European marine omics biodiversity observation network: a strategic outline for the implementation of omics approaches in ocean observation

Marine ecosystems, ranging from coastal seas and wetlands to the open ocean, accommodate a wealth of biological diversity from small microorganisms to large mammals. This biodiversity and its associated ecosystem function occurs across complex spatial and temporal scales and is not yet fully understood. Given the wide range of external pressures on the marine environment, this knowledge is crucial for enabling effective conservation measures and defining the limits of sustainable use. The development and application of omics-based approaches to biodiversity research has helped overcome hurdles, such as allowing the previously hidden community of microbial life to be identified, thereby enabling a holistic view of an entire ecosystem’s biodiversity and functioning. The potential of omics-based approaches for marine ecosystems observation is enormous and their added value to ecosystem monitoring, management, and conservation is widely acknowledged. Despite these encouraging prospects, most omics-based studies are short-termed and typically cover only small spatial scales which therefore fail to include the full spatio-temporal complexity and dynamics of the system. To date, few attempts have been made to establish standardised, coordinated, broad scaled, and long-term omics observation networks. Here we outline the creation of an omics-based marine observation network at the European scale, the European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON). We illustrate how linking multiple existing individual observation efforts increases the observational power in large-scale assessments of status and change in biodiversity in the oceans. Such large-scale observation efforts have the added value of cross-border cooperation, are characterised by shared costs through economies of scale, and produce structured, comparable data. The key components required to compile reference environmental datasets and how these should be linked are major challenges that we address.</jats:p

Pre-Operative Cognitive Functioning and Inflammatory and Neuroendocrine Responses to Cardiac Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive functioning is linked to cardiac mortality and morbidity, but the mechanisms underlying this relationship are unclear. PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between pre-operative cognitive functioning and post-operative inflammatory and neuroendocrine responses in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. METHODS: One-hundred ninety-three outpatients were screened to assess their cognitive function using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) on average 30 days prior to CABG surgery and provided blood samples for the measurement of interleukin (IL)-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP) and saliva samples for the measurement of diurnal cortisol. Participants were followed-up 4-8 days following surgery for the repeat measurement of IL-6 and CRP and 60 days after surgery for the measurement of diurnal salivary cortisol. RESULTS: Patients with low cognitive function (MoCA < 26) prior to surgery reached higher IL-6 concentrations in the days after surgery (β = -0.212, p = 0.021) and had greater cortisol output across the day 2 months after surgery (β = -0.179, p = 0.044). CONCLUSIONS: Low cognitive functioning is associated with a more negative pattern of biological response to surgery, indicative of poorer physical recovery. These pathways may contribute to the links between cognitive function and cardiovascular pathology

European marine omics biodiversity observation network: a strategic outline for the implementation of omics approaches in ocean observation

Marine ecosystems, ranging from coastal seas and wetlands to the open ocean, accommodate a wealth of biological diversity from small microorganisms to large mammals. This biodiversity and its associated ecosystem function occurs across complex spatial and temporal scales and is not yet fully understood. Given the wide range of external pressures on the marine environment, this knowledge is crucial for enabling effective conservation measures and defining the limits of sustainable use. The development and application of omics-based approaches to biodiversity research has helped overcome hurdles, such as allowing the previously hidden community of microbial life to be identified, thereby enabling a holistic view of an entire ecosystem’s biodiversity and functioning. The potential of omics-based approaches for marine ecosystems observation is enormous and their added value to ecosystem monitoring, management, and conservation is widely acknowledged. Despite these encouraging prospects, most omics-based studies are short-termed and typically cover only small spatial scales which therefore fail to include the full spatio-temporal complexity and dynamics of the system. To date, few attempts have been made to establish standardised, coordinated, broad scaled, and long-term omics observation networks. Here we outline the creation of an omics-based marine observation network at the European scale, the European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON). We illustrate how linking multiple existing individual observation efforts increases the observational power in large-scale assessments of status and change in biodiversity in the oceans. Such large-scale observation efforts have the added value of cross-border cooperation, are characterised by shared costs through economies of scale, and produce structured, comparable data. The key components required to compile reference environmental datasets and how these should be linked are major challenges that we address

Ética, derechos humanos e interculturalidad

Este pequeño libro recoge algunas conferencias que se dictaron en el Seminario Internacional ÉTICA, DERECHOS HUMANOS E INTERCULTURALIDAD que se realizó en el Centro Regional Universitario de Coclé, del 16 al 20 de noviembre de 2015. Podemos decir que los Derechos Humanos son vulnerados, sólo hay que ver los medios informativos para darse cuenta de ello. La convivencia pacífica cada vez se tensa más; como humanistas debemos reflexionar sobre esto. En este estado de cosas, las humanidades juegan un papel importante, en educar para la civilización y no para la barbarie, educar en el sentido heurístico de la palabra. Donde se interiorice el conocimiento humanista, la Ética y los valores para una sociedad equitativa. Donde todas y todos gocemos plenamente de nuestros derechos

Nación y nacionalismo en América Latina

Hace cerca de doscientos años se produjo la oleada revolucionaria en Hispanoamérica que sirvió de preámbulo a la construcción de Estados nacionales en la región, en una época en la que ese fenómeno político apenas despuntaba en el escenario internacional. Las profundas mutaciones de las sociedades occidentales que anunciaban la erosión del Antiguo régimen y la recomposición de fuerzas que se operaba en la geopolítica mundial mostraba consecuencias incluso en el mismo suelo europeo, en el que el ímpetu bonapartista se sintió en territorio español, dando lugar a un interregno que ayudó a precipitar el desarrollo de un proceso de amplias repercusiones para la descomposición del régimen colonial español

Movimientos sociales en America Latina : perspectivas, tendencias y casos

Este libro aporta tres cuestiones importantes: primero, explora la riqueza y variedad de los movimientos sociales en América Latina; segundo, ilustra la amplia gama de enfoques y perspectivas que existe entre los estudiosos actuales de la protesta latinoamericana; tercero, muestra que el continente tiene su especificidad propia en el estudio de los movimientos sociales, en diálogo con la academia norteamericana y la europea. Sin lugar a dudas, la presente antología resultará de especial interés a todos los pensadores y pensadoras con una visión crítica de la política, la historia y los movimientos sociales latinoamericanos. Sidney Tarro