Physiological Post-Partum Period

The Physiological post-partum period is a process in which important physiological, psychological and adaptive changes occur in the woman. It is a stage that begins with the delivery of the placenta. So, with the completion of childbirth, and lasts in time until the woman’s recovery. Throughout this process, a series of involution and repair processes occur, mainly of the genital apparatus, but involving all organs and systems until returning to the pregravid state. Because this series of processes are sensitive to health, there should always be nursing supervision. 

Maternal death is one of the fundamental indicators for measuring the socioeconomic level and health of the population. The World Health Organization defines maternal death (ICD 9) as the death of a woman while pregnant or within 42 days of pregnancy termination, regardless of the duration and location of gestation, from any cause related to or aggravated by the pregnancy or its care, but not from accidental or incidental causes. 

Late maternal death extends the period of inclusion between the 42nd day of delivery and less than one year after the end of gestation. It includes, therefore, those deaths occurring after the post-partum period, but in clear dependence on the gravid-puerperal state. 

Maternal Mortality Rates 

It should be kept in mind that for every woman who dies, there will be 10-15 women who suffer some type of serious complication. The maternal mortality ratio has been estimated at 2-15/100,000 live births. 

Maternal mortality rates are calculated using the risk of maternal death: death probability as a consequence of pregnancy, childbirth and puerperium. In developed countries, the possibility of death is 1/6000- 9000 gestations. 

The post-partum period implies that anatomical and functional changes return the woman’s body to its pre-gestational state. During this process, complications can occur that, on occasions, evolve into a fatal outcome and cause negative consequences for women and/or the newborn. 

Post-partum care is primarily based on providing a supportive environment for women, their babies and their families as they begin a new life together. It is not a specific situation at a given time, but a process that lasts over time. 

Care Models in the Physiological Post-Partum Period 

The currently known care models appeared at the beginning of the 20th century, in response to the high maternal mortality rate. For example, at the beginning of the 20th century, 3674 maternal deaths occurred, and the mortality rate was 564.7 deaths per 100,000 live births in Spain. Since then and up to now, there have been few significant changes, although there has been an important reduction in mortality. 

Post-natal care takes place in specialized and primary care, but mainly in the latter, since most of the post-partum period takes place at home, culminating in a post-natal assessment at 6 weeks. 

Institutions such as the World Health Organization report data with their corresponding recommendations regarding women and newborn care, due to the high morbimortality rate that currently continues to exist in the most depressed areas of the world. 

Therefore, women who give birth in resource-limited settings have more newborns admitted 24 – 48 hours after birth, increasing the risk of death and morbidity, and putting breastfeeding at risk in the first weeks of the post-partum period. 

The Post-Partum Period and the Preservation of Life 

In order to address the shortages in these areas of the world, it is essential to set up population care programs with post-natal visits to identify warning signs of future problems or diseases. With such programs, the approximate global lifetime risk of maternal death has been reduced considerably from 1 death per 73 women to 1 per 180. 

For this reason, the World Health Organization, and supported by other institutions such as UNICEF, UNESCO, among others, and based on real population data, proposes post-partum care of at least one post-natal visit within 24 hours of birth, and in the case of a birth at home, the first post-natal contact should be as soon as possible, and the mother and newborn should be assessed within the first 24 hours. 

Mortality Rate Prevention 

At least three post-natal contacts are recommended, so all women and their children should be evaluated at 48-72 hours and again at 7-14 days. 

The problem with post-natal care is that it is routinely given without individualizing the woman and her baby, losing care, quality and effectiveness, which entails generalized and persistent health problems after delivery, such as breastfeeding problems, among others. 

Post-natal care has focused mainly on assessing vaginal blood loss, uterine involution, blood pressure, temperature, duplicating examinations and consultations, with the added difficulty that, if not always done by the same professional, the woman receives contradictory advice, mainly on issues such as breastfeeding. 

Physiological Post-Partum Period on an Emotional Level 

Women and their families should be treated with kindness, respect and dignity, taking into account their privacy and where care is provided. Whether in a hospital, primary care practice or at home, a suitable environment must be created. Women’s beliefs and values and those of their families must be respected at all times. 

Women should be fully involved in the planning and care of post-natal care to meet their social, clinical and emotional needs. Along with those of her baby and her family. 

In general, for most women and babies, the post-natal period is not complicated. Care in this period is based on identifying any deviation from the expected recovery after birth in order to intervene appropriately. 

Good communication between health professionals and women and their families is essential. Women should be well-informed and understand post-natal care objectives and process. This should be supported by information based on current evidence and offered in a form tailored to individual needs. 

How Can Health Professionals Reduce Risks in the Physiological Post-Partum Period? 

As described in the article, the post-partum period is a risky and delicate situation that must be treated with immediate care. It is important to emphasize that beyond medical knowledge, health professionals must have the sensitivity and emotional skills necessary to provide adequate treatment to their patients. 

Specializing in a field such as childbirth is something that requires time and dedication. TECH Technological University is dedicated to providing high-quality education and, above all, integrity to its professionals. For this reason, it has dedicated a large part of its resources to its Faculty of Nursing, where it is possible to find high-quality specialization programs such as the Professional Master’s Degree in School Nursing and the Professional Master’s Degree in Nephrological Nursing and Dialysis. 

In addition, it allows its students the freedom to choose their study times accompanied by professionals in the field. Update and expand your knowledge today from the best in the field. Become a specialist in topics related to the Professional Master’s Degree in Post-Partum Care in Nursing. 

What is the News?

News is the most recurrent and also the simplest genre of journalism. But writing simply can be difficult. So it is with the news. Its apparent simplicity hides a complex production process that starts from the moment that a journalist decides that a fact merits publication and concludes when an individual reads those facts of interest in a newspaper. (Coelho, 2019) The structured dissemination of the news can be found as far back as 59 BC, when Julius Caesar, in Rome, decided that the records of the sessions of the Senate should be written out. These records were called Actas Diurnas, which were handwritten and posted on the walls of the region. The printing press was not perfected in China until the seventh century A.D., that is, seven hundred years later.  

In Europe, town criers, introduced with drums or wind instruments, were responsible for conveying the news – almost always an increase in taxes – via public readings. They were the announcers of that era, but not the journalists. It was not until 1440 that Johann Gütenberg developed movable-type, linking it to the printing press and ink. Nuremberg, Germany, was the first town to have a newspaper: a single sheet of paper.  

In 1620, 180 years later, Holland adopted the system. Somehow, we had to wait another eighty years to see the beginning of written journalism similar to what we know today. It was in 1700 with the publication of the Daily Courant in London, which was followed in the USA, the original cradle of journalism in America. In 1844 Samuel Morse created the telegraph. Immediately, the founding of different press bodies began, which became the immediate forerunners of the twentieth century newspapers.  

History of the News 

Different periodicals, and magazines appeared, among which American magazines such as “Time”, “Life” or “Newsweek” stand out due to their prominence and special style They represented and continue to represent peculiar types of print journalism that go beyond simple sales or prestige indexes. The forms that all these publications have followed over the years have indelibly marked a myriad of styles in the form and substance of writing and the dissemination of information or opinion.  

In the 1900s, William Marconi introduced wireless telegraphy; John Fleming and Lee de Forest developed the electronic tubes that made it possible to transmit sound. Almost simultaneously, the first regular radio station went on the air from San Jose, California, and became the forerunner of San Francisco’s powerful KCBS. (Coelho, 2019) From then on, the evolution of radio as a form of mass media was unstoppable. And it continues to expand, despite the gloomy predictions of those who considered television to be the primary enemy of broadcasting. 

At the beginning of this 21st Century, the pervasive power of TV is irrefutable; nobody can deny its popularity and effectiveness, based on several factors: the latest technology, its color, the image, satellite, cables that supplant antennas and provide incredible reception, its coverage of different topics, and its presence within the private world of the receiver. However, radio, as a medium distinct from TV, continues to maintain its own sphere of influence in broad sectors of society. This is also true of the written press, regardless of its recurrent nature. 

Definition 

Broadly speaking, “news” is a fact that is communicated. Each dictionary has its own definition, but it is difficult to find a precise one. News by its very nature is inherently perishable, which further complicates the search for a universal concept. Not to mention the diverse nature of the media (print, TV or radio), each one of them having their own internal organization and journalistic criteria for the fulfillment of their functions. What is news to some may not be news to others.  

A capital city is not the same as a rural environment or anywhere else in the world. In each case, the news is selected with the target audience in mind. (Valdés, 1987) What’s more: News ceases to be news by the mere fact of the passage of time. This is particularly true when it comes to radio or TV stations that broadcast around the clock or most of the available time.  

If the news is reiterated unchanged, it will not attract the attention of the target audience; hence the need to add new complementary elements, to readjust the information in order to fulfill the objective. On the other hand, for the written press or for a worldwide shortwave radio station that writes or broadcasts within a short time frame, an event that occurs in the morning may well be considered “news” in the afternoon edition of the newspaper or on the radio broadcast in the evening. 

Specific Features of a News Item 

It has been said that news is the telling of a story. The facts, their verification and progression are directly linked to a sequence of questions. If these are effectively answered, the underlying structure of the news is formed. Over the years, such problems have become the ABC of news journalism. There are six of them: What, who, when, where, how and why? Some authors add a seventh: What for? (Iranzo & Latorre, 2019)  

  • What?: As the name suggests, this is simply what happened. It is an essential element present in all news; the essence of it.  
  • Who?: This relates to the main character of the news. It can be a human subject, an institution, legal person or object that the fact is identified with.  
  • When?: This refers directly to the time frame. At what instant of the day or night, at what time, did the event that created the information occur, is it occurring, or will it occur?  
  • Where?: This is a determination of place. The place where the event originated, where the event is taking place or where the reported events will take place.  
  • How?: This establishes the salient facts of the event, without which the news could be incomplete and thus lead to a drop in the receiver’s interest.  
  • Why?: This refers to the causes, or grounds that gave rise to the event to be reported.  
  • What for?: This is related to the direct and sudden after-effects that the reported event may cause. The answer to this question runs the risk of leading the writer to fall into the trap of conjecture or speculation, which is not admissible in pure news. 

Mass Communication Process 

News will always have a presence within the multiple information channels that are used by professional journalists. Consequently, they must be completely au fait with the operation, scope and limitations of the news system. News is one of the main tools for mass communication, delivering timely and relevant information to the viewer. 

TECH Technological University is currently developing a broad educational portfolio aimed at ensuring the success of the modern professional. Within its Faculty of Communication and Journalism, it offers programs such as the Professional Master’s Degree in Fashion, Beauty and Luxury Business Communication and the Professional Master’s Degree in Communication Business Management. However, for those professionals seeking to master the field of mass communication, there is no doubt that the Professional Master’s Degree in Audiovisual Journalism is the program for them. 

What is Travel for Athletes?

Travel for athletes should be considered under certain recommendations to avoid affecting their physical condition. Whether traveling for pleasure or for competition, elite athletes should try to maintain a regular training and eating regime.

Regardless of where they are in the world, it will be vital to follow guidelines to help them adapt as quickly as possible to their new environment, as well as to reduce the nutritional stress associated with eating unfamiliar products and adjusting circadian rhythms to the local time zone.

There are certain practical strategies to mitigate performance problems associated with travel, jet lag, food intolerance and consumption of unsafe products that can cause gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea and dehydration. 

Athletes usually compete far from home, in places where food and customs are unfamiliar, so pre-planning is essential to ensure their performance. Just like competing at home, it is essential to create a plan to ensure that adequate food and fluids are available at the right time when competing away.  

One of the main mistakes we make is believing that everything we need will be there waiting for us as if by magic. This is because if athletes are not careful with their own training and eating plan, no one else will be. While there is no single perfect food/diet that will guarantee optimal performance, athletes must be educated on the best foods and fluids to consume and learn to choose for themselves. 

Eating Guidelines During a Trip 

Just as athletes pack their sports clothes, they should think about where, when and how they will be able to obtain the food and beverages necessary to meet their needs. The worst thing that can happen to an athlete while traveling is to become hungry and/or thirsty and not have anything on hand to satisfy those needs, so certain strategies can be implemented for eating on the road. 

  • Carry own healthy and easy-to-carry snacks (fresh fruits, fruit juices, crackers, rice salads, low-fat pasta and low-fat energy bars). 
  • Keep an eye out for unhealthy fats, certain creamy soups, floury pastas, mayonnaise-dressed salads and sauces on sandwiches that add unnecessary and generally unhealthy fat to the meal. However, broths rather than creamy soups may be preferred. These provide all the nutrients with a lot less fat, or use lemon-based dressing on salads instead of mayonnaise. 
  • Consume grilled, boiled, and roasted foods instead of fried or in sauces. Consume grilled, boiled, and roasted foods instead of fried or cooked in sauces. 
  • Order exactly what you want a la carte  
  • If you are traveling by plane, it may be advisable to contact the airline a few days in advance so that they can have the food we are interested in available. 
  • If you are traveling by plane, bring something to drink during the trip, because there may be a long gap between the take-off time and the moment you receive your first drink. 

Minimize Jet Lag 

The temporary disruption of circadian rhythms, known as jet lag, lasts until the person is able to fully adapt to the local time zone. Common symptoms experienced include poor concentration, irritability, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbances, disorientation, loss of appetite and gastrointestinal problems, so it is important to allow sufficient time to make adjustments for long-distance travel. 

It has been found to take 3 days to re-synchronize psychomotor performance rhythms after a westbound flight (from Germany to the USA); and curiously, 8 days were needed when flying in the opposite direction (eastbound). Jet lag is suffered even by the most accustomed travelers. Most of them do not have to run, jump, climb, throw or swim when they reach their destinations. Jet lag can produce a feeling of sickness, reduce appetite, and disrupt normal sleep, usually appearing in two ways: 

  • Trips that involve small but consecutive trips, causing slight but multiple variations in usual eating patterns. 
  • Trips involving a long commute that crosses multiple time zones, causing a major change in eating and sleeping habits. 

Athletes should never postpone an intake when the sensation of hunger appears, so they should always have a snack on hand to fill the stomach until they can have a normal meal. 

Recommendations for Small, Consecutive Time Zone Changes (Phase Shifts) 

  • Eat meals at regular times, once you have arrived at your new destination. This will help to adapt to the local schedule quickly and adjust to the new time zone. 
  • Drink plenty of fluids. Aircraft cabins are known to be dry, and dehydration can cause problems such as headaches or constipation. 
  • Alternate light meals with heavy meals prior to the flight. The stress of travel may slightly increase protein requirements. Eat a high-protein breakfast and a low-protein, high-carbohydrate dinner after the flight. 
  • Avoid caffeine until the end of the flight. Because of its diuretic nature, it can increase water loss in an already dehydrating environment. 
  • Avoid alcohol before, during and after the flight. In addition to the negative metabolic alterations caused by alcohol, its diuretic effect is well known and may increase dehydration. 
  • Engaging in social activities or exercise after the flight will help you tune in to local customs more quickly and reduce stress associated with travel. 

For Long Phase Changes 

  • Arrive at the destination at least 1 day earlier for each time zone crossed. For flights crossing more than 6 time zones, allow a minimum of 4 days and preferably 1 week to return to a normal circadian rhythm and sense of well-being. On certain occasions, cost and scheduling constraints may force athletes to arrive as early as possible. Here it will be important to get the local habit standards as quickly as possible and to have as much rest as possible. 
  • Exercising and participating in social activities upon arrival at the new location will help athletes familiarize themselves with the new environment, reducing stress associated with travel and facilitating adjustment – Maintain regular sleeping and eating schedules upon arrival at the new destination. The sooner you are able to eat and sleep following the local schedule, the sooner your body will be able to adapt. 
  • Continue to eat and drink frequently before, during and after the trip. Bring a meal plan for every 3 hours with snacks from home for the beginning of the trip and look for a good place to buy food once you arrive at your destination. 
  • If athletes have any food restrictions due to allergies or intolerances, it is advisable to carry a card written in the language of the country they are traveling to and to show that card at the places where they are staying and where they eat. 
  • Increase protein intake. Travel-induced stress may slightly increase the protein requirement. 

Athlete Preparation 

In sports, there are several aspects to be taken into account that can affect the professional practitioner’s health. It is therefore necessary for coaches to have full knowledge and tools to deal with these situations. During flights, due to the pressurization and depressurization caused by changes in altitude, various processes need to be carried out in order to manage this situation adequately. In order to acquire this knowledge, it is necessary for professionals to have the relevant academic specialization that allows them to fully understand the field. 

TECH Technological University is one of the best institutions currently offering digital education. This has been achieved through the constant expansion of its educational portfolio focused on professional success. In the case of its Faculty of Nursing, postgraduate programs such as the Professional Master’s Degrees in Nursing Management and in Legal and Forensic Medicine stand out. On the other hand, for those professionals seeking to complement their education with topics such as the one reviewed in this article, there is no doubt that their best choice will be to take the Professional Master’s Degree in Sports Nutrition in Special Populations for Nursing. 

Flavor Creation 

Around 2000 different flavor-creating chemicals are commonly used in the flavor industry, with 3000 even more in experimental or occasional use, representing the most important category of raw material flavors in terms of impact on the finished product. 

Artificial and natural flavors, used for experimental flavor creation, are mixtures of chemical compounds recognized as safe for use in food and solvents, e.g. water, ethanol, propylene glycol, triethyl citrate, benzyl alcohol and triacetin, etc., or powdered flavor-passing carriers such as salt, maltodextrin, dextrose, necessary to produce the flavor in the desired form and concentration. In each country, the list of chemicals varies according to its regulations. 

Aromatic Chemicals in Flavor Creation 

The flavor industry initially put a great deal of effort into trying to duplicate nature through the use of natural and synthetic chemicals. Natural chemicals derived from natural sources had serious limitations, especially when the flavor was obtained from fruits, vegetables, Maillard reactions or enzymatic processes, due to low flavor levels. 

Another disadvantage of using composites is seasonal availability and high material costs. In addition, very often, flavors isolated from nature do not work well, due to unstable components indigenous to the aroma as in the case of the essential oil of bitter almond oil, which contains a quantity of cyanide, a chemical very dangerous for human consumption.  

Flavor composition, once the chemicals involved in flavor production in food and flavor classification were known, could be precisely controlled, as could their aromatic profiles and physical form designed to meet specific consumption requirements or manufacturing parameters and their constant supply, which ensured a reasonable cost. 

Flavor Industry 

Therefore, it seems that the flavor industry will have great value in the future. This perspective helps working chemists, who are broadly developing sources and product classification, to define ingredients and most foods of the moment. Nowadays, the classification of chemicals tends to be used to know the flavor constitution whether natural or artificial, e.g., head notes in most meat, some fruit flavor components such as ethyl vanillin, guaiacol, mirecene, etc.  

Artificial and Natural Flavors 

Around 2000 different flavor chemicals are in common use in the industry, and 3000 even more in experimental or occasional use, representing the most important category of raw material flavors in terms of impact on the finished product. Most synthetic chemicals are the result of chemical research; some have not been found in nature. 

Chemical research has continued with the synthesis of chemicals related to those discovered in nature. Flavor chemicals can be subdivided into several categories based on their structure: aliphatic hydrocarbons, alicyclic hydrocarbons, terpenes, aromatic hydrocarbons and heterocyclic hydrocarbons. Each category can be further subdivided into functional groups, alcohols, aldehydes, acetals, ketones, acids, esters, sulfur compounds, nitrogen compounds, hydrocarbons, ethers, oxides and lactones etc. They can also be identified by their odor type and end uses. 

The chemicals named in this text represent only a fraction of the total chemicals used, i.e., to analyze each class of compounds in detail would require a book in itself. The objective is simply to draw attention to the enormous variety of chemicals as well as their classification that can be derived from chemicals.  

Functional Groups 

The specific chemical properties of an organic molecule derive mainly from groups of atoms known as functional groups. These groups are attached to the carbon backbone, replacing one or more of the hydrogens that would be present in a hydrocarbon. An -OH (hydroxyl) group is an example of a functional group. When hydrogen and oxygen are covalently bonded, an outer electron of the oxygen is left over, becomes unpaired, and can then be shared by an outer electron that similarly became available on a carbon atom, thereby forming a covalent bond with the carbon.  

A compound with a hydroxyl group replacing one or more of the hydrogens of a hydrocarbon is known as an alcohol. As such, methane (CH4), in which a hydrogen atom is replaced by a hydroxyl group, is transformed into methanol or wood alcohol (CH3OH), which is a pleasant-smelling, toxic compound, notable for its ability to cause blindness and death. Similarly, ethane is transformed into ethanol (C2 H5 OH), which is present in all alcoholic beverages. Glycerol (C3 H5 (OH)3) contains, according to its formula, 3 carbon atoms, 5 hydrogen atoms and 3 hydroxyl groups.  

Functional Groups in Flavor creation

Certain functional groups are of major interest for flavor creation, knowledge of which makes it easier to recognize particular molecules and predict their properties, such as carboxyl (CO-OH), which gives a molecule the properties of acid. Alcohols, thanks to their polar hydroxyl groups, tend, for example, to be soluble in water, while hydrocarbons such as butane, which have only non-polar functional groups such as methyl groups, are highly insoluble in water.  

Aldehyde groups are often associated with pungent odors and flavors. Smaller molecules with aldehyde groups, such as formaldehyde, have unpleasant odors, while larger ones, such as those given by vanilla, apples, cherries and almonds, usually contain characteristic aromas that tend to be pleasant to the human sensory apparatus.  

Solvents 

Solvents are normally used in liquid flavors. In many cases the ingredients are not able to form a homogeneous mixture without the use of a solvent. It is also difficult to dose accurately, and highly concentrated flavors are then dispersed in the final products. Some of the solvents are not regulated as solvents, but are regulated as flavor ingredients. Care should be taken with the level of use in these cases. Some popular solvents are listed below:  

Propylene Glycol 

It is an inorganic liquid, usually a colorless oily liquid. It is probably the most widely used solvent in the creation of flavors, especially in flavors focused on confectionery, beverages, dairy, carbonated beverages, alcoholic beverages. In beverages it is recommended in combination with ethyl alcohol.  

Ethanol 

This material is widely used for the creation of flavors, such as beverages, because it can be easily diluted with water. 

Triacetin 

It is not very soluble in water, but over time it hydrolyzes to form glycerol and acetic acid. It also has advantages as a solvent because it is quite strong and has a plasticizing effect on chewing gum. This solvent can be used with good results if water solubility is not necessary, when other solvents are too weak to dissolve some of the ingredients.  

Glycerol 

Glycerol can impart some heat and flavor stability using ethanol as the main solvent. The material is water soluble and especially useful in natural extracts, although it is not normally used alone.  

More Information on Flavor Design 

The field of flavor creation is multidisciplinary, recent and with a lot of potential. It combines knowledge of nutrition, chemistry, gastronomy and even management and leadership. At TECH Technological University we have for you the Professional Master’s Degree in Flavor Design. This program will allow you to incorporate the theoretical and practical developments you need to reach the elite of gastronomic creators.  

Among the programs related to nutrition, we offer the Professional Master’s Degree in Nutritional Genomics and Precision Nutrition, focused on the most recent developments in the individualized study of the human genome. Also the Professional Master’s Degree in Food Safety, one of the most demanded for the future. 

Methods of Conservation of Animal Genetic Resources 

To understand the methods of conservation of animal genetic resources (AnGR), the first step is to know their status, i.e., to inventory the animals in each of the populations. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) 2001 has been promoting this registry, but there are many breeds whose status is unknown. This varies from one region to another and from one species to another, both in mammals and birds.  

The Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources and the Interlaken Declaration establishes “characterization, inventory and monitoring of associated risks and trends” as strategic priority area 1. This field establishes “measures that provide a consistent, efficient and effective approach to the classification of animal genetic resources, as well as the assessment of trends and risks”. These measures are:  

  • Make an inventory of the populations, their specific situation and their trend.  
  • Extend the characterization of the different populations by storing information on the different individuals and populations that is equivalent in the different breeds.  
  • Promote policies and action plans that strengthen the monitoring of population trends at the institutional level, using identification, registration and genealogy systems.  
  • Promote the collaboration of all for the realization of the inventory, taking into account producers, associations and researchers.  
  • Undertake international cooperation activities for the inventory of transboundary breed populations and those populations that have similar production systems.  
  • Enhance global and regional information systems and networks for inventory, monitoring and characterization.  
  • Establish early warning and response systems for endangered breeds. 

Legislation on animal genetic resources 

This decree establishes the renewal of the Official Catalog of Spanish Livestock Breeds, which contains the official list and classification of livestock breeds recognized and used in Spain for their economic, zootechnical, productive, cultural, environmental or social interest, and which follow a breeding program. They are categorized into various groups, thus allowing management in terms of their risk status and population trend analysis:  

  • Endangered native breeds: originated in Spain and are in serious regression.  
  • Integrated breed in Spain: established in Spain more than 20 years ago with sufficient census for an improvement program and yield control, and known genealogy.  
  • European Union breed: recognized by one or more EU member states with sufficient census for a breeding program and control of known yields and genealogy.  
  • Breeds from third countries: established in Spain, adapted to the ecosystem, with productive and economic interest, with sufficient census for an improvement program and control of known yields and genealogy.  
  • Spanish synthetic breeds: developed in Spain through crosses between breeds with a productive objective in an improvement plan and not included in previous categories. 
  • Other registered equids: breeds that do not belong to previous categories. 

The breeders’ associations of the different breeds and domestic species are in charge of collecting data on the individuals of the populations through the official stud book. These books must meet a series of characteristics: 

Minimum content 

  • Characteristics of the breed: denomination, breed prototype and qualification system.  
  • Animal identification method  
  • Division of the genealogical book  
  • Enrollment Requirements  
  • Measures to ensure filiation  
  • In a new generation book: duration of enrollment time for founding animals 

Identification methods animal genetic resources 

  • Individual identification according to species  
  • Complementary identification if applicable: tattoo, fire, electronic identification, genetic markers, etc. 

Division of the genealogical book  

  • Main section  
  • Registration of births: all animals of both sexes that meet the following requirements  
  • Definitive registration: all breeding animals that meet the following requirements  
  • Attached sections  
  • Foundational registry With deadline in those books of new creation or with very few specimens in which individuals with the characteristics of the breed are admitted and with the objective of the conservation of the population.  
  • Auxiliary Record. Unregistered individuals or their offspring that conform to the prototype and exceed the minimum qualification scores may, in some cases, be incorporated for the sake of breed conservation. Record of merit: animals of the main section with outstanding characteristics. 

Registration in the books of animal genetic resources

  • Main section. It depends a little on the regulations of each book, but in general:  
  • Descendants of parents and grandparents registered in final registry  
  • In equids, descendants of individuals from the auxiliary registry crossed with individuals from the definitive registry.  
  • There must be an official declaration of mating, artificial insemination, embryo implantation and declaration of birth.  
  • Must have official identification – Established affiliation  
  • Auxiliary registration. The association may register individuals not registrable in the main section:  
  • Female: identified, conforming to breed prototype and minimum performance criteria.  
  • Male: in some very specific cases  
  • Exceptional cases:  
  • Females whose mothers and grandmothers are registered in the auxiliary register; father and two grandfathers in the main section will be registrable in the main section.  
  • Animals from the auxiliary registry that are subsequently tested for parentage to individuals from the main section with genetic markers.  
  • Individuals from another EU member state who meet specific regulations. 

Affiliation  

  • Officially recognized control mechanisms such as genetic markers  
  • Random sampling among the individuals of the different farms, especially in those produced by assisted reproduction, and mandatory control in the cases of: 
  • Males participating in individual controls  
  • Improving animals  
  • Artificial insemination breeding males or natural mating males if there are several herds. 

Conservation in situ of animal genetic resources

Conservation programs contemplate various mechanisms classified mainly into two types: in situ and ex situ (in vivo and in vitro). Most breeding programs maintain in situ conservation programs, while ex situ conservation is established in fewer programs. Global data (128 countries) are as follows: for at least one species, 84% have in situ conservation programs, 63% have ex situ in vivo conservation programs and 55% have ex situ in vitro conservation programs. By region, the situation is as follows:  

  • Africa: 40 countries report to FAO stating that 70 % have in situ conservation programs, 48 % have an ex-situ in vivo conservation program and 30 % ex situ in vitro.  
  • Asia: 20 countries report to FAO that 90% have in situ conservation programs, 80% have ex situ in vivo conservation programs and 65% have ex situ in vitro conservation programs.  
  • Southwest Pacific: 7 countries report to FAO that 71% have in situ conservation programs, 29% have ex situ in vivo conservation programs and 14% have ex situ in vitro conservation programs.  
  • Europe-Caucasus: 35 countries report to FAO stating that 100% have in situ conservation programs, 69% have ex situ in vivo conservation programs and 86% have ex situ in vitro conservation programs.  
  • Latin America-Caribbean: 18 countries reported to FAO that 83% have in situ conservation programs, 72% have ex-situ in vivo conservation programs and 61% have ex situ in vitro conservation programs. 

Diversity and control in livestock 

For the veterinary professional it is of high importance to take a field as an expertise, in addition to their basic knowledge. This can be optimally achieved through educational qualifications, however, it must take certain factors into account. Entry into a field such as animal husbandry requires a broad knowledge, not only of wildlife, but also of the environment. For this reason, the choice of your course should be selected carefully. 

TECH Technological University has focused on designing programs that respond to the needs of modern professionals. This allows them to have full knowledge and capacity to face the diverse situations that arise in their profession. In the case of its Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, programs such as the Master in Veterinary Food Safety and the Master in Minimally Invasive Surgery in Small Animals stand out. However, for those professionals seeking to expanding their knowledge the Fields of livestock farming, there is no doubt that their best choice will be to opt for the Master’s Degree in Extensive Livestock Farming Management. 

Contribution of indigenous breeds 

At the present time, there is serious concern about the future of the planet. The growing need for animal food for the human population means that a large part of land is used for this purpose. It is estimated that 26% of ice-free land area is used for livestock grazing, while 33% of arable land is used for livestock feed production. The contribution of indigenous breeds plays a crucial role in the development of this practice, as we will see in this article. 

Therefore, the impact of livestock farming on the landscape is undeniable. Another point related to this issue is that in certain areas, especially in developed areas, the abandonment of traditional livestock farming – involving native or local breeds, many of which are at risk of extinction – leads communities to abandon the care of pastures and rangelands that form well-established ecosystems in these areas. This represents a double threat to biodiversity, due to the loss of livestock culture and the damage to the ecosystem.  

All this leads to the fundamental concept of the sustainability of livestock production, seen from different points of view: economic, social, ethical and ecological. A sustainable livestock system can be defined as one that is economically viable and bearable in terms of labor requirements. As well as social requirements, which implies that it is a transmissible knowledge in terms of generational succession, as well as reproducible in the long term, from an environmental point of view. Extensive systems of different livestock species can be adjusted to this sustainable model. Economic viability will depend on the income generated by production, government subsidies in many cases, and complementary activities such as tourism and ecosystem conservation work. 

Sustainability 

In sustainability, we must take into account several specific factors:  

  • Traditional farming systems: old is not always anachronistic and can be adaptable with new technologies.  
  • Zootechnical/genetic value of livestock populations and their influence on ecosystems.  
  • Income evolution, working conditions, social recognition, quality of life, etc.  
  • Production quality and market positioning.  
  • Use of the land for complementary activities: rural tourism, hunting, forestry, etc.  
  • Rural development policies and cooperation of all stakeholders: landowners, ranchers, farm workers, private and public agricultural institutions, as well as environmental protection organizations.  

In Europe, therefore, extensive livestock farming helps to fix population in disadvantaged areas, which due to their characteristics, do not lend themselves to other economic productions. 

Adaptation of Populations to the Environment 

Livestock populations in extensive farms are clear examples of adaptation to the environment. In this regard, extensive farms are characterized by:  

  • Use and maintain ecosystems and their diversity.  
  • Use poor and difficult areas that are not susceptible to other uses: high mountain pastures are used thanks to transhumance.  
  • Fertilize the soil by activating the recycling of its nutrients.  
  • Control shrub vegetation that helps in the prevention of forest fires.  
  • Maintaining humanized landscapes, an adequate stocking rate increases grass cover with better quality, favoring its diversity and the microfauna associated with it. Pastures are an important part of the municipalities and are a fundamental economic resource in small towns.  
  • Fix the rural population. 
  • Collaborate with productive diversification: non-forestry uses such as beekeeping, hunting, mushroom and fruit gathering and others such as leisure and tourism.  
  • Preserve genetic diversity thanks to the diversity of adapted breeds.  
  • They use sustainable resources, with low feed and fuel costs.  
  • Preserve animal welfare. 
  • Have an undisputed ethnographic value. 
  • Food products are of high quality; the fat composition is much healthier due to the way cattle are fed. Many of them are recognized through labels and appellations of origin.  
  • Use protected natural areas. 

Conservation of Extensive Ecosystems 

As mentioned above, extensive systems have great advantages due to their adaptation to the environment, but there are also many disadvantages that must be overcome. Thus, the current challenges are as follows:  

  • Maintain the resilience of ecosystems by managing the factors that may affect them, such as the presence of nutrients, soil characteristics and the biomass of the species present.  
  • Be able to adapt to constant environmental changes.  
  • Conserve ecosystem species including livestock using appropriate management practices.  

In many areas of the planet, livestock are integrated into natural or humanized ecosystems, but in many of them their specific impact is not sufficiently known. It is essential to integrate these populations in a sustainable manner, which requires research:  

  • The influence of livestock on pasture composition, fertilizer reduction, nutrient balance and the possibility of maintaining a multi-species pasture.  
  • The influence of livestock on natural vegetation and fauna diversity.  
  • Interactions between animals and plants in order to optimize landscape management.  
  • The production and nutritional value of the species present in pastures to integrate them into livestock production.  

Agroecology aims to link ecological processes and local resources for the development of sustainable agriculture and livestock farming. Good livestock management will result in good agroecosystem management, while poor use can lead to major damage, such as habitat degradation, pollution, and ecosystem abandonment, etc. 

Livestock Utilization and Fire Prevention 

Within the complementary activities to extensive livestock production, fire prevention can provide a natural solution to an important problem in some areas. These zones are generally rural areas where land abandonment has led to the degradation of pastoral ecosystems. The clearing of combustible mass, in addition to herbaceous and shrubby plants, makes the spread of fires more difficult. Different animal species can be used for this purpose.  

Various species have been used: small ruminants, sheep and goats, with the goat being the species most used for these purposes worldwide. Cattle and horses have also been used. Small ruminants have the disadvantage of a smaller bite, while cattle have a preference for grasses. The ideal would be a combination of species: goats and horses. 

Instead of horses, donkeys can be used, which is one of the species that has suffered the most from technological change in agricultural work and has become critically endangered in many breeds in Europe. Both species consume a wider spectrum of plant species that contribute to a better cleaning of the area. 

The veterinarian and livestock farming 

Livestock farming is currently a very complex field due to the cost of the natural resources it requires. However, it is still a crucial practice for human beings, both financially and in terms of food. For this reason, new techniques must be implemented to allow this practice to be carried out while reducing its ecological impact. 

TECH Technological University seeks to engage with social impact in modernity. It is for this reason that many of its programs respond to the needs of both professionals and the world at large. A case in point is the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, where postgraduate courses such as the Master in Aquaculture and the Master in Equine Rehabilitation can be found. However, for those professionals seeking to complement their basic education with the area of livestock farming, there is no doubt that their best choice will be to opt for the Master’s Degree in Extensive Livestock Farming Management. 

Population Enhancement Programs

Breeding programs are usually the responsibility of the breeders’ association(s) for that breed. In some cases, they may be the responsibility of public or private institutions. In Spain, they must be officially recognized and must ensure the maintenance of the Herd Book, the implementation of selection programs and the dissemination of improvement, among other things.  

In any breeding program, or in this case, the first step is knowledge of the breed. The populations that follow a selection program are populations that are not in danger of extinction, with genealogical books that have been established for generations and with historical data collected on their production. Therefore, when establishing a selection program or a revision thereof, the first step is a thorough review of the history and current situation of the population, its production system, census and geographical distribution, which will allow us to establish the objectives and selection criteria and a schedule for the implementation of the program, among others. 

Selection Objectives 

A selection program usually establishes an overall selection objective and a number of specific objectives. In the case of beef cattle in extensive systems, normally native breeds adapted to their environment, the general objective usually reflects the search for the ideal animal, an animal with good meat yield, in a sustainable manner and adapted to the environment, taking advantage of the strengths of the breed.  

Other breeds, more specialized in meat production and with an international character, have other objectives. It must be taken into account that these breeds and their selection program have been in place for several generations, so the situation and production is different. In the case of some of them, such as the Limousin breed or the Blonde d’Aquitaine breed, they follow the specifications of an international program known as IBOVAL. This is the case of the Asturiana de los Valles breed, a native Spanish breed that is used in extensive systems in several Spanish geographical areas and has even been taken to other countries with a good adaptation.  

Its general objective is “the differential increase of productive efficiency, maintaining hardiness and improving maternal qualities within its usual environment”. Other Spanish native breeds have different general selection objectives depending on population conditions. Thus, the general objective of the Rubia Gallega breed is to “improve the productive efficiency of this breed, which is based on obtaining quality meat from a calf slaughtered before 10 months of age and raised in a specific production system, with a natural lactation of around 7 months from birth”. 

Limousin and Charolais 

The general objective of the Limousin breed in Spain is “to increase the productivity and profitability of purebred and industrial crossbred herds”, while that of the Blonde d’Aquitaine breed is “to improve the productive efficiency of this breed and to contemplate the simultaneous improvement of meat aptitudes and maternal qualities, taking into account the characteristics of the environment in which the cattle are raised”.  

The Charolais breed aims to “increase the economic profitability of the Charolais breed by improving the traits associated with such profitability: growth rate, meat conformation, maternal aptitudes and fertility.4 5 This general objective is translated into specific objectives for each breed. Thus, in the Asturiana de los Valles breed, the following are found:  

  • Improvement of maternal aptitude, which can be defined as the cow’s capacity to become pregnant, have a calf with an easy calving, with great growth capacity and good qualities to raise it.  
  • Maximize the amount of meat sold per calf.  
  • Minimize loss of biological efficiency by monitoring related reproductive traits. 

Avileña-negra Ibérica 

In the case of the Avileña-Negro Ibérica breed, there are some established objectives and others to be incorporated in the short and medium term. Those already developed are:  

  • Improve the quantity of quality final product per breeding female. 
  • Improve the productive capacity of traits associated with profitability and efficiency in their means of production. 
  • Improving milk production without detriment to genetic growth potential (females).  
  • Improve weaning weight without decreasing the milk production potential that the male transmits to his daughters (males).  
  • Improved weight and growth rate in animals destined for fattening.  
  • Improve carcass conformation and maintain the optimum fat cover within the carcass typology marketed under the PGI “Carne de Avila”.  
  • Improve the overall carcass weight and yield of animals destined for meat production.  
  • Improvement of female fertility. 

Galician blonde 

In the Rubia Gallega breed, the specific objectives are:  

  • Obtain ease of delivery.  
  • Achieve the average daily gain during the preweaning period on the farm.  
  • Increase the maternal capacity of the mothers and the growth capacity of the calves.  
  • Conformation of live animals, meat yield, carcass and meat characteristics. 

Limousine 

In the Limousine breed, a very wide range of selection objectives associated with the selection criteria is established:  

  • Maintain the birth easiness.  
  • Preserve the inherent bone fineness of the breed, which results in easier calving, easier births and a higher carcass yield, as well as a higher butcher yield at cutting.  
  • Increase growth potential, achieving heavier animals in less time. 
  • Improve carcass conformation to achieve higher yields and a greater proportion of noble pieces of higher economic value. Thus, it would result in a higher value for the animals.  
  • Conserve the maternal and fertility characteristics.  
  • Raise individuals with a docile character  
  • Detect through genetic evaluation those animals that provide desirable traits and use them as breeding stock. 

Stock improvement programs: selection criteria 

A selection criterion is a morphological, productive, reproductive or behavioral parameter that can be quantified and is associated with one of the breed’s selection objectives. In some cases, the selection criteria are a combination of different parameters, generating what is known as a composite index. In the case of Asturiana de los Valles, two types of selection criteria are used:  

  • Production criteria:  
  • Ease of delivery  
  • Birth weight  
  • Weaning weight (180 days)  
  • Preweaning daily gain  
  • Carcass weight  
  • Channel Conformation  
  • Morphological criteria  
  • Final rating  
  • Butcher format  
  • Testicular circumference  
  • Raised  
  • Curvature of the buttock  
  • Body length  
  • Croup lengths  
  • Dorsolumbar line  

Avileña-Negra Ibérica classifies the productive life in three phases with the following criteria:  

  • Preweaning Phase  
  • Weight at weaning, associated with an economic value: Kg weaned per cow per year (herd productivity).  
  • The Postweaning Phase  
  • Weight at 365 days old  
  • Growth at 365 days old  
  • Slaughter phase  
  • Carcass weight  
  • Channel performance  
  • Channel greasing  
  • Channel conformation 

Livestock care from the veterinary point of view 

Adequate livestock development is based on building diversity and variety within a cattle group. This procedure must be carried out carefully taking into account the different characteristics of each breed and their strengths and weaknesses. It is there where the need for a professional with extensive knowledge in the field becomes present, thus adjusting the necessary information to the needs of those who require it. 

TECH Technological University currently offers the largest educational portfolio in digital form. This has enabled it to position itself as one of the best choices for professionals seeking to specialize in various fields. A clear example of this is the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, which offers postgraduate courses such as the Master’s Degree in Veterinary Nutrition and the Master’s Degree in Biology and Technology of Mammalian Reproduction. Although they are excellent options to complement your basic education, there is no doubt that if your interest is in the bovine domain, your best decision will be to opt for the Master’s Degree in Extensive Livestock Management. 

Digital generation


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Digitalization and the arrival of new eras have allowed human beings to advance by leaps and bounds. The new generations learn faster and in other ways and this is due to the easy access to information they have. For this reason, categories are created where each of the groups of human beings in the different technological eras are enclosed, confronting them with their different ages. Analyzing the digital generation is key, and gives us a broad overview of this phenomenon that applies to all of us.

Internet and the new generations

The emergence of the Internet created a vast, new and revolutionary network that encompasses more and more functions every day. It facilitates and extends the possibilities of a new form of communication, leading to what is now known as the digital era. This implies a development and a distinction between people who are connected and those who are not. Isidro Catela wrote a book with the aim of understanding the keys to the digital era. He was especially concerned about the lack of knowledge he had when it came to educating his children, who spend hours connected to the Internet.

This is due to what he calls the “digital divide”. Due to the generation gap, parents who are gradually learning the new technologies, do not know how to deal with the education of their children who are digital natives. This distance and generational change is not the same as before, which only affected the clothing or speech of adolescents. A real rupture has taken place, a singularity, an event that changes things in such a way that there is no turning back.

Reference is made to the arrival and rapid spread of digital technology in the last decades of the 20th century. The new generations behave, think and process information very differently from their predecessors. Thinking patterns are no longer the same. Currently, any student, whatever the course, spends more time in front of a screen than in front of a book. Moreover, in Spain, 60 percent of the population watches TV while using the computer.

Technological impact

There are many intermediate levels between indifference, voluntary digital fasting and hikikomori. This refers to the addictive and pathological use of new technologies. When Catela says to change its name to “bunker generation”, this is because depending on the degree of addiction, young people may not leave the room.

The latest studies on the influence of new technologies on young people refer to the aforementioned addictions. However, they also refer to the psychological changes that are developing or, rather, accentuating. For example, attention deficit disorder; a study of 1,400 children between 4 and 10 years of age, i.e. the digital native generations, has shown that there has been a 40% increase in the number of cases. This in comparison with the generations of twenty years older.

This is due to the fact that, because the new generations are born with new technologies, these lead them to the acceleration of time and to want everything at the moment. When they have to perform a task of concentration that requires more time than normal (such as studying, doing exercises) they are not able to stay long.

Concentrating too much on a single task is contrary to the lifestyle they are focused on. In fact, it is also clear that when a young child is bored or doesn’t have what he wants, he starts crying. Immediately most parents give them their cell phone or turn on the TV to distract them. This behavior and this new way of educating means that children do not learn to live with boredom or not to be constantly distracted.

Building an identity through the Internet

There are studies that determine to what extent the Internet influences the creation of personalities in digital natives. For Roxana Morduchowicz, “at present, the social life of young people takes place between two spheres; the virtual/online, in the links they establish in cyberspace, and the real/offline in the world of their face-to-face relationships”.

His study confirms that, contrary to popular belief, new technologies do not isolate young people, but are a new form of socialization where they create their own networks through the Internet, and establish blogs or chat rooms as their channels of information, communication and interact

The conclusion is that this new youth sociability, which involves adolescent identity and their social life through new forms of communication, is very important throughout their adolescence, and that they are also positive in a way, since they offer them alternative channels to the traditional ones: school, cafeterias, parties, etc.

For most teenagers, digital media is the place where they can give free rein to their identities, to their way of being. For them, according to their perception, it is a space that belongs to them. In addition, other experts on the subject and scholars on the influence of these new media in the digital generation, such as Garcia Canclini, also support the position that the Internet does not limit the relationship between digital youth, arguing that decisions that were previously taken later, such as family independence, have now been advanced because new technologies allow young people to see a more distant horizon earlier.

Psychology and Technology

Morduchowicz (2012) says that “The absence of physical image and the annulment of the corporal dimension allow adolescents to talk about themselves with less inhibition, with greater authenticity and avoiding the face-to-face and the evaluative judgment of their parents, because the Internet generates in them new sensations of freedom and autonomy, which they rarely experience in other spheres of their daily life.

Somehow, young people feel that there are no limitations on the web; it is possibly the only space where they feel truly independent. For this reason, it is becoming increasingly clear that a new youth culture is being created, where young people are developing new ways of studying, having fun, etc. Relationships that used to take place in movie theaters, arcades, bars, discos, among many others, are increasingly taking place in blogs or social networks.

Thus supporting Morduchowicz’s theory, who, as we have seen, argues that the new technologies do not deprive young people of relationships or isolate them, but rather have generated a new way of communicating and relating between people. In fact, there are now many tools available to relate to others.

In conclusion, new media and technologies are not mutually exclusive but complementary. Although the boundaries between offline and online are not very well defined by teenagers, because they enter and leave both universes very easily, and sometimes these two realities overlap, they can be in the virtual world and still be connected to the real one. Other times, even though they are in the real universe, they tend to always have an open connection with the virtual one.

The professional and the technological revolution

For TECH Technological University, this new-age boom is so important that it devotes a large part of its efforts to strengthening its students in this approach. To this end, it has designed a variety of specialized programs, such as the Master’s Degree in Marketing Management and Political Communication and the Master’s Degree in Cultural Journalism en Periodismo Cultural, clear examples of its Faculty of Communication.

However, for those professionals interested in exploring new technologies and how they are applied to the field of journalism and communication, there is no doubt that the best professional option is the Master’s Degree in Multimedia Journalism.

Approaches and models of vocational guidance


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It is interesting to note that, although from its beginnings vocational guidance has been defined as a process of assistance for professional choice and development, for many years vocational guidance was limited only to the moment of choosing a profession. In the theoretical order, the different approaches and models of vocational guidance that are being built reflect the conceptions of their authors about motivation and its expression.

Another interesting aspect to highlight in the development of vocational guidance is the tendency of authors to use the terms vocational guidance and career guidance indiscriminately. Three positions can be found in this regard:

  1. Those who use the terms vocational or professional orientation interchangeably without differentiating between them.
  2. Those who differentiate the terms considering that vocational guidance is that which takes place during the period prior to the student’s entry into a vocational training center, while career guidance refers to the assistance provided to the student once he/she has entered a vocational training center.
  3. Those who consider that vocational guidance refers to helping the student to form a vocation, very close to evolutionary conceptions (vocational training) while professional guidance refers to the information provided to the student about the different careers for which he/she can apply at the time of choosing a profession (professional guidance) in the professional activity.

Vocational psychology

In guidance, rather than speaking of theories, we speak of approaches, referring to the set of theoretical foundations that are given in vocational psychology. According to Crites criteria, the following classification is presented:

  • Non-psychological approaches, which attribute vocational choice to factors external to the individual that are difficult to control, such as: casual or fortuitous factors, economic factors or sociological factors.
  • Psychological approaches emphasize the internal elements present in the individual’s vocational choice.

According to different authors this vocational choice will be understood as:

  1. A one-time event. This assumption is held by the following approaches: trait and factor approach, psychodynamic model, psychoanalytic approach and needs approach.
  2. A developmental process. Therefore, we no longer speak of vocational choice but of vocational development, which generates the idea of career education. This idea is advocated in two approaches: the self-concept approach (Super’s) and evolutionary or developmental approaches (Ginzberg and the decision-making approach).
    • Global and integral approaches, which integrate psychological, social and economic trends of vocational behavior. They understand vocational development as a complex process to be assumed holistically. Under this approach, the following models are included and explained: socio-psychological model of P.M. Blan, J.L. Holland’s typological model, Donald Super’s socio-phenomenological approach, J.D. Krumbeltz’s social learning approach to decision making and Dennis Pelletier and his collaborators’ activation approach to vocational and personal development (ADVP).

Non-psychological approaches

Theory of Chance

The basic assumption is that vocational choice is due to chance: a career is chosen without prior thought, purely by accident. Vocational choice occurs as a consequence of a series of unforeseeable events and circumstances.

This way of explaining vocational choice sometimes has its application in the choice made by some people, who choose based on accidental circumstances and an external locus of control. It is necessary that these casual factors be controlled to the maximum, trying to minimize their influence on the vocational choice. The main representatives of this theory are: Miller and Form (1951).

Economic factors

The basic assumption is that the freedom of individuals to choose occupations is subject to their economic benefits. Guidance, according to this approach, consists of providing information on labor market conditions. To this must be added the training required to meet the demands of a job vacancy and the cost of training. Representatives: Castaño. In conclusion, the economic factor alone does not explain a vocational choice, but it does have an influence.

Sociological factors

Cultural and sociological theories of vocational choice state that the most important factor determining an individual’s choice is the influence of culture and society, and that individuals’ goals are in line with the values they have adopted (as in cultures where marital and vocational choice is defined by parents or following a pattern of family history).

The individual learns that certain kinds of work are more desirable from a social point of view than others. He is also influenced by his parents and the community in which he lives. On the other hand, the school, after the family, is probably the most important agent of socialization and vocationalization.

Through it the individual acquires a series of values that directly influence the vocational choice. The family is another factor, the acceptance, concentration or rejection that it gives to the occupations has a great influence on the subject’s choice.

Psychological approaches

Trait and factor approach

The basic assumption is to match personal traits to the requirements of a profession. This is the first model of vocational choice based on the approaches of Parsons:

  • Each subject belongs to a unique model of stable traits that can be measured and quantified.
  • Each occupation has a unique pattern of measurable trait requirements needed to perform an occupation successfully.
  • It is possible to combine individual traits with the requirements of the job, it would be a matter of matching those with the demands of the occupations.
  • The better the match between traits and requirements, the more satisfied the individual will be in his or her chosen occupation.

Another representative of this approach is Williamson, who defends the need to make a diagnosis as an essential element of counseling. He distinguished four types of subjects, faced with the vocational decision, on the basis of the diagnosis:

  • Those who feel unable to make a choice.
  • Those who show doubts or insecurity in making decisions.
  • The prudent to choose.
  • Those who present disagreement and discrepancy between their capabilities and the requirements of the occupations.

It also determined the phases of the orientation assistance:

  • Analysis (information gathering).
  • Synthesis (coherent structuring of data).
  • Diagnosis (review and contrast of data).
  • Prognosis (prediction).
  • Guidance (individual help to achieve adjustment).
  • Follow-up (continuous support of the subject)

Vocational guidance training

For the education professional, constant training and updating of their past knowledge has become a necessity. This has been made possible through various methods, including the virtual one. In addition to expanding their field of work, the professional acquires new knowledge and tools for social construction. For this reason, the education professional seeks to expand his knowledge in his field every day.

At TECH Technological University, every day new information is developed to be taught to students. This is the case of the Faculty of Education, where you can find specializations such as the Master’s Degree in University Teaching and the Master’s Degree in Bilingual Education in Early Childhood and Primary Education. Despite being excellent options, for those professionals interested in tutoring and vocational guidance focused on their students, there is no doubt that the best option to build this future is the Master’s Degree in Vocational and Professional Guidance.

The scientific method in veterinary medicine


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The scientific method in veterinary medicine is part of the innate process that the professional must perform in the diagnosis of an animal patient. This procedure can take a long time, and it is necessary to be careful with each of its steps. The wrong result of this procedure could be catastrophic, and put the patient’s health and life at risk. For this reason, those professionals who have more direct contact with these procedures specialize in the field, eliminating the possibility of human error.

The research

Research is an organized technique used to obtain an adequate solution to a problem. It involves a reflective thinking process in which tools, instruments and procedures are used. This process begins with the collection and analysis of data or facts that allow decisions to be made to reach a solution to a problem.

It is a quantitative work that implies dedication and perseverance. Research does not require a mastery of specialized vocabulary or extensive knowledge of experimental or statistical techniques, although it does require a critical attitude and the ability to think clearly and in an organized manner.

As mentioned above, research begins with the identification of a problem, although it can also be the generation of a good idea, to which the study will provide an answer. Normally, this problem is expressed as the working hypothesis or as a specific objective.

The researcher must justify the study to be carried out, and must be able to determine whether it is relevant and viable, for which he/she needs to know the topic and establish the appropriate theoretical framework. Therefore, in the first phase of the research, the appropriate type of study must be selected to answer the question and to establish a basic structure.

Then, the aspects related to the study population (selection and criteria, number, study groups), the variables (measurement and instruments), data collection and the analysis strategy should be specified. It should be borne in mind that the usefulness of a research study is evidenced by the practical application of its results. Therefore, adequate dissemination of the work is recommended, as well as its inclusion in international databases. This is so that it can be located and evaluated by other professionals.

Research classification

Research can be classified in different ways. This is determined by the method applied:

  • Experimental. In which a variable is modified by means of a controlled experience and the changes produced are observed.
  • Predictive or prognostic. Its purpose is to predict the future action of investigated factors (trends, correlations), so that the knowledge acquired can be used as a basis for further research.
  • Descriptive. It is the discovery of facts followed by an adequate and correct interpretation of the data (it is not enough to simply obtain the data).
  • Exploratory. It is carried out with the purpose of obtaining a better prior knowledge of some facts.

The research can also be classified from a practical point of view into:

  • Basic or fundamental: its purpose is pure science and it is carried out to increase the body of scientific knowledge. Through its results, advances in science are produced.
  • Applied: this is oriented research that does not seek to provide new scientific knowledge, but rather to facilitate the practical application of existing knowledge.
  • Technological development: aims at achieving new methods, procedures, technologies and patents.

Necessary conditions for conducting research

In order to carry out research work, the conjunction of a series of elements is required, among which the following can be mentioned as necessary:

Personnel

Every research program requires adequately qualified personnel, in numbers and dedication in accordance with the study to be carried out. The researcher must have a series of qualities: thoroughness, reliability, patience and willingness, as well as encouragement during the development of the research, which is generally obtained from the relationship with other researchers and teamwork.

Infrastructure

This refers to the material and facilities required to carry out the planned research. Their amount, provision and characteristics are highly variable. They condition to a certain extent the type of research that can be carried out.

Sources of information

All research requires knowledge, study and criticism of the publications that have been published on the topic to be investigated. Currently, access to information is not an obstacle for hospital pharmacists to carry out research, as a result of the ease of connection to documentary data banks and to the bibliographic collections of hospitals, industry and universities.

Financial resources

The maintenance of quality lines of research requires sources of funding for the projects undertaken. Traditionally, the source of this funding in the biomedical area has been the hospitals themselves, the pharmaceutical industry, the state, private foundations and professional organizations.

This is unevenly distributed over time. Incorporation into supranational projects also facilitates access to community funds for programs of special interest.

Research environment

The place where the research is carried out must have not only the necessary structure, but also a work environment that allows the research professional to be sufficiently motivated, increasing his or her efficiency and productivity.

Research methodology

The mere observation of situations where unresolved difficulties appear is the origin or embryo of a problem to be investigated. Once the existence of this need is established, the reflective process begins with the identification of a specific problem, the study of which requires the following activities to be carried out beforehand:

  • Analyze all existing information on the topic, either previously known or from previous research or that which is being carried out at the time the topic is selected.
  • Identify possible contradictions with the experience.

This is the time to determine whether the problem is worthy of study and can be approached with the available resources. If so, the next step is to define the problem.

Specify it in detail and with precision, so that its implications are made clear and its limitations highlighted, often making it necessary to review previous studies to determine exactly what needs to be done. To do this, it will be necessary to individualize it, distinguishing it as far as possible from analogous issues that may be connected with it.

Optimal and professional processes

For the modern professional, the fact of following the scientific method to the letter will provide him with countless important tools for the development of his work. In addition to ensuring that each of the results and processes dictated by it are correct and reach the highest possible point of welfare in the animal patient.

TECH Technological University offers a broad portfolio of educational services to professionals in this area. These can be found within its Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, where specializations such as the Master’s Degree in Equine Rehabilitation and the Master’s Degree in Medicine and Surgery in Exotic Animals can be found. However, for those professionals interested in entering the scientific field directly related to the area of animal welfare, there is no doubt that the best option is the Master’s Degree in Veterinary Clinical Trials.