Effectiveness of environmental impact statement methods: A Colombian case study

Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Granada/CBUA. The authors also appreciate the support of the research group TEP-968 (Technologies for Circular Economy) of the University of Granada (Spain) .The effectiveness of impact assessment (IA) methods has been a neglected topic in procedural effectiveness research, which has placed higher relevance on the quality of Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) and the environment impact assessment (EIA) process in general. This study analysed the effectiveness of methods used in IA in Colombia to demonstrate that they have been used in compliance with the Terms of Reference (ToR) but did not analyse their effectiveness. A total of 131 EIS were analysed using a revised version of the Effectiveness Index for Environmental Impact Assessment Methods (EIM) proposed by Caro and Toro (2016). It is concluded that, even if the environmental authority has accepted the EIS as a requirement for obtaining an environmental license, most of the methods that have been used in these technical documents, obtained a medium or low degree of effectiveness. The parameters regulated for the law have a higher percentage of compliance. The analysis suggests that the guidelines provided for the law, related to the design and implementation of the methods, should be improved to develop an effective EIA.Universidad de Granada/CBUAUniversity of Granada (Spain) TEP-96

Nosso planeta antes da vida: desenhos de estudantes como recurso de modelagem para o ensino da biologia no ciclo educacional III

According to the Basic Learning Rights for Colombia, the teaching of biology in cycle 3 must begin with the cell as the foundation of the living, and then classify living beings according to their characteristics; however, the student’s manifest gaps in the face of it, given the alternation and virtuality in which they remained for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. From these reflections, it is decided to cover the concept of cell, from a prehistoric perspective, allowing them to recognize the emergence of the first prokaryotes organisms. To do this, students are problematized so that, through a drawing, they show what they suppose existed on planet earth before any form of life. So, the problem question is: What types of representations emerge by 6 and 7-grade students from two official schools in Bogotá when they draw the planet earth before there was life? This qualitative research, from the multiple case study, is in implementation; It has preliminary analyzes of the drawings and explanations of the students, which show anthropogenic activities and the presence of plant and animal organisms, associating them with the concept of "before life". Soon the analysis will be extended with the drawings and subsequent explanations.Según los Derechos Básicos de Aprendizaje para Colombia, la enseñanza de la biología en ciclo 3 debe iniciar por célula como fundamento de lo vivo, para luego clasificar los seres vivos conforme sus características; sin embargo, los estudiantes manifiestan vacíos frente a ello, dada la alternancia y virtualidad en la que permanecieron dos años a causa de la pandemia por Covid-19. Desde estas reflexiones, se opta por abarcar el concepto de célula, desde una mirada prehistórica permitiéndoles reconocer el surgimiento de los primeros organismos procariontes. Para ello se problematiza a los estudiantes para que, mediante un dibujo, den cuenta de lo que suponen existía en el planeta tierra antes de cualquier forma de vida. Entonces, la pregunta problema es: ¿Qué tipos de representaciones emergen por parte de estudiantes de sexto y séptimo de dos colegios oficiales de Bogotá, cuando realizan un dibujo del planeta tierra antes de que hubiese vida? Esta investigación cualitativa, desde el estudio de caso múltiple, se encuentra en implementación; cuenta con análisis preliminares sobre los dibujos y explicaciones de los estudiantes, que evidencian actividades antrópicas y presencia de organismos vegetales y animales, asociándoles con el concepto “antes de vida”. Próximamente se ampliará el análisis con los dibujos y explicaciones posteriores.ciclo 3 deve começar pela célula como fundamento do vivo, para depois classificar os seres vivos de acordo com suas características; porém, os estudantes manifestam vazios sobre isto, devido à alternância e virtualidade na qual permaneceram por dois anos devido à pandemia por COVID-19. A partir dessas reflexões, decide-se abranger o conceito de célula, a partir de uma perspectiva pré-histórica, permitindo-lhes reconhecer o surgimento dos primeiros organismos procariontes. Para isso, se problematiza aos estudantes para que, por meio de um desenho, mostrem o que eles supõem existisse no planeta Terra anterior a qualquer forma de vida. Assim, a pergunta problema foi: Que tipo de representações emergem dos alunos de 6º e 7º anos de duas escolas oficiais de Bogotá quando desenham o planeta Terra antes que houvesse vida? Esta pesquisa qualitativa, a partir do estudo de casos múltiplos, encontra-se em fase de implementação; conta com análises preliminares dos desenhos e explicações dos alunos, que mostram atividades antrópicas e a presença de organismos vegetais e animais, associando-os ao conceito de “antes da vida”. Em breve as análises serão ampliadas com os desenhos e explicações posteriores

From procedural to transformative: A review of the evolution of effectiveness in EIA

The concept of effectiveness has become a relevant topic in environmental impact assessment (EIA) or impact assessment (IA) research in response to the need to improve the decision-making process. Although some studies have included reviews of the state of the art on the concept of EIA effectiveness, there are no reported studies that use bibliometric analysis to describe in detail the historical evolution of effectiveness in EIA. The aims of this study are to define the geographic areas where more research is being carried out on this topic, identify the coworking network developed in this field and the main trends in research on the effectiveness of EIA to review the evolution of the concept and its dimensions. To achieve these objectives, data obtained through the implementation of the PRISMA methodology and bibliometric analysis were considered. For this purpose, 280 publications on EIA effectiveness obtained from a systematic review in the Scopus database between 1997 and 2021 were selected. As a novelty, a performance analysis, a keyword analysis as well as a content analysis based on bibliometric indicators were developed. The results show that the main geographic regions where research on EIA effectiveness and cross-country collaboration is concentrated are the United Kingdom, Australia and South Africa. In addition, the most common research topics, and the evolution over the years of the dimensions of effectiveness are determined. It was found that the procedural approach still has a significant place in the analysis of effectiveness; however, the intention to study in detail the legitimacy of the EIA, the role of stakeholders, and the evaluation of EIA systems based on the dimensions of effectiveness (procedural, substantive, transactive and legitimacy) is recognized. The concept of EIA effectiveness is transforming, in fact recent research reflects a paradigm shift in which the reductionist vision of EIA is being replaced by a more complex approach. Therefore, it is concluded that it is necessary to address new elements of analysis to generate significant changes and improve the effectiveness in the EIA process

Lung cancer in Spain: information from the Thoracic Tumors Registry (TTR study)

[Background] Lung cancer remains a leading cause of cancer incidence and mortality worldwide. Although Spain contributes to global statistics related to cancer, it is difficult to discern aspects linked to clinical presentation of the disease or molecular testing. The Thoracic Tumor Registry (TTR) was created with the aim of filling this gap.[Methods] Observational cohort multicenter study performed in Spain, including patients with lung cancer or other types of thoracic tumors undergoing active treatment or palliative care only. Enrollment took place between August 2016 and December 2018. The evaluation included a review of demographic, epidemiological, clinical and molecular data.[Results] A total of 6,600 patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were recruited at 56 Spanish hospitals. The mean age at diagnosis was 64 years. The majority of patients (80%) presented with advanced disease, being adenocarcinoma the most frequent histological type. Up to 86% of patients were current- or ex-smokers, with men starting to smoke earlier than women (average age 17.9 vs. 19.2 years). Sixty-seven percent of patients underwent some type of molecular testing. Mutations in EGFR and KRAS genes were found in 18% and 28% of patients, respectively.[Conclusions] Our findings suggest that the TTR study accurately describes the clinical reality of lung cancer in Spain, including useful information on smoking status as well as molecular profiling and tumor histology, and can therefore be used to drive improvements in health care. Social and political pressure to reduce tobacco consumption among the population should be reinforced, particularly among youth.This work was supported by Grupo Español de Cáncer de Pulmón (GECP), Novartis, Lilly and Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD)

A comparative study of the antiangiogenic activity of hydroxytyrosyl alkyl ethers

Versión preprint del manuscrito de los autores, publicado finalmente en: Food Chemistry 333 (2020) 127476 con DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2020.127476The phenolic compound hydroxytyrosol and its derivatives are responsible for some of the health benefits of the intake of virgin olive oil, having shown antiangiogenic properties. In this study, we explored the antiangiogenic potential of six synthetic hydroxytyrosyl alkyl ethers (HT C1, C2, C4, C6, C8 and C12). Our results showed that all compounds affected endothelial cell viability in vitro at low micromolar doses. In addition, compounds HT C1, C2, C4 and C6 inhibited endothelial cell migration and formation of tubular-like structures. In these assays, hydroxytyrosyl hexyl ether (HT C6) exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity in vitro, activating as well apoptosis in endothelial cells. Furthermore, the antiangiogenic activity of HT C6 was confirmed in vivo in the chick chorioallantoic membrane assay. Hence, we present hydroxytyrosol synthetic derivative HT C6 as a new antiangiogenic compound and as a good candidate for an antiangiogenic drug in the treatment of angiogenesisdependent diseases.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (grants AGL2007-66373 and PID2019- 105010RB-I00), Andalusian Government and FEDER (P12-CTS-1507, UMA18-FEDERJA-220 and funds from group BIO 267), as well as funds from the University of Málaga (“Plan Propio de Investigación y Transferencia”). The “CIBER de Enfermedades Raras” and “CIBER de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares” are initiatives from the ISCIII (Spain). The funders had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript

Forest Biomass Density across Large Climate Gradients in Northern South America is related to Water Availability but not with Temperature

Understanding and predicting the likely response of ecosystems to climate change are crucial challenges for ecology and for conservation biology. Nowhere is this challenge greater than in the tropics as these forests store more than half the total atmospheric carbon stock in their biomass. Biomass is determined by the balance between biomass inputs (i.e., growth) and outputs (mortality). We can expect therefore that conditions that favor high growth rates, such as abundant water supply, warmth, and nutrient-rich soils will tend to correlate with high biomass stocks. Our main objective is to describe the patterns of above ground biomass (AGB) stocks across major tropical forests across climatic gradients in Northwestern South America. We gathered data from 200 plots across the region, at elevations ranging between 0 to 3400 m. We estimated AGB based on allometric equations and values for stem density, basal area, and wood density weighted by basal area at the plot-level. We used two groups of climatic variables, namely mean annual temperature and actual evapotranspiration as surrogates of environmental energy, and annual precipitation, precipitation seasonality, and water availability as surrogates of water availability. We found that AGB is more closely related to water availability variables than to energy variables. In northwest South America, water availability influences carbon stocks principally by determining stand structure, i.e. basal area. When water deficits increase in tropical forests we can expect negative impact on biomass and hence carbon storage

Role of age and comorbidities in mortality of patients with infective endocarditis

[Purpose]: The aim of this study was to analyse the characteristics of patients with IE in three groups of age and to assess the ability of age and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to predict mortality. [Methods]: Prospective cohort study of all patients with IE included in the GAMES Spanish database between 2008 and 2015.Patients were stratified into three age groups:<65 years,65 to 80 years,and ≥ 80 years.The area under the receiver-operating characteristic (AUROC) curve was calculated to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the CCI to predict mortality risk. [Results]: A total of 3120 patients with IE (1327 < 65 years;1291 65-80 years;502 ≥ 80 years) were enrolled.Fever and heart failure were the most common presentations of IE, with no differences among age groups.Patients ≥80 years who underwent surgery were significantly lower compared with other age groups (14.3%,65 years; 20.5%,65-79 years; 31.3%,≥80 years). In-hospital mortality was lower in the <65-year group (20.3%,<65 years;30.1%,65-79 years;34.7%,≥80 years;p < 0.001) as well as 1-year mortality (3.2%, <65 years; 5.5%, 65-80 years;7.6%,≥80 years; p = 0.003).Independent predictors of mortality were age ≥ 80 years (hazard ratio [HR]:2.78;95% confidence interval [CI]:2.32–3.34), CCI ≥ 3 (HR:1.62; 95% CI:1.39–1.88),and non-performed surgery (HR:1.64;95% CI:11.16–1.58).When the three age groups were compared,the AUROC curve for CCI was significantly larger for patients aged <65 years(p < 0.001) for both in-hospital and 1-year mortality. [Conclusion]: There were no differences in the clinical presentation of IE between the groups. Age ≥ 80 years, high comorbidity (measured by CCI),and non-performance of surgery were independent predictors of mortality in patients with IE.CCI could help to identify those patients with IE and surgical indication who present a lower risk of in-hospital and 1-year mortality after surgery, especially in the <65-year group

Fifth European Dirofilaria and Angiostrongylus Days (FiEDAD) 2016

Peer reviewe

Is diet partly responsible for differences in COVID-19 death rates between and within countries?

Correction: Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Article Number: 44 DOI: 10.1186/s13601-020-00351-w Published: OCT 26 2020Reported COVID-19 deaths in Germany are relatively low as compared to many European countries. Among the several explanations proposed, an early and large testing of the population was put forward. Most current debates on COVID-19 focus on the differences among countries, but little attention has been given to regional differences and diet. The low-death rate European countries (e.g. Austria, Baltic States, Czech Republic, Finland, Norway, Poland, Slovakia) have used different quarantine and/or confinement times and methods and none have performed as many early tests as Germany. Among other factors that may be significant are the dietary habits. It seems that some foods largely used in these countries may reduce angiotensin-converting enzyme activity or are anti-oxidants. Among the many possible areas of research, it might be important to understand diet and angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) levels in populations with different COVID-19 death rates since dietary interventions may be of great benefit.Peer reviewe

Geographical and temporal distribution of SARS-CoV-2 clades in the WHO European Region, January to June 2020

We show the distribution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) genetic clades over time and between countries and outline potential genomic surveillance objectives. We applied three genomic nomenclature systems to all sequence data from the World Health Organization European Region available until 10 July 2020. We highlight the importance of real-time sequencing and data dissemination in a pandemic situation, compare the nomenclatures and lay a foundation for future European genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2