Transgénicos : el tiempo confirma todos los temores

Los cultivos transgénicos se introdujeron en nuestra agricultura y alimentación hace ya más de 15 años, con la promesa de ayudar a solucionar muchos de los problemas de la agricultura. Quince años después, el tiempo ha confirmado todos los temores. A pesar de las dificultades para realizar una investigación independiente, existen ya sobradas evidencias científicas como sobre el terreno de sus graves impactos sociales, ambientales y económicos; además de su incompatibilidad con un modelo de agricultura social y sostenible en el marco de la Soberanía Alimentaria

Una panorámica de la ganadería industrial en el Estado español

En el Estado español el número de cabezas de ganado no deja de crecer, pero cada vez hay menos personas dedicadas a la ganadería. La industria cárnica ha convertido la ganadería en una actividad industrial más: deslocalizada, desligada del entorno y altamente dependiente de insumos externos. La parte productora está a merced de una industria que impone los precios y modos de producción mientras que la consumidora paga un alto precio en salud y medio ambiente por adquirir carne y productos lácteos baratos

Geometry Induced Biofilm Formation

Bacteria in aqueous environments usually gather to form aggregates called biofilms. In biofilms, cells display many behavioral differences from planktonic cells, such as a 1,000-fold increase in tolerance to antibiotics. Hospital-acquired infections are often caused by biofilm spread through medical systems. Design improvements hindering biofilm formation rely on identifying factors that favor their appearance. Geometry variations in medical flow circuits may trigger biofilm nucleation through vortical motion driving bacteria to walls. Detailed flow studies in mili and microfluidic devices support that observation. Once biofilm seeds are created, they proliferate forming filaments whose structure is again controlled by the geometry

Dynamics of elastic biofilm threads

Fac. de Ciencias MatemáticasFALSEunpu

The Economic Value of Basin Protection to Improve the Quality and Reliability of Potable Water Supply: Some Evidence from Ecuador

This study estimates the willingness to pay (WTP) of Loja’s households to protect two micro-basins that supply over 40 percent of potable water to the city. Results indicate that households have an average WTP of $5.80 per month, which corresponds to a 25 percent increase in the self-reported monthly water bill, to preserve the basins.Basin protection, contingent valuation, Loja, Ecuador, Environmental Economics and Policy, Land Economics/Use,

Biofilm growth on rugose surfaces

A stochastic model is used to assess the effect of external parameters on the development of submerged biofilms on smooth and rough surfaces. The model includes basic cellular mechanisms, such as division and spreading, together with an elementary description of the interaction with the surrounding flow and probabilistic rules for EPS matrix generation, cell decay and adhesion. Insight on the interplay of competing mechanisms as the flow or the nutrient concentration change is gained. Erosion and growth processes combined produce biofilm structures moving downstream. A rich variety of patterns are generated: shrinking biofilms, patches, ripple-like structures traveling downstream, fingers, mounds, streamer-like patterns, flat layers, porous and dendritic structures. The observed regimes depend on the carbon source and the type of bacteria

Dynamics of bacterial aggregates in microflows

Biofilms are bacterial aggregates that grow on moist surfaces. Thin homogeneous biofilms naturally formed on the walls of conducts may serve as biosensors, providing information on the status of microsystems (MEMS) without disrupting them. However, uncontrolled biofilm growth may largely disturb the environment they develop in, increasing the drag and clogging the tubes. To ensure controlled biofilm expansion we need to understand the effect of external variables on their structure. We formulate a hybrid model for the computational study of biofilms growing in laminar microflows. Biomass evolves according to stochastic rules for adhesion, erosion and motion, informed by numerical approximations of the flow fields at each stage. The model is tested studying the formation of streamers in three dimensional corner flows, gaining some insight on the effect of external variables on their structure

Queremos campesinos y campesinas, no casinos

Los juegos de azar guardan varias similitudes con el manejo que actualmente hacemos de nuestras materias primas y alimentos, o al revés, la actividad especulativa que caracteriza hoy en día a los mercados mundiales de alimentos parece imitar perfectamente las apuestas que se dan en la ruleta o el Black Jack. Y ninguna de estas dos actividades contribuye al desarrollo local ni al bienestar de las personas. ¿Aceptamos entonces en nuestros territorios proyectos como la instalación de Eurovegas

A Influência do terrorismo nas operações de manutenção da paz

Esta investigação pretende caraterizar as ações terroristas desencadeadas contra as Forças Militares (FM) em Operações de Manutenção da Paz (OMP), e descrever as medidas de informações (intelligence) e Force Protection (FP) que podem ser implementadas para prevenir, mitigar e combater estas ações. Para tal, foi desenhada uma estratégia de investigação qualitativa, baseada nas publicações doutrinárias e de distintos autores, assim como na realização de entrevistas a Oficiais da Guardia Civil (GC) e dos Exércitos Espanhol e Português, abrangendo diferentes perspetivas e experiências sobre a participação na estabilização e a Reforma do Sector da Segurança (RSS) do Afeganistão. Os resultados obtidos mostram a necessidade de uma formação e treino prévio ao deslocamento, a importância que as informações proporcionam à atividade operacional dos militares da GC e das Forças Armadas (FFAA) destacados, quando estes atuam em missões de FP ou de resposta às ações terroristas num cenário de OMP. Assim, as propostas para minimizar a influência da ameaça do terrorismo nas OMP referem-se aos procedimentos a aplicar, em matéria de informações, quer internamente nas unidades nacionais da força, quer a nível das próprias Organizações Internacionais (OI), assim como nos aspetos de FP e formação e treino prévio dos militares a destacar.This investigation aims to characterize the terrorist actions unleashed against the Military Forces in Peacekeeping Operations (PKO), and describe the information (intelligence) and Force Protection (FP) measures that can be implemented to prevent, mitigate and combat these actions. To this end, a qualitative research strategy was designed, based on doctrinal publications and by different authors, as well as interviews with Officers of the Guardia Civil (GC) and Spanish and Portuguese Armies, covering different perspectives and experiences on participation in stabilization and the Reform of Security Sector of Afghanistan. The results obtained show the need for pre-deployment training and formation, the importance that intelligence provides to the operational activity of the GC and the Armed Forces deployed, when they are on FP or terrorist response missions in an PKO scenario. Thus, the proposals to minimize the influence of the threat of terrorism in the PKO refer to the information procedures to be applied, both internally in the national force units and at the level of the international organizations (OI) themselves as well as the aspects of FP and training and prior be deployed.N/