Guía para facilitadores y facilitadoras de talleres de GEM

89 p. Libro electrónicoEl Programa de Apoyo a las Redes de Mujeres (PARM) de APC es tanto un programa de la asociación, como una red de mujeres de todo el mundo que tienen un compromiso con el uso de la tecnología para el empoderamiento y la igualdad de ellas. Fundada en 1993, nuestra red cuenta hoy con más de 175 mujeres de 35 países—bibliotecarias, programadoras, periodistas, capacitadoras, diseñadoras, académicas, investigadoras y comunicadoras. La Metodología de Evaluación de Género (GEM) se desarrolló en APC dentro del programa de mujeres cuando empezamos a investigar el impacto de nuestro trabajo en 2000. Nos preguntamos: ¿Qué cambios empoderan a las mujeres? ¿Cómo se miden esos cambios? ¿Qué papel tienen las TIC en ellos? ¿Cómo inciden en las relaciones de género entre hombres y mujeres? En aquel momento no existían modelos de herramientas de evaluación de género que analizaran específicamente el uso de las TIC o de la tecnología. En 2001, empezamos a desarrollar GEM con practicantes de TIC para el desarrollo en 25 países de América Latina, Asia, África y Europa Central y Oriental. El manual de GEM se desarrolló inicialmente para internet y las TIC, pero la experiencia muestra que GEM también se puede usar para mejorar las relaciones de género en el sector del desarrollo en general

Aprovechamiento del bagazo de piña para obtener celulosa y bioetanol

Actualmente se están buscando nuevas alternativas energéticas a partir de biomasa, recursos renovables y desechos agroindustriales, para desarrollar nuevas tecnologías y procesos en la obtención de biocombustibles. El objetivo fue obtener celulosa y bio-etanol del bagazo de piña (desecho agrícola). El aprovechamiento de este bagazo evitará el consumo de cultivos destinados a la alimentación, evitando el uso excesivo de tierras y el empleo de residuos orgánicos agroindustriales. Además, el producto obtenido tiene un valor agregado y podría convertirse en un beneficio para los productores de piña. La finalidad fue estudiar un proceso para extraer celulosa del bagazo de piña, y mediante hidrólisis ácida de celulosa y bagazo se obtuvo glucosa. Esta glucosa se neutralizó a pH de 5 y se realizó la fermentación en un medio anaeróbico, utilizando el microorganismo Saccharomyces cerevisiae, variando tiempos de fermentación (36, 40, 48 y 72 h) y manteniendo la temperatura a 30ºC. La celulosa obtenida presentó una conversión del 60% y mediante FTIR se corroboró que la celulosa fue tipo II. Se obtuvo bio-etanol mediante destilación, presentando un rendimiento del 35% con bagazo y del 57% con celulosa con un tiempo de fermentación de 48 y 72 h, respectivamente

Borrelia Lyme Group

Borreliaceae is a family of the phylum Spirochaetales and includes two genera, Borrelia and Cristispira genus. Borrelia genus is divided into three groups, namely Lyme group (LG), Echidna‐Reptile group (REPG) and Relapsing Fever group (RFG). All Borrelia species have an obligate parasitic lifestyle, as they depend on their hosts for most of their nutritional needs. Borreliæ are transmitted among vertebrate hosts by arthropod vectors (ticks and lice). Transtadial transmission within their carriers occurs for the Borreliæ RF Group, while this does not (or rarely occurs) for the Borreliæ Lyme Group. Phylogenetic data demonstrated that these two groups are genetically similar but distinct, forming independent clades sharing a common ancestor. In nature, the vectors of LB belong to the genus Ixodes spp. frequently found in the Northern Hemisphere, while the vectors of RF are usually the soft-ticks (Ornithodoros spp.). Borreliae share a unique genomic structure consisting of a single highly conserved linear chromosome and several linear and circular extrachromosomal plasmids which can vary widely between strains. In addition to Lyme and RF borreliosis, an intermediate group, called Echidna-Reptile borreliosis, has recently been identified. Lyme disease (LD) is caused by the spirochæte Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) and transmitted to humans by the bite of a hard tick of the genus Ixodes, and LD reservoir are usually small rodents. LD is present in America, Eurasia, Africa, while its presence in Australia is not yet well documented. Not all Borreliæ Lyme Groups cause this disease in humans. Of the 23 Borreliæ burgdorferi s.l. currently known only 9 have been identified in human infection, namely Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. afzelii, B. bavarensis, B. bissettii, B. garinii, B. lusitaniae, B. spielmani, B. valaisiana, and B. mayonii. LD is an organotropic infection, but there is also a spirochætemic form, caused by Borrelia mayonii, which gives fever similarly to the Borreliosis RF Group. A third variant of LD is Baggio-Yoshinari Syndrome (BYS), which is transmitted by another hard tick, Amblyomma cajennense. This Borrelia has not been isolated in culture, therefore its membership in the Lyme Group is not yet proven. All three of these Sub-Groups can manifest early with erythema migrans. Clinical features of LD are wide and variable, with clinical manifestations linked to distinct tissue tropisms of specific Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. genospecies. The early infection is localized and, in the absence of treatment, the spirochete can spread. The organs most frequently involved are skin, joints, muscles, nervous system, heart and eyes. B. burgdorferi s.s. is more often associated with Lyme arthritis, Borrelia garinii with neuroborreliosis and B. afzelii with acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans

X-ray absorption spectroscopy

This review gives a brief description of the theory and application of X-ray absorption spectroscopy, both X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), especially, pertaining to photosynthesis. The advantages and limitations of the methods are discussed. Recent advances in extended EXAFS and polarized EXAFS using oriented membranes and single crystals are explained. Developments in theory in understanding the XANES spectra are described. The application of X-ray absorption spectroscopy to the study of the Mn4Ca cluster in Photosystem II is presented

Application of direct bioautography and SPME-GC-MS for the study of antibacterial chamomile ingredients

The isolation and characterization of antibacterial chamomile components were performed by the use of direct bioautography and solid phase microextraction (SPME)-GC-MS. Four ingredients, active against Vibrio fischeri, were identified as the polyacetylene geometric isomers cis- and trans-spiroethers, the coumarin related herniarin, and the sesquiterpene alcohol (-)-alpha-bisabolol

The history of Lyme disease in Italy and its spread in the Italian territory

Lyme borreliosis (LB) is the most common vector-borne zoonotic inflammatory disease in the Northern Hemisphere. In Italy, the first case was diagnosed in 1985 in a woman in Liguria, while the second, in 1986 in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, documenting the infection in northern Italy. Both diagnoses were confirmed by serological assessment by an indirect immunofluorescence (IFI) technique. Borrelia cultivation from both Ixodes ricinus ticks and human lesions in Trieste (Friuli-Venezia Giulia) identified Borrelia afzelii as the prevalent genospecies; nevertheless, Borrelia garinii, Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu stricto), and Borrelia valaisiana (VS116 Group) were also detected, although less frequently. LB was also documented in other Italian regions: in Tuscany (1991), Trentino–Alto Adige (1995–1996), Emilia-Romagna (1998), Abruzzo (1998), and more recently, Lombardy. Nevertheless, data on LB in other Italian regions, especially in southern Italy and islands, are poor. The aim of this study is to document the spread of LB in Italy through the collection of data from LB patients in eight Italian hospitals located in different Italian regions. Diagnostic criteria for LB diagnosis are as follows: i) the presence of erythema migrans (EM) or ii) a clinical picture suggestive of LB, confirmed by serological tests and/or PCR positivity for Borrelia detection. In addition, data also included the place of residence (town and region) and the place where patients became infected. During the observation period, 1,260 cases were gathered from the participating centers. Although different in extent from northern Italy to central/southern Italy, this study shows that LB is widespread throughout Italy

Conducting Polymers Films Deposited on Carbon Steel and Their Interaction with Crude Oil

The formation of scale/solids deposits inside the pipelines is a frequent problem in the petrochemical industry. These scales can be organic as the asphaltenes and inorganic as the accumulations of salts, which apart from blocking the inside of the pipes can also cause a change in the integrity of the steel. Therefore, it is necessary to avoid the conditions where deposition occurs, together with chemical and mechanical methods of remediation to mitigate the deposition. In this work we intend to use conductive polymers in order to inhibit the deposition of asphaltenes on carbon steel surfaces, by using polypyrrole (PPy) as material capable of conducting electrical current. The electrodeposition of PPy on carbon steel were performed by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA). The results showed that under certain experimental conditions it is possible to make a PPy film with adequate characteristics. Important factors were the grip and electrochemical stability of the formed film on steel, which depends on the electrosynthesis technique and in some cases favoured by a pre-treatment with a 10% HNO3 solution applied to the steel prior to electropolymerization. The PPy films deposited with pre-treatment completely covered the steel surface and showed better stability, adherence and generated a hydrophobic material

Pressure drawdown analysis for the Travale 22 well

This work presents preliminary results on the analysis of drawdown data for Travale 22. Both wellhead pressure and flow rate data were recorded in this well for over a period of almost two years. In the past, Barelli et al. (1975) and Atkinson et al. (1977) presented the analysis of five pressure buildup tests. Figure 1 shows the Horner plot for these cases. They found that to have a good match in all cases, it was necessary to assume that the Travale 22 well is intersected by a partially penetrating vertical fracture in a parallel-piped whose bottom side is maintained at constant pressure (boiling front), as shown in Fig. 2. Atkinson et al. also presented an analysis for a pressure interface test run in the Travale-Radicondoli area. In this case, the Travale 22 well was flowing and the pressure recorded at wells R1, R3, R5, R6, R9, and Chl (see Fig. 3 ) . Analysis of these data showed that pressure interference in this reservoir can be matched by considering pure linear flow (Figs. 4 and 5 ) . This indicated the possible presence of a vertical fracture intersecting the Travale 22 well. It was determined that fracture is oriented along the N73{sup o}W direction. In addition, the pressure interference data showed that no boundary exists within 2 kilometers from the fracture plane. It was mentioned that linear flow should take place in both horizontal and vertical directions