A Contested Revolution

Review of: Collapse V: The Copernican Imperative, Damien Veal (editor), Urbanomic, Falmouth, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-9553087-4-1

Farmer crop variety mixtures to cope with disease epidemics in the common bean cropping system of the Ecuadorian highlands

Abstract 1. Common bean variety mixture diversity: a farmers and scientific view of its contribution to the highlands agroecosystem sustainability in Ecuador. Common bean has been for long time the most cultivated legume for direct consumption in Ecuador. It is still cultivated mostly in traditional agroecosystems, in which farmers have implemented a series of management strategies to maintain crop sustainability. By linking participatory diagnosis, crop diversity assessment, and disease evaluation in the field, we established rationality of famers’ practices for the climbing common bean cropping system in the highlands of Ecuador. Climbing common bean is primarily grown intercropped with maize in a variety mixture strategy involving high genetic diversity. Two different types of variety mixtures are intercropped with maize in Cotacachi (north Ecuador): Chacra, a late maturing type of growth habit IV and Allpa an early maturing type of growth habit I, II, and III. In Saraguro (south Ecuador), only Chacra variety mixtures are cultivated; however, Popayán (Phaseolus coccineus) is often part of Chacra variety mixtures. Common bean cultivation in the intensified approach in Cotacachi and Saraguro aims food security by a better food provision of Chacra and Allpa types along the year, and by buffering biotic and abiotic constraints, which is achieved by planting genetically diverse variety mixtures. A negative association was observed between variety mixtures richness and evenness with rust epidemics. Farmers were knowledgeable about mixture diversity, mixture benefits, and pest and disease epidemics. They were able to name in an analytical way most components of variety mixtures, they perceived inter-specific diversity (intercrop) and intra-specific diversity (variety mixtures) reducing pest and diseases epidemics. Farmers also perceived evident differences among diseases, disease transmission, and disease resistance and its durability. However, as expected and reported frequently in literature, farmers associated disease origin with disease conducive conditions such as rain and clouds. Resistance and its durability are for farmers closely associated traits; resistant for farmers is absence of disease, which was easily detected in Phaseolus coccineus, which is a case of nonhost resistance or marginal host.Abstract 2. Resistance to Uromyces appendiculatus in common bean variety mixtures in the highland of Ecuador Common bean in Ecuador is cultivated in a centre of crop diversity in an ancient agroecosystem, with high intraspecific diversity and traditional crop management strategies. In these conditions, the crop has adapted to important diseases such as rust (Uromyces appendiculatus), one of the most important constraints of common bean in Ecuador. To adapt the crop to biotic constraints, farmers have adopted variety mixtures as the key crop management strategy. In this study, we characterized resistance to rust operating in variety mixtures, for which 67 Cotacachi and 65 Saraguro lines were derived from variety mixtures. These lines were studied at the seedling stage with representative Ecuadorian isolates of U. appendiculatus, and were complementarily evaluated in field experiments in Cotacachi, Saraguro, and Gualaceo. At seedling stage, 31 different resistance genes were identified in Cotacachi and 38 were identified in Saraguro. The pathogen population has already adapted to these resistance factors and therefore they are not useful for conventional plant breeding. However, efficiency of resistance of these resistance factors varied significantly, suggesting that some of them are durable. In addition, resistance genes identified at the seedling stage significantly explained resistance in the field. Partial resistance (PR) also complementarily explained resistance in the field, especially for Cotacachi lines. Both, resistance genes and PR dynamically operating in a close relationship with U. appendiculatus evolution has created a high mixture effect that has reduced common bean vulnerability in the highlands of Ecuador.Abstract 3. Common bean variety mixture intensification: a sustainable and resilient approach to improve food security in the highlands of Ecuador. Farmers in the highlands of Cotacachi-Ecuador have implemented variety mixture intensification to improve food security and sustain cultivation of common bean. The late-maturing Chacra belonging to growth habit IV and the early maturing Allpa belonging to growth habits I, II and III are planted together with maize in the same plot. The former type is planted with maize in the same planting site and the later type is planted between maize/Chacra plants. The effect of this intensification approach on pest and disease development, yield (kg/ha), and 100 seed weight were studied in Cotacachi (highland) and Tumbaco (valley). The land equivalent ratio (LER) index was used to establish the effect of the intensified approach on productivity (yield). In Cotacachi, LER of Chacra in any biotic constraint or climatic condition was higher than 0.5, being favoured in any condition by the intensification approach. Allpa on the other hand was slightly affected by the intensification approach at high rust and ALS epidemics, with a LER slightly lower than 0.5. Loss of Allpa due to disease epidemics was compensated by better performance of Chacra. In favourable conditions at low disease severity, LER of both Chacra and Allpa reached around 0.75, showing that Chacra and Allpa have co-adapted to the intensification approach. In Cotacachi, intensification was a compensatory system at high disease pressure, while a synergic system in favourable conditions. In Tumbaco, on the other hand the intensification approach was competitive, Chacra performed much better in the mixture than Allpa reaching a LER of around 1; however, Allpa performed better than Chacra as sole crop. Result of this study allowed us to conclude than Chacra is better adapted to the highland, while Allpa is better adapted to lowlands; and therefore, Allpa has been introduced to the highlands, and already co-adapted with Chacra, creating a compensatory and synergic system

Wireless intelligent sensors based in nanostructures with energy self-sufficiency to study the consequences of high temperatures in combustion motors

In this research are proposed the consequences of high temperatures in Internal Combustion Motors (ICM) as correlation of its performance according to give information of the ICM fault detector, which also can be useful for preventive maintenance. It was possible to achieve the proposed target because of it was designed a smart sensor based in nanostructures prepared over Anodic Aluminum Oxide (AAO) samples, which proportionated short response time and high robustness in the measurement tasks of the smart sensor, as well as, the designed sensor has the possibility to work by energy self-sufficiency and sending the measurement data to external users by wireless. In fact, it is waited that this research could be a support for researchers of ICM enhancement, who could look for new techniques of environment conditions cares in compensation to keep the balance between the useful energy obtained from ICM and the environment conditions, where are developed economical activities such as public transport or mining in Peru

Water-content related alterations in macro and micro scale tendon biomechanics

Though it is known that the water content of biological soft tissues alters mechanical properties, little attempt has been made to adjust the tissue water content prior to biomechanical testing as part of standardization procedures. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of altered water content on the macro and micro scale mechanical tissues properties. Human iliotibial band samples were obtained during autopsies to osmotically adapt their water content. Macro mechanical tensile testing of the samples was conducted with digital image correlation, and micro mechanical tests using atomic force microscopy. Analyses were conducted for elastic moduli, tensile strength, and strain at maximum force, and correlations for water content, anthropometric data, and post-mortem interval. Different mechanical properties exist at different water concentrations. Correlations to anthropometric data are more likely to be found at water concentrations close to the native state. These data underline the need for adapting the water content of soft tissues for macro and micro biomechanical experiments to optimize their validity. The osmotic stress protocol provides a feasible and reliable standardization approach to adjust for water content-related differences induced by age at death, post-mortem interval and tissue processing time with known impact on the stress-strain properties

La regulación del régimen de separación de patrimonios en las uniones de hecho

La presente tesis que se desarrolla titulada LA REGULACIÓN DEL RÉGIMEN DE SEPARACIÓN DE PATRIMONIOS EN LAS UNIONES DE HECHO ha sido realizada en base a diferentes fuentes bibliográficas, así como un trabajo de campo que han servido de apoyo para cumplir con los objetivos trazados. Esta tesis presenta una nueva visión del concubinato, siendo entonces un tema de gran interés ya que hasta la fecha no se ha regulado sobre el mismo, y que urge por razones de índole personal o económica, ya que para las relaciones convivenciales no matrimoniales nuestros legisladores no han tenido mayor preocupación por una regulación amplia y detallada respecto de las familias constituidas por las uniones de hecho. En el Perú, el concubinato es un fenómeno latente, porque como realidad cultural y sociológica ha existido tanto en el derecho pre colonial como colonial. Sabido es que una gran parte de quienes no deciden en contraer nupcias rechazan la formalidad del matrimonio, es decir, huyen del estatus de cónyuge y del régimen que la ley dispensa a éstos, de los derechos y sobre todo de las obligaciones que les impone. Sin embargo cuando apelan a la protección del ordenamiento lo hacen en la medida en que los propios intereses no han podido enfrentar y resolver sus diferencias y sienten que deviene necesaria la intervención del Estado para evitar un derroche inútil de energías que no conducen a nada. En esa medida, si la primera opción de los convivientes es evitar la aplicación de la disciplina matrimonial, resulta a todas luces contradictorio e insostenible que los cónyuges si pueden organizar su patrimonio accediendo a la figura de la separación de bienes, y los consortes no casados queden, paradójicamente, sometidos a un régimen propio del matrimonio, perdiendo los espacios de libertad que quisieron mantener al vivir sin haber contraído nupcias, por ello la interpretación del artículo 326 del Código Civil como norma imperativa carece de solidez, de razonabilidad, escapa a la naturaleza del concubinato y a la decisión de quienes optaron por compartir techo sin casarse. Debe privilegiarse la opción de quienes conviven sin casarse a fin de reconocerse el derecho de ordenar su patrimonio con plena libertad.Tesis de segunda especialida

In vivo T1ρ and T2 mapping of articular cartilage in osteoarthritis of the knee using 3T MRI

SummaryObjectiveEvaluation and treatment of patients with early stages of osteoarthritis (OA) is dependent upon an accurate assessment of the cartilage lesions. However, standard cartilage dedicated magnetic resonance (MR) techniques are inconclusive in quantifying early degenerative changes. The objective of this study was to determine the ability of MR T1rho (T1ρ) and T2 mapping to detect cartilage matrix degeneration between normal and early OA patients.MethodSixteen healthy volunteers (mean age 41.3) without clinical or radiological evidence of OA and 10 patients (mean age 55.9) with OA were scanned using a 3Tesla (3T) MR scanner. Cartilage volume and thickness, and T1ρ and T2 values were compared between normal and OA patients. The relationship between T1ρ and T2 values, and Kellgren–Lawrence scores based on plain radiographs and the cartilage lesion grading based on MR images were studied.ResultsThe average T1ρ and T2 values were significantly increased in OA patients compared with controls (52.04±2.97ms vs 45.53±3.28ms with P=0.0002 for T1ρ, and 39.63±2.69ms vs 34.74±2.48ms with P=0.001 for T2). Increased T1ρ and T2 values were correlated with increased severity in radiographic and MR grading of OA. T1ρ has a larger range and higher effect size than T2, 3.7 vs 3.0.ConclusionOur results suggest that both in vivo T1ρ and T2 relaxation times increase with the degree of cartilage degeneration. T1ρ relaxation time may be a more sensitive indicator for early cartilage degeneration than T2. The ability to detect early cartilage degeneration prior to morphologic changes may allow us to critically monitor the course of OA and injury progression, and to evaluate the success of treatment to patients with early stages of OA

Global impact of unproductive splicing on human gene expression

Alternative splicing (AS) in human genes is widely viewed as a mechanism for enhancing proteomic diversity. AS can also impact gene expression levels without increasing protein diversity by producing ‘unproductive’ transcripts that are targeted for rapid degradation by nonsense-mediated decay (NMD). However, the relative importance of this regulatory mechanism remains underexplored. To better understand the impact of AS–NMD relative to other regulatory mechanisms, we analyzed population-scale genomic data across eight molecular assays, covering various stages from transcription to cytoplasmic decay. We report threefold more unproductive splicing compared with prior estimates using steady-state RNA. This unproductive splicing compounds across multi-intronic genes, resulting in 15% of transcript molecules from protein-coding genes being unproductive. Leveraging genetic variation across cell lines, we find that GWAS trait-associated loci explained by AS are as often associated with NMD-induced expression level differences as with differences in protein isoform usage. Our findings suggest that much of the impact of AS is mediated by NMD-induced changes in gene expression rather than diversification of the proteome

Characterisation of Co@Fe3O4 core@shell nanoparticles using advanced electron microscopy

Cobalt nanoparticles were synthesised via the thermal decomposition of Co2(CO)8 and were coated in iron oxide using Fe(CO)5. While previous work focused on the subsequent thermal alloying of these nanoparticles, this study fully elucidates their composition and core@shell structure. State-of-the-art electron microscopy and statistical data processing enabled chemical mapping of individual particles through the acquisition of energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM) images and detailed electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) analysis. Multivariate statistical analysis (MSA) has been used to greatly improve the quality of elemental mapping data from core@shell nanoparticles. Results from a combination of spatially resolved microanalysis reveal the shell as Fe3O4 and show that the core is composed of oxidatively stable metallic Co. For the first time, a region of lower atom density between the particle core and shell has been observed and identified as a trapped carbon residue attributable to the organic capping agents present in the initial Co nanoparticle synthesis.Junta de Andalucía Feder PE2009-FQM-4554 TEP-217EU FP7 AL-NANOFUNC CT-REGPOT2011-1-28589