pruebas Puertorriqueñas de Aprovechamiento Académico: Estudio de Caso de dos escuelas elementales. The objective of this research was to study, explore, understand, document and describe two schools in the Department of Education of Puerto Rico with the successful classification: which indicates that they have never been improvement plan, to determine which leads to success the performance of the Puerto Rican Academic Achievement Tests. Qualitative methodology was used to design multiple case study to build a more complete and thorough study of the topic. The methodology focused on the study's central question: What practices and strategies used by the school to succeed in the PPAA performance and achieve Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP)? The data collection strategies used in this multiple case study were participant observation, document analysis and semistructured in-depth interview, influenced by the experiences and views of principals and teachers participating in the selected schools. By triangulating the data could be corroborated, develop research and provide schools with information on practices and strategies used by schools classified as successful. The study findings demonstrate the practices and strategies used by these schools to succeed in the performance of the PPAA. Some of these practices are: planning of teaching with the use of standards and expectations, the support of parents, the emphasis and monitoring the process for developing reading comprehension skills, the use of technology, strengthening constant positive students, respect the students and the positive atmosphere that encourages learning.

Graciela E. Quintero, S. A. Cantrell (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Molecular Identification of Airborne Fungal Spores Caguas and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Fungal spores are universal atmospheric components, found indoors and outdoors and recognized as important causes of respiratory diseases. Recent developments have emphasis to reduce visual identification in favor of more automated methods. The Allergenco Air Sampler (MK3) spore trap was used to capture airborne fungal spores. DNA was extracted directly from glass slide. For the assessment of the fungal community, the ITS region was amplified using primers ITS1F and ITS4A (for ascomycetes) and ITS4B (for basidiomycetes). Amplicons were cloned and


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sequenced in both directions with Big Dye Terminator on an ABI 3130 genetic analyzer. A total of 65 clones were analyzed, 37 for Caguas and 28 for San Juan. The majority of clones in Caguas and San Juan were basidiomycetes. In general, this study showed that PCR-based assays used in conjunction with conventional visual identification have potential as a method for detecting airborne fungal spores.

Yolanda Ramos Jusino (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). The potential of Thillandsia sp. to monitor PAHs from automobile sources in Puerto Rico. Transportation causes serious health problems of which most people are unaware. Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) containing matter are one of the precursors of such problems; it may enter the human body via the respiratory and digestive track, and the skin. Quantitative risk estimates of PAHs as air pollutants are very uncertain because of the lack of useful and reliable data. In Puerto Rico (PR) the PAHs impacts on marine environment are evidence of potential public risks. To form a basis for action against PAHs in the environment, frequent monitoring is essential. This work overviews the needs for PAHs monitoring and review how bromeliad Tillandsia sp can be employed in PR for this work where 15 species are found, the most abundant Tillandsia recurvata. Innovation and appropriate experimental design is required to attain this goal. These plants enhance data acquisition and consequently foster environmental risk assessment studies and sustainable development.

Roberto Carlos Reyes Carranza (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Homogeneity of Micro-rotation of Steinberg-Reissner and Eringen Models on a Neighborhood of Zero. The purpose of this presentation is to show the behavior of maximum value of micro-rotation vector 0 i Ω as a function of α (elasticity constant related with the microstructure) for Eringen Model II and Steinberg-Reissner Model (new theory of Cosserat plate) for micro-polar plates with moderate thickness, in particular exhibit the homogeneity property when the effect of the microstructure decreases gradually from 100% to get to be 0%. We used a special technique of the method of separation variables to obtain analytical forms of 0 Ω for the micro-polar plate boundary value problems. The differences in the systems corresponding to these plate models are due to the different orders of polynomial approximations of asymmetric stress, couple stress, displacement, and micro-rotation over the plate thickness.

Victor Emanuel Reyes-Ortiz, M. Reyes-Robles, R. R. Dávila-Torres, (Recinto de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Puerto Rico). Non-Hispanic Caribbean Adolescents’ Tobacco Profile: The Role of Parental Support in the Cigarette Use Intention of Adolescents. During adolescence smoking behavior is mostly associated with status improving among peers and to keep up social relations. These study aims to generate knowledge on tobacco consumption, especially emphasizing the identification of social factors related to parental support that are more prone to promote cigarette use among a sample of adolescents participating in the WHO Global School-based Student Health Survey in 2009. Transversal design study collected information among participants relating parental support and tobacco use. Results show that parental support is highly associated to cigarette use intention (p < 0.001). Cigarette use intention could be reduced by a factor of two or more only if parents could control adolescents’ absenteeism and poor sleeping. Parents support could significantly reduce the rate of cigarette use intention among adolescent population. Programs involving Saint Vincent Island parents as part of the health strategies could prevent the intention of cigarette use among adolescents.


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Michelle Reyes-Robles, M. Reyes-Robles, V. E. Reyes-Ortiz, R. R. Dávila-Torres (Recinto de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Puerto Rico). Non-Hispanic Caribbean Adolescents’ Tobacco Profile: The Role of School Community Support in Cigarette Use Intention of Adolescents. Schools are one of the most important settings for making health interventions among adolescents. School environment can greatly impact the health of its students including smoking and tobacco behaviors. These study aims to generate knowledge on tobacco consumption, especially emphasizing the identification of school community social factors that are more prone to promote cigarette use among a sample of adolescents participating in the WHO Global School-based Student Health Survey in 2009. Transversal design study collected information among participants relating social support and tobacco use. Results showed that perceived societal support is significantly associated to tobacco use (p < 0.001). Adolescents’ absenteeism, loneliness and the support offered by the members of school community increase the probability of tobacco use by 2.74, 1.60 and 1.20 respectively. Data analysis suggest that social support is one of the factors that could prevent the tobacco use in the adolescents in the Vincent Island.

A. Ríos, C. Rivera, R. Polanco, P. Fierro, G. Garcia, R. Roque-Malherbe (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo) Synthesis, Structure, Adsorption Space and Magnetic Properties of Ni-oxalic-acid Metal Organic Framework. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a fascinating group of hybrid materials. We synthesized a Ni-oxalic MOF applying the center and connection method for the creation of an extensive framework. The concrete metal node was Ni and the organic constituent was oxalic acid. To accomplish the objectives proposed in the title, the synthesized samples were studied by: thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectrometry (DRIFTS), Raman spectrometry (RS), a vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and adsorption of carbon dioxide at 273 K. A careful structural characterization was carried out to unequivocally determine the structure of the synthesized material. The DRIFTS, RS and a Pawley fitting of the XRD powder profiles indicate that the hydrated and in situ dehydrated polymorph presumably crystallizes in the monoclinic space group R1. Meanwhile, the TGA, CO2 adsorption and VSM data indicate that is a porous magnetic material.

Amarilys Rivera Nieves, R. Cordero Vázquez (Escuela de Ingeniería, Universidad del Turabo). Micro-Rotational Generator. Energy harvesting is a relatively new research area that extracts energy from the surroundings to power autonomous systems. This project is intended to generate energy while harnessing the rotational motion of high speed rotational motors for machine health monitoring. Wireless accelerometer-based sensors for detecting crack initiation on rotating shafts are typically limited by the battery finite lifetime. Miniature generators attached to rotating shafts can scavenge small amounts of energy for powering such monitoring systems. Electromagnetic induction approaches (using coils and magnets) have been widely described in literature for larger machines but few at the micro-scale. This research investigates a multiple-pole permanent magnet design with multiple-stacks of planar coils for energy generation without using Silicon-based processing at the micro-scale. Planar coils are manufactured from 18µm thick Copper-clad on 25µm thick polyimide.

Sarita Rodríguez Carreras (Escuela de Negocios y Empresarismo, Universidad del Turabo). Perspectiva de un grupo de supervisores sobre personas con Discapacidad Intelectual. This research presents the perspective of a group of supervisors about


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their experiences with employees who possess intellectual disabilities. Among the most salient findings was found that supervisors had previous experiences with people with intellectual disabilities, but these experiences had not marked their perspective on working with employees who possessed the diagnosis. Despite these experiences supervisors showed a lack of knowledge about intellectual disabilities and the laws that relate to the condition because they did not receive any education about the topic in college nor from the company. However their experience with employees with intellectual disabilities helped them learn. The supervisors expressed that the employees showed social skills and good work habits.

Edwar Romero, R. O. Warrington, M. R. Neuman (Escuela de Ingeniería, Universidad del Turabo). Powering Biomedical Devices with Body Motion. Energy harvesting from body motion is an alternative power source that can be used to energize miniature electronic biomedical devices. This technology can make it possible to recharge batteries to reduce the frequency of or eliminate surgeries to replace depleted cells. Power availability evaluation from walking and running at several body locations and different speeds is presented. Treadmill tests were performed on 11 healthy subjects to measure the accelerations at the ankle, knee, hip, chest, wrist, elbow, upper arm, and side of the head. Power was estimated from the treadmill results since it is proportional to the acceleration magnitudes and the frequency of occurrence. Available power output from walking was found to be more than 0.5 mW/cm3 for all body locations while being more than 10 mW/cm3 for the ankle and knee. Running results were at least 10 times higher than those from walking. An axial flux miniature electric dynamo using electromagnetic induction was evaluated for power generation. The device was composed of a rotor with multiple-pole permanent magnets positioned on an annular ring having an eccentric mass, and stacked planar coils as a stator. A 2 cm3 prototype was found to generate 117 μW of power from the generator placed laterally on the ankle while walking.

Rolando Roque-Malherbe, C. Lozano, R. Polanco, F. Marquez, F. Lugo, A. Hernandez-Maldonado and J. N. Primera-Pedrozo. (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Study of carbon dioxide adsorption on a Cu-nitroprusside polymorph. The TGA, DRIFTS and a Pawley fitting of the XRD powder profiles indicate that the hydrated and in situ dehydrated polymorph crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnma. Meanwhile, the CO2 isosteric heat of adsorption yields an average value of 30 kJ/mol. The somewhat high adsorption energy is probably due to the confinement of the CO2 molecules in the nitroprusside pores. The DRIFTS test for the adsorbed CO2 displayed a peak at about 2338 cm-1, that was assigned to a contribution due to physical adsorption of the molecule. Another peak found at 2362 cm-1 evidenced that this molecule interacts with the Cu2+, which appears to act as an electron accepting Lewis acid site. The aim of the present paper is to report a Pnma stable Cu-nitroprusside polymorph obtained by the precipitation method that can adsorbs carbon dioxide.

Carlos F. Rosa Vázquez (Escuela de Negocios y Empresarismo, Universidad del Turabo). Project to create linkage between the various business components in our communities that contributes to reduce the gap between the job in the private sector in the accounting area, and the preparation of these professionals from the University System Ana G. Mendez - SUAGM. The purpose of this hypothetical deductive study was to determine the gap between professional academic preparation of bachelor degree graduates of accounting programs at universities that are part of the


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University System Ana G. Méndez - SUAGM and the job offers in the private sector. Three populations were surveyed: students graduating from bachelor degree in accounting, accounting professors of the SUAGM universities, and Human Resource Managers in the private sector of employment. Six (6) dimensions and seventy-two (72) questions considering two categorical variables: importance and satisfaction. The study results showed dissociation between the very important and very satisfied, within and between populations. It was recommended alliances between University-Business of the private sector- Government Agencies and curriculum committees for the benefit of the components, specially our students.

Oscar Sáenz, M. Reyes (Escuela de Ingeniería, Universidad del Turabo). Action Research to Improve Math & Science Education. The Turabo Math and Science Alliance (AMCT) is a project funded by the “No Child Left Behind Act” of 2001, Title II-B. With the continuous support and guidance of the AMCT, ten teachers developed action-research studies in their schools during 2008-2009. Of the ten studies, eight were quasi-experimental, two were qualitative, and four utilized a control group. Four studies were in the field of mathematics and six in the field of science. The data collection tools were constructed by the teachers, reviewed, and validated by the AMCT. Six of eight studies reported statistically significant differences in their results; that is, the intervention generated improvements in the students’ academic performance. In addition, these studies made it possible to detect areas that require improvement in the professional development of elementary and middle school teachers of the Caguas Region in Puerto Rico.

Cesar R. Sobrino (Escuela de Negocios y Empresarismo, Universidad del Turabo). The Effects of Inflation Targeting on the Current Account: An Empirical Examination Empirical studies have found that inflation targeting leads to a fall in real interest rate, macroeconomic uncertainty, exchange rate volatility, and output volatility. Economic theory suggests that those elements should lead to a rise in investment and a fall in private savings. However, Rose (2007) reports very little association between current account and inflation targeting. This paper examines the effect of inflation targeting on current account. The results show that, consistent with economic theory, inflation targeting does negatively affect current account once global shocks have been properly accounted for. This evidence implies that exchange rate and balance of payment crises should not lead inflation targeting per se.

María M. Torres Colón (Escuela de Negoscios y Empresarismo, Universidad del Turabo). Evaluating OEE application in Puerto Rico’s industries and its benefits as part of a process improvement program. The purpose of this research is to find out how the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) application in Puerto Rico’s industries and its benefits as part of a process improvement process. The study will be conducted aimed by submitting a survey in the different industries sectors which are: manufacturing, medical devices, pharmaceutical, food, electromechanical and others. The questions included on the survey are structured in order to know the percent of industries that are using these metric and the advantages and disadvantages of OEE. Upon completion of survey, results will be analyzed and presented to all survey’s participants. It is expected to spread out knowledge about OEE on those industries that have lack of information.

Gloria Torres Cordero, D. L. Laureano Córdova, J. R. Pérez Jiménez (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Sulfidogenic communities across neotropical


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habitats. Sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) are considered a physiologically versatile anaerobic group biogeochemically relevant. To investigate the diversity of culturable sulfidogenic bacteria and their biodegradation potential among neotropical habitats, sediment samples from different ecosystems in Puerto Rico were enriched with different carbon sources. Anaerobic enrichment cultures from dwarf forest, mangrove and sabkah soil samples were established adding acetate, benzoate, butyrate, lactate or toluene separately as carbon sources. Controls for no carbon source addition and abiotic process were prepared. Bacteria capable of growing under each treatment were allowed to colonize and proliferate for four months at room temperature. The dissimilatory sulfite reductase gene (dsrAB) was employed as molecular biomarker to investigate the population of SRB that prevail for each environment under each specific carbon sources. The SRB communities were examined by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the dsrAB genes (dsr-TRFLP). The collection of TRFLP profiles provided 530 phylotypes. Greater sulfdogenic diversity was observed for mangrove site (216), than sabkah (212), and dwarf forest (102). About 1.5% of phylotypes were found across all samples for mangrove and sabkah; 17% for dwarf forest. The redox conditions that prevail in the forest preclude a higher diversity found in other sites. The initial responses of native SRB to added carbon sources seems to favor metabolism of complete oxidation (acetate, benzoate, toluene) rather than lactate, as shown by the Sørensen index . For a more detailed analysis, a new secondary enrichment culture and sequencing will be performed to isolate the SRB communities favored by the each treatment.

Valerie Vázquez Suárez, D. L. Laureano Córdova, J. R. Pérez Jiménez (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). Prevalence of Crenarchaeota Across Netropical Habitats. The crenarchaeota represent a prokaryotic group that can grow and tolerate extreme temperatures. More recently, crenarchaeal representatives were detected in mesophilic habitats from temperate environments. Our objective is to assess the community diversity of Crenarchaeota in neotropical environments. We hypothesized that the diverse crenarchaeota prevails across Neotropical ecosystems. Genomic DNA was extracted from soil or sediment samples collected at hypersaline environment microbial mats, mangroves across the island, caves, La Plata River, Jobos Bay estuary and the Yunque Rainforest. The 16S rDNA gene was amplified by a polymerase chain reaction with crenarchaeal specific primers for terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) community analysis. TRFLP resulted in a total of 370 phylotypes. Individual results for each sites: Yunque forest soil (65), La Plata river (7), mangroves [Isabela (52), Juana Díaz (39), Barceloneta (37), Humacao (6), Arecibo (18)], Jobos Bay (62) and Camuy Caves (8). For the microbial mats a total of 76 peaks were obtained, 65 for the green layer and 11 for the black layer. The Sorensen Similarity indexes range from 20 to 80% across sites. Diverse crenarchaeal group prevails across Neotropical habitats in Puerto Rico. TRFLP analysis can be a useful tool for the assessment and comparison of microbial communities between sites. The 16S rDNA-TRFLP revealed the diversity of the communities of Chenarchaeotas trough sediments in Neotropical along Puerto Rico. The overall crenarchaeal community was diverse across scales in the neotropical habitats (370 TRFS, representing 108 phylotypes.

Zeleida Vázquez-Rivera, M. Reyes-Robles, V. E. Reyes-Ortiz, R. R. Dávila-Torres (Recinto de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Puerto Rico). Gender Differences Role in the Development of Family Interventions for Tobacco prevention among Saint Vincent Adolescents. Since 2004 the USA have not made a significant progress in lowering the percentage of high school students who consume tobacco. Data from the WHO Global


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School-based Student Health Survey in 2009 was used to statistically describe what parents could do to prevent tobacco consumption among adolescents. Gender differences were assessed by using X2 and p value < 0.01. Results showed that gender differences, were observed for females using other tobacco presentations other than cigarettes and having smoked in the last 30 years. For this group parent understanding their problem did not stop them from consuming tobacco. In general for males adolescents parents support is more effective to stop them initiating, using other tobacco presentation or being smoking during the last month. In conclusion, once females have started smoking parents support lost power to prevent unhealthy tobacco behaviors. Male adolescents however seem to be more impacted by their parents’ social support and tobacco behaviors.

Jessica Velázquez (Escuela de Ciencias Sociales y Humanas, Universidad del Turabo). Una Mirada Foucaultiana al Discurso Médico y Religioso en la construcción de la subjetividad de la pareja infértil. En la siguiente investigación se presenta un estudio exploratorio cuya meta principal fue conocer, desde una perspectiva foucaultiana, el funcionamiento del discurso médico y religioso en la construcción de la subjetividad de la pareja infértil. Se analizaron las categorías epistémicas que determinaron dicha subjetividad y se examinó como ésta a su vez posicionó a las parejas ante la reproducción asistida. Se estudiaron las condiciones de producción de éstas prácticas discursivas (religiosas y médicas) en un intento de develar los funcionamientos del poder, sus dispositivos y sus efectos en la construcción de las subjetividades. La investigadora se interesó en explorar la formación de éstos discursos por diversas motivaciones. En primer lugar, por entender que dicho estudio tiene pertinencia teórica, es decir, representa la posibilidad de ofrecer una nueva perspectiva para el estudio del sujeto ante la diversidad de estructuras subyacentes (biológica, histórica, psicológica, política, económica y lingüística, entre otras). De modo, que se plantearía que no hay un sujeto trascendental y autónomo, a la manera Kantiana, sino que éste, es producido a través de dichas estructuras y sus redes discursivas. En segundo lugar, porque la información recogida a través de ésta investigación cualitativa es una vasta y profunda para dar cuenta de la complejidad del sujeto. De manera que se acentúa en las diferencias y no en las homogeneidades, logrando así apartarse las fibras que no tocan las cifras y procedimientos estadísticos, ocupados en estandarizar una realidad cada vez más heterogénea. Asimismo, la investigadora entendió que la comprensión profunda de los discursos sobre lo subjetivado viabilizaría una reflexión en los/as profesionales de la conducta para ayudar a desarrollar y a elaborar modelos de intervención más sensitivos a la otredad que, a su vez, fomenten la emancipación de éstos sujetos y de otras poblaciones atravesadas por los discursos hegemónicos.

Eileen C. Villafañe Deyack, L. M. Toledo López, M. Gómez Agosto, E. Emanuel (Escuela de Ciencias y Tecnología, Universidad del Turabo). The Physical Properties of Cryptosporidium Oocysts and their Adsorption to Solid Surfaces. The morphology and behavior of the oocyst wall is well reported in the literature. It was expected to behave as a colloidal particle but the addition of coagulants left the Zeta Potential of the oocysts unaffected. It is negatively charged and has biomolecules that enhance electrosteric repulsion with solid surfaces implying an absence of electrostatic energy barrier. The addition of divalent salts result in charge neutralization and conformational changes of surface proteins. It reduces repulsion, eliminating the Zeta Potential and allowing adhesion to solid ionic surfaces. In this paper, two alternative oocyst removal methods were reviewed: (i) the first one is granular filtration column using an external electric field and adhesion to a quartz filter in the presence of a divalent salt: (ii) the


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second one removes surface biomolecules with enzymes eliminating the electrosteric repulsive forces with quartz surface and behaving like colloidal models particle following the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theory: A third method will be performed at bench scale using zeolite as the removal method. This material only has positive ionic charges, since the surface of the oocysts only have negative ionic charges, it may be a good removal option for water treatment plants before the final distribution as potable water.

Santos Villarán-Gutierrez, M. Reyes-Robles, V.E. Reyes-Ortiz, R. R. Dávila-Torres (Recinto de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad de Puerto Rico) Gender Differences Role in the Development of Anti-Tobacco Health Campaigns in Saint Vincent Junior High Schools. Evidence of differences in global tobacco prevention programs outcomes between adolescent women and men, few studies have formally evaluated how school support correlates to tobacco use by gender. In this transversal study, school social support was correlated to the adolescents’ intention to use cigarette, intention to use other tobacco presentations different from cigarettes and to have smoked in the last 30 days. Results showed that for males social support is not significant for initiating cigarettes use. Likewise, the use of other tobacco presentation was not significantly associated to feeling sad or hopelessness. Males who smoked in the past 30 days were not associated to feeling sad or hopeless. In the other hand, female adolescents feeling lonely were not significantly associated to tobacco use, neither to have smoked in the last 30 days. For neither of the sexes the social support of the school members was significantly associated for the use other tobacco presentations different from cigarette. Conversely to males, all school social support factors were significantly associated for not initiating cigarettes use among female adolescents. In conclusion, gender differences were observed in the initiation of cigarette use, use of tobacco products and having smoke in the last 30 days.

Diego F. Villegas Bermudez, T. L. Haut Donahue (Escuela de Ingeniería, Universidad del Turabo). Collagen Morphology in Human Meniscal Attachments: a SEM study. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of meniscal attachments from five human knees was completed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Collagen fibers near to the meniscus appeared inhomogeneous in a radial cross-section view. The midsubstance of human meniscal attachments was composed of collagen fibers running parallel to the longitudinal axis, with a few fibers running obliquely, and others transversely. The bony insertion showed that the crimping pattern vanishes as the collagen fibers approach the fibrocartilagenous enthesis. There were no differences between attachments for crimping angle or length. Collagen crimping angles for all attachments were similar with values of approximately 22 degrees. Crimp length values tended to be smaller for the medial attachments (MA: 4.76±1.95 µm; MP: 3.72±2.31 µm) and higher for the lateral (LA: 6.49±2.34 µm, LP: 6.91±2.29 µm). This study will help to better understand the relation between the morphology and architecture of collagen and the mechanical behavior of meniscal attachments.

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IX Encuentro de Investigadores •Universidad del Turabo ...personas de diferentes disciplinas, países, culturas, sistemas de educación y lenguaje. El enfoque de esta presentación